"Boldness" is newspapers' missing generation link: our maturity isn't the problem; a lack of boldness might be.

Some editorial writers worry that our cultural mileposts date us, letting younger readers know our dirty little secret: Most of us are old. And not very hip. They think that prevents editorial pages from reaching younger audiences.

I don't see it that way. I think we'd like to blame some imaginary gulf between generations, some pop cultural disconnect, so that we can have a license not to try: Younger readers? They don't get us. We don't get them. Move on.

No, blaming cultural mileposts is easy. The truth about why we don't connect with younger readers actually presents a much more difficult challenge.

The Readership Institute is full of suggestions about how to revolutionize the way we think about reaching new, diverse audiences.

In a report released last summer, the institute cautioned: "The simple truth is that newspapers can spend too much time making improvements around the edges that only benefit older, more loyal readers. In the meantime you skirt the heart of the issue--coming to grips with what makes lighter, younger readers really engage (or disengage) with your paper."

So what's the heart of the issue? Well, the report says younger readers are least likely to think the newspaper gives them "something to talk about" or that it "makes them smarter."

I believe if younger readers gave our pages a chance, they'd turn around, but we must make them want to tune in each day. Research shows that they want to see a mix of formats, tones, and arguments. They don't want the same editorial voice--that institutional voice--every day. They want to be surprised. Entertained, even.

They also want to see more interaction online and more go-and-do opportunities (public forums, discussions and speakers, etc.).

Also, we should look for opportunities to be funny. (There's a reason Jon Stewart is one of the leading sources of news for young people.) Use art and bold layout, not to attract simpletons with pretty pictures, but to help make powerful arguments. And when you know there's a topic young people are talking about that is important to include on your page, but you can't relate to yourself, seek help (or guest columns) from young people on the newspaper staff or in the community.

In essence, we need to think about how to capture a younger audience, not just on how to spark debate and provide community leadership for the older, loyal readers. How do we grab them? How interesting do our pages look and feel to them, given all the other media options they have today?

The fact that editorial writers are looking for explanations for why they are not connecting with younger readers is, in itself, a hopeful sign. We know younger readers do not relate to much of what we do now. But maybe we should be comforted knowing that our collective maturity and wisdom is not the barrier. It's not who we are; it's how we do what we do.

If our goal really is to reach new audiences, we should be fearless and revolutionary. And we should feel emboldened by the Readership Institute findings. After all, if we embrace what the research is telling us, we can use it as a powerful argument the next time we go to the publisher and say we want to try something new.

Michael Landauer is an assistant editorial page editor at The Dallas Morning News. He is fairly young (thirty), but certainly not hip. E-mail mlandauer@ dallasnews.com