UBS 35th Annual Global Media & Communications Conference was held in New York from Dec. 3 to Dec. 5. Presenting newspaper companies on the last day included the Washington Post Co., McClatchy, Co., Gannett Co., and many others.

Facing the stiff economic condition this year, these newspaper companies struggled against ad downturn especially in real estate. They all map out the plans to bring back readers and advertising from the print to digital platforms, either online or mobile.

The Washington Post was optimistic about expanding its audience online next year, due to the presidential election approaches. CEO Donald Graham said the company should focus on Post's strengths in political reporting as well as at its online magazine, Slate.

Gary Pruitt, CEO of McClatchy Co., said its online advertising growth was "stunted" this year, partially because of the changes to the agreement with CareerBuilder. However, McClatchy was optimistic about converting its online traffic into more ad revenues next year. Unique visitors to its Web sites boosted 23 percent in October over the same month a year ago, to 21 million.

Gannett Co., which has the largest publishing business in U.S. as well as broadcasting, said the ad recession in company's newspaper group was correlated with regional slumps in housing and declines in advertising. But it was far more optimistic online - the company has trained 600 print journalists to make videos for newspaper sites, and these Web sites has gained 32 percent gain in page views this calendar year.

Gannett's flagship title, USA Today, is expected a revenue decline of between six percent and seven percent this year versus last year, Editor & Publisher reported.