By: E&P Staff The Columbian in Vancouver, Wash., has selected the Saxotech Mediaware Center to manage all content and resources for its print and digital publishing operations. When fully implemented, all content creators, editors and channel-specific producers will work within a common system to produce Web sites, new digital products, and print newspapers.
The multi-channel publishing solution's implementation is under way, with a completely rebuilt Web site just launched. "Project management and support was an important factor to us in selecting a system," Columbian Web Editor Jeff Bunch said in a statement. An integrated print and digital solution was "the model that attracted us to Saxotech," added Bunch, who was a member of the vendor-selection committee and implementation team. "As a mid-size paper, we need to maximize our resources and this system allows us to be more efficient with the resources we have."
By leveraging professional services from Tampa-based Saxotech, the Columbian's turnkey implementation of an enterprise content management system for print and digital publishing is on track for completion within a seven-month timeframe. Saxotech will also provide managed hosting and site-traffic reporting.
The Mediaware Center for Vancouver leverages photo, video and other features to help engage local audiences and drive content direction for both digital and print products. The Columbian's locally focused video assets are managed and delivered using Saxotech's video channel handling features. The platform supports video created by both staff and readers, and it allows daily production of multiple galleries.
Web-originating content (including community content) will flow to print producers -- and vice versa -- when the newsroom implementation is complete.
The site features a new Saxotech-powered mobile site, RSS feeds, and electronic newsletters; SMS/text messaging and mobile-phone applications also are planned.
The new site incorporates legacy blogs and allows quick deployment of new blogs, content of which can be published in multiple digital channels and incorporated into niche pages.
The common user interface for all content creation is integrated with Adobe InDesign for pagination, allowing all to see page-production status in real time. Page producers have point-and-click access to the latest content used for Web and other digital channel distribution.
The interface that enables digital channel producers to allow reader comments and other interactivity, including forums, provides a suite of content control, including management of a customizable list to automatically bar specific offensive words.
Web site visitors get a live view of traffic on major metro-area thoroughfares and see real-time gas prices on a flash-based map. The company also plans to soon launch an interactive news map with partner company mapwith.us.
In addition to providing project management and platform training, Saxotech will handle Web server, database management and other technical support functions. By outsourcing hardware, network infrastructure, and application management to Saxotech, the Columbian can focus on presenting compelling content.
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