From Editor & Publisher
Hearst Chooses DTI For Consolidated Editorial System in Houston and Albany
By Meg Campbell
Published: December 13, 2007 4:05 PM ET
New York, Hearst Newspapers has signed a contract with Digital Technology International of Springville, Utah, to purchase, install and configure a consolidated editorial system that will be used for both the Houston Chronicle and the Albany Times–Union.
The system, worth a total of $5.6 million including hardware and software, is slated to begin installation early next year, and to go online in early fall.
The DTI platform, which will replace a Netlinx system in Albany and a custom–built CKP system in Houston (E&P, June 28, 1997; Dec. 10, 1994), will be housed entirely on servers at the Chronicle. The Times–Union will connect to the network via a remote access tool such as Citrix.
“The idea is to consolidate a lot of our IT infrastructure and systems at the Houston Chronicle,“ explains Mike Fogel, VP of Technology Development for Hearst Newspapers. “We‘re trying to create a service center in Houston to drive better service, cost savings, and more efficiency.“
Fogel notes, however, that Hearst is does not anticipate layoffs as a result of the new system. The initiative only includes the papers in Texas and New York for right now, but Fogel says that Hearst is studying the possibility of further consolidation in the future. Hearst‘s three metro papers, the San Francisco Chronicle, San Antonio Express–News and Seattle Post–Intelligencer are currently CCI users.
The Albany and Houston papers are currently at work overhauling workflow designs that will be implemented with the new system. The papers will work together as much as possible to standardize workflows and naming conventions, Fogel says, although he notes that it will be impossible to achieve 100 percent standardization, primarily due to the fact that the Houston system will have to support some Spanish–language features.
The new installation calls for 499 seats 72 percent of which will be in Houston. Reporters will use InCopy and page layout will be done with InDesign. Journalists working offsite will use DTI’s eWriter tool to connect to the network and submit stories.
Hearst looked at several vendors before choosing DTI, Fogel says, adding that DTI‘s integration of standard software like InDesign and InCopy was a major reason for the choice.
“DTI is ahead of the curve in integrating newer products,“ he explains.
The purchase includes an additional content repository that Hearst requested specifically . The company‘s newspapers will establish a corporate–wide news budgeting system that will allow editors across the group to see news budgets, Fogel explains.
As stories are created, they will deposited sent to the news repository, giving group papers faster access to stories.
