FUTURE-PROOF
your newsroom
Being side by side with journalists as they work is the best way to build tools
Superdesk
GREAT NEWS FOR NEWS Making the best possible software for quality journalism is our calling
"Superdesk is now ready for everyone. This brochure will tell you all about it."
A
s Europe’s largest developer
of the system’s core. As of October
you in developing your own system on
of open source tools for news
2014, Sourcefabric staff have been
top of the Superdesk framework. And we
media, we are proud to bring
embedded in the newsroom of Austra-
most certainly will not shy away from
you Superdesk, an end-to-end news
lian Associated Press (AAP), working
playing the role of the custodian of this
creation, production, curation, distribu-
with their development team and
resulting new code base, in effect built by
tion and publishing platform. We have
learning the agency’s strict require-
journalists, for journalists.
specifically conceived it to be scalable
ments for accurate news delivery at
to suit news operations of any size.
speed. We believe that being side by side with the journalists as they work is
Aside from its potential to serve as an
the best way to build tools that enable
all-in-one newsroom system, Super-
rather than frustrate users.
desk’s modular approach effectively Sava Tatić
provides a continuous innovation
We are open to development partnerships
framework for your organisation. New
similar to our work with AAP. We are also
features, products or entire apps can
ready to develop new custom applica-
Co-founder and
be easily added, without major rewrites
tions for your existing system -- or assist
Managing Director
1
4 CONTENTS Desks, tasks and teams
Be everywhere without leaving your desk
3
User-experience and design
The better you look, the more you see
4
The API-first approach
Unlock your content, release the API
10
The Superdesk tech stack
11
Output channels
Create once publish everywhere
12
Open source license
Business-friendly code
13
10 “Web APIs
were the answer to all of this.”
15
Developing in partnership
Let’s work together
14
Who’s using Superdesk
“Make journalism the focus”
15
Meet Sourcefabric
16
16
www.sourcefabric.org Image credits:
contact@sourcefabric.org
Cover, Janis Milzarajs, Mareks Gaidamovics p. 3, Getty Images p. 11, Adrian Magdas p. 12-13, Remix of Paper city by Philippe Put (CC BY 2.0)
Sourcefabric GmbH Prinzessinnenstr. 20 10969 Berlin Germany +49 30 6162 9281
Sourcefabric z.ú. Salvátorská 10 110 00 Praha 1 Czech Republic +420 222 362 540
Sourcefabric North America 720 Bathurst St. M5S 2R4 Toronto, Ontario Canada
Superdesk
BE EVERYWHERE WITHOUT LEAVING YOUR DESK Desks, tasks and teams
N
The complexity of workflows and team structures are neatly stacked away beneath the desktop, so to speak. o desks, no newsroom.
create an environment that does away
workflows. It is through desks that you
Desks are essential to any
with tedious chores and encourages
assign and manage tasks. Think of
news business. It comes as
interaction and creativity. Desks are a
them as groups. Desks organise teams
no surprise that desks are the basic
good illustration of this approach. The
by type of work (proofing, image editor)
organisational units in Superdesk.
complexity of workflows and team
or by location (Berlin bureau, Prague) or
structures are neatly stacked away
subject (politics, sports, origami) or
Superdesk’s primary aim is to give
beneath the desktop, so to speak, and
anything else that represents your
newsroom staff the best possible
can be customised in the desk settings.
production.
experience to excel in their jobs. To
Desks in Superdesk provide the
achieve this goal, we have sought to
structure to create teams and
Each desk has a workflow. All users of a desk share the same process of working. The desk’s workflow is customisable in the desk configuration.
3
Superdesk
THE BETTER YOU LOOK, THE MORE YOU SEE User experience and design
Customisable Dashboard
Superdesk comes with a number of universal widgets for the dashboard. More widgets can be added to fit the needs of the newsroom.
Get your coffee, sit down, log in and at a glance know where you are, what there is to do, who else is around and what happened while you were away. This is the way the Superdesk dashboard works (minus the coffee). Each editor can customise their own dashboard to reflect their personal tasks. Adding new widgets is an efďŹ cient way to extend Superdesk.
Superdesk
New Tab 02
The editor’s dashboard shows everything that matters: activity stream, task management, incoming news. The navigation in the left column accesses other Superdesk areas.
4
Powerful Content Search
Superdesk
New Tab 02
Support to different delivery mechanisms and data formats let
Superdesk’s Ingest
you define and
component includes
browse content from
support for NewsML-G2,
a broad variety of
NewsML 1.2, NITF,
content feeds.
IPTC, RSS, ANPA, Teletype and other formats.
Searches can be saved. This way, the most
The search can access one or more
faceted search results are always only one
repositories. In this case the search has
click away.
been narrowed down to “Reuters, pictures, soccer”.
Superdesk features a robust and easy-to-use content searching component built on top of the powerful
Selecting an item brings up the preview on the right. Metadata and related items can be displayed alongside the image or text itself.
capabilities of Elasticsearch. You can define a search query by simply setting up filters using multiple parameters and facets. Within the results you can save the filter settings so they can be reused further via the search component or even within individual widgets on your user dashboard.
“Interface design means hiding the complexity of technology.” Vladimir Stefanović / Head of Design 5
Superdesk
Content Packages The ability to package together news items is important to news organisations and their customers. Creating content packages in Superdesk allows you to better deďŹ ne the different facets of the coverage of a news story or to aggregate content for news products. Packages are versioned, have their own metadata and reference individual pieces of content. Image cropping is intuitive and fast, preset options are available.
Superdesk
New Tab 02
Packaging content including pictures and text occurs on the righthand side of the screen. The monitoring on the left allows you to keep an eye on the news for time-sensitive changes.
6
Superdesk
SuperDesk
New Tab 02
New Tab 02
Master Desk View Keep an eye on your entire newsroom. The Master Desk View offers three different modes for you to view how stories and tasks are progressing and who is working on what. Editors can also see user distribution per Desk with their corresponding roles and who is available online or who is not.
Monitoring and Production Superdesk allows you to be fully immersed in the news that matters to you as it pours in. The monitoring view is the system’s default working environment. The left part of the screen allows you to keep an eye on the items coming in and out of your news organisation at all times. You can reference background materials and incoming feeds without ever losing focus on your work. The monitored content can be set up for each desk or individually by the journalists. Getting away from all the buzz is simple as well. A click on the monitoring icon hides the monitoring lists. If you need them back, just click on the same icon again.
Monitoring can be adjusted individually. You can follow desks, people and saved searches. You can also change the order of the monitoring results.
7
Powerful Content Search Search queries containing ďŹ lters, multiple parameters and facets can be saved for reuse in the future.
Content Packages Packages are versioned, have their own metadata and reference individual pieces of content.
Master Desk View Keep an eye on your entire newsroom. The Master Desk View offers three different modes: stories, tasks and people.
Customisable Dashboard Each editor can customise their own dashboard to reflect their personal tasks.
Superdesk
UNLOCK YOUR CONTENT, RELEASE THE API The API-first approach
“Web APIs were the answer to all of this.” Holman Romero
W
Why APIs
hen we started concept-
blueprint to extend different parts of
ualising Superdesk as a
the system. This API ensures the
product, we knew we were
standardised functionality and modu-
Superdesk APIs encourage and
lar structure of the Superdesk core.
promote innovation and cooperation.
going to create a complex and large system. Thus, we had to think of a design where system extensibility,
This is very important to us, especially
Content API
considering the fact that Superdesk is
third-party applications were at the top
The Content API allows us to do a
developed based on the APIs will be
of the requirements. Web APIs were
better job with content distribution and
available as a set of tools for journal-
the answer to all of this.
publishing. It makes news content
ism to any newsroom worldwide.
content portability and integration with
an open source project. New products
available in a presentation-free JSON
API-first
format and follows the IPTC's ninjs
With the explosion of new digital
(News in JSON) specification. The
platforms, services and devices in the
This API-first approach bring a lot to
Content API represents an important
past few years, having a modern
the table. Superdesk is designed from
asset to newsrooms, it makes it possi-
technological infrastructure to support
the ground up as a platform, featuring
ble to build specialised apps, whenever
content publishing to reach readers
a set of RESTful APIs which serve
needed, to present the content graceful-
wherever they are has become essen-
different purposes. This approach
ly tailored for any given environment.
tial to news organisations of any kind.
allows us to define a core system that provides all the underlying services
This is exactly what Superdesk
and the minimum set of features for
Management API
having a functional and useful
The Management API is a third
end-to-end news system.
interface to Superdesk which is still in the making. It will enable develop-
System API
ers to write external applications to
The System API is part of the platform,
Superdesk resources from external
giving developers a well-defined
applications.
10
create and update content and other
addresses.
Sometimes an image needs a thousand words: Superdesk server architecture and technological stack
11
Superdesk
CREATE ONCE PUBLISH EVERYWHERE Output channels
C
ontent produced in Superdesk is ready to go on any platform
/ Developer
Developer-friendly
or device, anywhere. You can
We are working on tools for develop-
devise new news products practically
ers to create new solutions reaching
as quickly as you can conceive them.
readers on any platform. To better integrate with Superdesk APIs,
As with everything else in the system,
Sourcefabric is developing a set of
publishing in Superdesk is modular.
SDKs for all major programming
From wire feeds to web publishing,
languages. We have started with
print and broadcast, each output can
PHP, allowing applications to
be governed by a specialised output
interact smoothly with the Super-
manager that allows whatever degree
desk Content API.
of control you may need. Alternatively, it can also be channeled to existing distribution or production software. And there is more to be gained using output channels.
Integration with Content Management Systems
Superdesk Web Publisher In the near future, publishing to the web will be possible from Superdesk. The Superdesk Web Publisher will provide the most powerful way of managing multiple websites driven by Superdesk content. We are working on
Typical web CMSs are specialised tools
a modern editor with preview functions
to render content on the web. Those
for user-deďŹ ned devices from desktop
systems can be hooked up to Superdesk
to mobile, which will help you deliver
as output channels. The newsroom then
compelling stories to whatever online
works within Superdesk in a
publishing platform you may have.
standardised workflow of content creation and production. The presentation is delegated to the web application. A good example of this approach is the WordPress plug-in we are currently developing to ingest Superdesk content.
https://github.com/superdesk/web-renderer 12
Mischa Gorinskat
Adaptabili Adaptability superdesk Superdesk co SDK opens SDK opens u world thethe world of
y matters. The matters. The content API PHP ntent API PHP up Superdesk Superdesk to to PHP. HP.
OPEN SOURCE LICENSE Business-friendly code
S
uperdesk is licensed to guarantee clients full access to the source code. Our licence eliminates any risk of vendor lock-in and
related software-escrow costs. The licence also gives clients the freedom to modify all aspects of the software, because we believe this is how software transcends from being very useful to being truly productive.
15
Superdesk
“We know code, journalism and forward-thinking business models.” Arne Müller / Head of Business Development
LET’S WORK TOGETHER
because it better describes the way we
Developing in partnership
partnership well. Preceding the
T
Sydney to get a better understanding of
work together. Our recent endeavour with Australian Associated Press (AAP) illustrates the benefits of such a contract signing, Sourcefabric project managers spent a few months in
ruthful to our motto “made by
the technical requirements for the
journalists, for journalists”, we
project and to get a feel for the
regularly place our team in our
agency’s strict requirements for
clients’ newsrooms. Working side by
accurate and speedy news delivery.
side, they effectively translate this experience into Superdesk’s product
This partnership is a perfect opportuni-
design. The best innovators know their
ty for Sourcefabric to showcase the
environment by heart before designing
power and flexibility of open source
features. This is how we like to work,
software to news and media organisa-
and this is how we shape Superdesk.
tions worldwide.
Working together so closely, we prefer
We grow relationships, not just
to refer to clients as partners, simply
technology.
14
“Sourcef “Sourc thethe sam s whe w newsro new
MAKE JOURNALISM THE FOCUS Who’s using Superdesk
In October 2014, AAP partnered with
AAP’s developers worked in tandem with
Sourcefabric to work side by side in
Sourcefabric’s developers. How did that
developing Superdesk. Together, AAP and
go?
Sourcefabric have more than 30 people involved in the project. In the past,
I think a general atmosphere of
‘non-journalistic’ tasks, such as tagging
excitement has been generated through
keywords to news packages took up to
our collaboration – that and the usual
one fifth of the reporters’ time. With
mix of fear, anxiety and relief that
Superdesk we are on a quest to (re)make
developers tend to feel when tackling
journalism the focus. We asked Brook
complexity.
Thomas, AAP’s chief technology officer, to
bric fabric spoke spoke me language language en it came it came to to m oom needs.” needs.”
tell us a bit more about their experience
Did you gain new insights into newsroom
working with Sourcefabric.
management during the project?
With Superdesk, you have the flexibility to
To me, workflow is an incredibly
build on new features as you go. What are
intricate thing and this project made
the advantages of having an ever-changing
me really wonder how some workflows
system in your newsroom?
ever came to be. It seems to be the case that they’re often a consequence
With the digital arm of news media
of estranged needs and misheld beliefs
continually creating new challenges,
that customers still require content a
managing a platform that allows you to
certain way. Through a technical
enhance, add and remove functionality
analysis of workflows we were able to
without a fuss is essential. You simply
expose some curious aspects of
have to answer user and business needs
business logic.
if you want to keep moving forward – if you can’t answer them, you’re in trouble.
Within newsroom management, you can neglect legacy editorial systems
Brook Thomas / Chief Technology Officer, Australian Associated Press
How did the open source nature of Superdesk and processes at your peril. All newsimpact the decision-making process?
rooms should work hard to ‘keep their house in order’ – technology can’t do
Obviously open source is a major strate-
all the work, you have to keep on top of
gic choice and it was a central talking
the complexity.
point especially given that our technology stack was so conservative. But in the end we simply went for it.
15
Superdesk
MEET SOURCEFABRIC Europe’s largest developer of open source tools for news media
“Our diverse portfolio of clients and partners benefit each other.” Fabienne Riener
S
ourcefabric is based in Prague,
Our team consist of over sixty people,
projects in some of the most remote
Czech Republic, and was
with offices in Prague, Berlin, Toronto,
and challenging political and econom-
founded in 2010 with the
Belgrade and Cluj-Napoca. Among the
ic environments in the world.
purpose of developing state-of-the-art
list of Sourcefabric clients you will find
tools for journalism. For more than a
international multi-channel news
Our formula is simple: we want the
decade, the founders of Sourcefabric
organisations, radio stations, self-pub-
best, not only for individual clients, but
have worked with media organisations
lishing and print-on-demand service
for the industry as a whole; from Basel
worldwide, empowering journalism
providers as well as NGOs and news
to Bamako, to Sydney and São Paulo.
through software development and
agencies. We deploy forward-thinking
services. Our history of producing open
news technologies with business
source software for news media dates
leaders in newsrooms across the globe.
back to 1999.
Much of our work is also focused on
28
languages we speak
16
23
nationalities we have
14
countries we are spread across
Sourcefabric GmbH Prinzessinnenstr. 20 10969 Berlin Germany phone: +49 30 6162 9281
Berlin Toronto Sourcefabric North America Centre for Social Innovation 720 Bathurst St. Toronto, Ontario M5S 2R4 Canada
CONTACT US contact@sourcefabric.org www.sourcefabric.org @sourcefabric www.facebook.com/Sourcefabric https://www.linkedin.com/company/sourcefabric
Prague Sourcefabric z.ú. Salvátorská 10 110 00 Praha 1 Czech Republic phone: +420 222 362 540