Content on the Go

But evaluating whether to “build or buy” is often a publisher’s first hurdle. “I think the decision … should be based upon business objectives and expectations for growth,” says Peter Meirs, director of alternative media, Time Inc. “The main problem for publishers is that most content management solutions [CMSs] in the marketplace are built for business transactions rather than for publishing. Almost any publisher that has implemented ‘publisher-friendly’ systems … has run into problems with scale, lack of flexibility, or … integration with publishing or digital asset management systems.

“A good way to hedge those limitations is to look into open source content management systems based on Apache’s JackRabbit (JCR) Java spec,” Meirs continues.

Kreisa says XML use in publishing is still in its infancy. “We’re finding that many publishers have not put processes in place which either convert content to—or create content directly in—XML, a crucial process for content repurposing. … We also often see publishers using multiple systems to manage content—one system for print, and a second, usually a Web CMS, to publish to the Web,” Kreisa adds. “… They should look for one [that] can handle the print needs as well as the online needs—Web, e-mail, PDA, etc.”

Meirs says a publisher’s CMS should import and export XML, but he cautions: “… There is a huge difference between managing XML documents as objects and handling XML natively. Make sure you have a system that is fully UTF-8 compliant [UTF-8 is a universal data structure that’s mandatory for XML compliance] and handles double-byte encoding. Otherwise, you will have mapping nightmares with import, search and export.”

Building a Better Workflow
As manager of publishing technologies for Emmis Communications, Tom Shock implements technologies to facilitate production across the company’s diverse media businesses, including regional publications like Texas Monthly, LA Magazine and Atlanta Magazine, a number of radio stations and Web sites. In developing the company’s Web strategy, Shock admits that creating unique workflows to feed advertising and editorial content to each publication’s Web site was far easier than coming up with a single business model. “No one site is doing the same thing,” Shock says. “We have one site that only publishes content [from] the print magazine, while other sites may only publish [complementary content] to the publication.”

The workflow to support the sites can be standardized, however, while allowing the editors control over content. “Because our sites are diverse, we can see if one strategy works … and then suggest it to the other publications … keeping in mind what’s best for the magazine and … the readers,” he adds.

To support the print/electronic workflow, Shock brought in Chuckwalla, a solution that, he says, will provide faster access to digital image assets and content, and automate aspects of production. “For example, when a writer … submits a story, or an agency [sends] an ad, it can be uploaded to an FTP server, and automatically an e-mail is fired to the contacts at the magazine to let them know it’s there,” Shock notes.

But the solution also will provide the platform by which assets may be stored, searched and retrieved. “Say [that] five years ago, a photographer goes out and does a shoot,” Shock says. “And you decide that you want to reuse those images today, but you have no idea where … to find them. … Now, we won’t have to worry about situations like that,” he says.
Solutions on the Market
Here are many of the content management and Web publishing tools on today’s market.

Artesia Technologies Inc.
Solution: Artesia Digital Asset Management (DAM)
Features: A browser-based storage hub for digital publishing assets (including manuscripts, page layouts, graphics, audio, video and most file types). It enables users to capture file information; add business attributes to organize digital content; search from Open Text (based on content, metadata and taxonomies); and check in/check out with version control. Features include: import and conversion of Quark documents into XML; integration with Digital Rights Management solutions; integration with delivery solutions—Web, wireless and more; and access from desktop applications like those from Adobe and Quark.
Customers Include: CMP Media, Time Inc., U.S. News & World Report, Meredith Corp.
Price: Starts at $100,000.
Contact: (301) 548-4000, www.Artesia.com

Chuckwalla Inc.
Solution: Chuckwalla v5
Features: A Microsoft .NET-based enterprise-class DAM technology designed to enable users to harness rich media across print, Web, wireless and other media. Each layout, image and element becomes a digital asset for syndication and re-use. It can be configured as an application, middleware layer or both. Features include: InDesign and Quark layout de-composition; text and metadata indexing; automatic file transcoding; and order and approval workflow. Integrates with many workflow tools, and is accessible through Chuckwalla’s native Macintosh and Windows desktop clients and customizable Web interfaces.
Customers Include: Emmis Communications, American Express Publishing
Price: Licensing begins at $35,000 for the Modular Edition and $95,000 for the Standard (Enterprise) Edition. Pricing for a hosted solution is determined by the Chuckwalla MSP Partner.
Contact: (800) 632-7401, www.Chuckwalla.com

Endeca
Solution: Endeca Information Access Platform
Features: Powered by Endeca’s MDEX Engine (meta-relational architecture) and designed to help customers find, analyze and understand information, it is the foundation for many Endeca solutions, including Endeca for Website Search and Endeca for Online Media, with features such as: data-driven spell correction and “did-you-mean” functionality, and Adaptive Content Spotlighting rules.
Customers Include: Time Inc., Scripps Networks, EMAP, World Book
Price: $100,000 to more than $1 million (average cost is approximately $300,000).
Contact: (617) 674-6000, www.Endeca.com

ePublishing
Solution: ePublishing Web Design, Development, Hosting and Support
Features: ePublishing’s platform integrates content management with other applications, designed to help publishers create and maintain Web content, and distribute content and marketing materials through multiple channels. It also is designed to give editorial and marketing staff control over site content, images and display, e-mail newsletters and RSS feeds. ePublishing’s XML content supports content delivery through multiple digital and print channels.
Customers Include: Crain Communications, Inc., AdvertisingAge, FDANews, North American Publishing Co.
Price: Typically includes a set-up fee, a monthly hosting software license and support fee. ePublishing Express, which enables publishers to provide a full-featured site for a single title, starts at $10,000, plus $1,250 per month. The Enterprise Publishing System starts at $40,000, plus $3,000 per month to support multiple titles requiring custom development.
Contact: (312) 377-7397, www.ePublishing.com

Internet Production Inc.
Solution: iPro CMS
Features: A browser-operated Web CMS in which editorial staff can load, edit, arrange, preview and deploy electronic publications, special editions, news and more, without having to know programming languages. The system differentiates between editorial and non-editorial content, automatically archives back issues, offers image management, and populates the search database as content is loaded and saved.
Customers Include: Baum Media, Ogden Publications, Belvoir Media
Price: Not provided.
Contact: (651) 717-4300, www.IProduction.com

Managing Editor Inc.
Solution: K4 Publishing System
Features: Integrates Adobe InDesign and InCopy with an open, scalable Structured Query Language (SQL) database that runs on all major platforms. K4 manages the work/files of designers, editors and production staff, and controls production. It allows integrated word processing and pagination, as well as workflow control for ads, images and multimedia files. It may be integrated with a third-party asset or image management system.
Customers Include: Atlantic Monthly, Bon Appetit, Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar; Martha Stewart Living, Rolling Stone
Price: Not provided. Prices scalable based on workflow needs (15-seat minimum) and additional components needed.
Contact: (215) 886-5662, www.ManEd.com

Mark Logic Corp.
Solution: MarkLogic Server
Features: An XML content server accessed using the W3C–standard XQuery language. It converts popular file formats into XML. Local and network file folders can be mapped to MarkLogic Server, which automatically parses the XML to detect document structure (e.g., headings, captions) and creates a rich XML index of the content. Users can output in XHTML for delivery to Web, WAP or SMS for delivery to phones, or through XSLFO to PDF for print.
Customers Include: Congressional Quarterly, Harvard Business Review, ALM
Price: Starting at $60,000 per server license (two processors). Additional processors are available at an additional cost.
Contact: (650) 655-2300, www.MarkLogic.com

Nstein
Solutions: Web Content Management (WCM), Digital Asset Management (DAM)
Features: The WCM is designed to facilitate content management and publication in a variety of online formats, including HTML, PHP, .NET and XML feeds. Features include: deep-content linking and related-content suggestions; automation of print-to-online publication; search-engine-optimized content, and automatic population of abstract and keywords metadata within HTML header; third-party Web applications asset extraction, XML search and navigation; assets hit count (“most viewed”); and creation of blogs and forums.
Nstein’s DAM is a customizable platform for the automatic storing, repurposing and syndication of textual and rich media digital assets. It features a centralized XML repository that automates the normalization, metatagging and archiving of digital assets. It interfaces with existing sources.
Customers Include: Time Inc., VNU eMedia Inc., Wiley
Price: Not available.
Contact: (877) 678-3461, www.Nstein.com

Quark Inc.
Solution: Quark Publishing System 7 (QPS)
Features: Designed to simplify editorial and creative processes with a role-based user interface (system administrator assigns each user privileges, and sets workflow progression and metadata fields); an open-standards-based architecture that integrates with existing infrastructures; and multiple-user, simultaneous access. Supports QuarkXPress 7 and QuarkCopyDesk 7. Tracks file changes and workflow status. The QPS Script Manager enables administrators to automate output; files can be exported in PostScript, PDF, PDF/X-1a, PDF/X-3, SWF, PPML, XML, or native QuarkXPress or QuarkCopyDesk format.
Customers Include: Chicago Magazine, Bischoff-Verlag; L’Express/L’Expansion
Price: Not provided.
Contact: (303) 894-8888, www.Quark.com

Quasar Technologies
Solution: Nuqleo
Features: A Web 2.0 browser-based, open and flexible online publishing system designed to enable publishers to produce multiple publications in a real-time, collaborative environment worldwide. Nuqleo uses Adobe InDesign Server as its pagination engine, but editors don’t need InDesign knowledge to use it. Features include: intelligent automated workflow and project management, collaborative authoring and layout, late binding and seamless multiple-language localization management, search capabilities and browser-based editing tools.
Customers Include: Boardroom, Bayard
Price: Not available.
Contact: +34 915770650, www.Quasar-tech.com

Really Strategies Inc.
Solution: RSuite CMS—Content Management for Publishers
Features: A browser-based CMS powered by the MarkLogic Server and designed to enable publishers to deliver complex XML content to electronic and print targets. Features include: multilevel metadata management (metadata can be assigned within a document, not only to the entire document), search, retrieval and updating; workflow, automation and scheduling tools, such as file check-in/check-out, versioning and version comparison; and storage in any content format, including XML, MS Word, Adobe InDesign, images and PDFs. Content is accessible to authors/reviewers. It can be “out of the box” or the foundation of a customized CMS.
Customers Include: SAGE Publications, Blood-Horse Publications, Audible.com
Price: Not provided. Price is dependent on a number of factors, including amount of content to be stored in RSuite, as well as number of users.
Contact: (610) 631-6770, www.RSuiteCMS.com

SDL Tridion
Solution: Content Manager
Features: Provides a centralized content management tool for Web site publishing, content creation and digital asset management. It is designed to manage the complexity of multiple Web sites, multiple contributors and multiple languages, and provide the ability to reuse content in multiple channels. Content Manager is standards-based and can be integrated into existing infrastructures. It also provides centralized user management that is integrated into existing corporate directories (LDAP, Active Directory and Windows Domain). Other features include: a browser-based user interface, structured XML content, file-version management, and scheduled and dynamic content publishing.
Customers Include: ING Real Estate, Lexus, Suzuki
Price: Not available.
Contact: (866) 833-0848 (U.S. office), www.Tridion.com

Solata
Solution: Solata for Publishers
Features: Designed as a plug-in to a current Web site and includes an advertising-powered search engine and content strategy designed to optimize Web revenue, improve subscription management efficiency, and integrate online trade shows, buyers’ guides, catalogs, surveys, advertising management and more. It supports social-networking features, with user-
generated profiles, blogs and forums, and a search engine.
Customers Include: IncentiveCentral.org, AgendaOnline.com, Ventureport.org
Price: Solata is sold in modules, starting at $3,500, plus customization.
Contact: (914) 591-7600, www.SolataTech.com