Q: How?
A: By marrying a digital-first editorial mindset with robust print automation, newsrooms can achieve unparalleled speed, consistency, and quality in their print editions. The key is not merely adopting technology but weaving it seamlessly into every stage, from curation and planning through to proofing. This allows your print product to be as dynamic as your digital presence. There are five key elements to this:
1. Digital-first intake: In most modern newsrooms, the print day no longer starts from scratch. Instead, teams draw on a pool of digital-first content, curated from what’s trending online, overnight updates, and early-morning briefs. It gives editors a solid base to build on, rather than scrambling for leads. From there, they commission analysis, local context, or value-added extras to shape a print edition that feels both timely and relevant. This shift not only improves agility, but it also brings digital and print teams into closer alignment which is something that we have all been striving for.
2. Planning around ad space: We all know that late reshuffles cost time and money. That’s why more editorial planners now map content early and work side by side with a planned ad inventory. Seeing the editorial-ad mix visually from the outset means fewer last-minute surprises and a cleaner production runway. It also makes collaboration with commercial teams more dynamic. This results in better layouts, fewer conflicts, and far less re-editing as deadline nears.
3. Tagged content & quick placement with ‘layout software plugins’: By embedding metadata tags into your editorial assets, you turn layout from a manual chore into an instant operation. With the help of layout software plugins, tagged content knows exactly which area to occupy on the page. This is especially noticeable for graphic-heavy spreads such as puzzles: rather than dragging and dropping each piece, the software reads the tags and snaps every item into its designated slot.
Puzzle-page example: On a typical puzzle page, designers once spent around two hours tagging and positioning each graphic. Now, with the use of tagging and auto-placement rules, that entire page is populated in just 2—5 minutes.
4. One-click pagination via a ‘print automation engine’: Following on from the planning conference, news lists of what will be published are created. With the help of a print automation engine which ingests the approved stories and their associated images, we can, with a single command, auto-paginate the content onto the print pages. This integrates ad slots and produces a near-finished proof of the edition.
Print automation example: Instead of 30 minutes per page where a designer manually adjusts the layout to fit, the print automation engine can lay out 15 pages in approximately five minutes. This turns what was once many hours of work, requiring multiple persons, into a swift, one-click task. This would also accommodate last-minute updates without disrupting production schedules.
5. Final proof & sensitivity check: The only manual pass remaining is a holistic page review. This stage confirms that editorial content and ads coexist without unintended conflicts or insensitivities. With all the heavy lifting handled upstream, this final step focuses on tone, positioning and brand alignment rather than basic layout fixes. This step also verifies compliance with legal and editorial guidelines, protecting reputational standards.
Q: What are your three top tips?
1. Train writers in producing concise, metadata-rich content.
Why: High-quality, accurately tagged copy requires less downstream subbing and prevents content rewriting during pagination processes.
How: Partner with learning and development or super-users / editorial ambassadors to run workshops showcasing the minimal-subbing final print product. Equip writers with quick-reference guides on tagging best practice to instil ownership of their content.
2. Standardise workflows across titles.
Why: A unified editorial process reduces admin overhead from a set up and support perspective; it streamlines onboarding and enables cross-title staffing flexibility. Any user can slot into any publication without missing a beat.
How: Conduct a ‘clean slate’ workflow audit: map the various teams’ steps, identify commonalities and draft a centralised process. Invest in a rollout plan and change management to secure not only stakeholder buy-in, but also all end users.
3. Embed ongoing business analysis for micro-improvements.
Why: Small, targeted technology / workflow tweaks keep the user experience fresh and maintain momentum, rather than waiting for major changes.
How: Establish super-user forums or monthly feedback sessions. Route insights through a business analyst function that translates user pain points into incremental system configuration updates or minor development sprints.
Atex empowers media companies with AI-driven tools and advanced platforms for content, advertising, and automation. Trusted by leading media brands worldwide, we help publishers stay agile, reduce costs, and grow revenue in an industry that never stands still.
Email: jhirsz@atex.com
Web: www.atex.com
This article was included in the 'Celebration of Print' special, published by InPublishing in August 2025. Click here to see the other articles in this special feature.
