A Study of Production Workflows, Technology and Hybrid Printing Models in Small Newspapers

Abstract
During the past few years, the evolution of different media, and especially Internet-related services, has had a direct impact on the printed newspaper. Companies that have remained stable for several years are now exploring and employing new mechanisms to increase efficiency while maintaining their core audiences and expanding to include new audiences. The latest developments implemented in equipment and software for newspaper production has achieved a high degree of automation in prepress, press, and post-press. At the same time, the demand from younger audiences for increased diverse and personalized products—as well as the emergence of new services, such as the production of commercial printing jobs—has transformed the newspaper production model.

Small newspapers are challenged to compete in this new environment. Thus they have to plan for the future in accordance with their opportunities and limitations. The main purpose of this research was to define a descriptive profile and to present a graphical workflow model for small newspaper production. Information on the degree of automation, equipment employed, and the extent to which these companies have adopted the hybrid model (semi-commercial production) are also included in this descriptive profile.

The study focused on seven newspapers with an average daily circulation between 12,000 and 50,000 copies. Six of the participants are located in the U.S., and one is located in Latin America. The main source of information was a survey comprised of demographic, circulation, audience, and production workflow questions.

The key findings were:

• For the majority of the respondents, the newspaper is between 21% and 38% of the total production (measured in total number of copies printed, including TMCs and commercial jobs).
• Six of the seven respondents have experienced a reduction in circulation during the past few years. In addition to this trend, the average age of the core audience has increased, to between 50 to 64 years of age.
• All of the respondents currently use coldset web offset as the production process. Two companies have plans to expand their facilities by acquiring equipment with heatset dryers and automatic functions, and they will also update their post-press equipment.
• In general, the respondents do not use a wide variety of finishing processes. The only post-press process used by all of the participating newspapers is inserting.
• The degree of automation found in the respondents’ workflows is relatively low compared to the capabilities offered by printing equipment manufacturers.
• All of the surveyed newspapers produce at least one kind of commercial job. The production of other newspapers and inserts are the most common.

Introduction
Numerous developments have occurred with regard to newspaper technologies since the 1990s. Those developments have dramatically changed the way the industry operates today, from content creation to delivery (Werfel, 2007). According to Donald and Peters (2006):

The main sources of newspapers’ income are advertising and circulation revenues. There is fierce competition for both revenue streams from newspapers with national and regional circulations, magazines, radio, television, the Internet, and other new media. The Internet and new media have had a great impact on publishing since the mid-1990s because they have produced several radical changes in consumer habits and patterns. Newspapers have been forced to develop not only a high quality product, but a portfolio of cross-media products that must be continuously recreated (Donald & Peters, 2006).

While the core business is still the traditional printed newspaper, this is quickly transforming into a cross-media platform with unlimited access to various types of content. This cross-media platform includes the Internet, mobile and wireless devices, broadcasts, podcasts, and a variety of printing products presented in different formats and styles (Christensen, 2006).

Although there are diverse opinions as to how long the traditional printed newspaper will exist as we know it today, the industry is not likely to eliminate the printing side of the business. Thus, all newspapers, including small ones who may have less capabilities and resources than larger newspapers and news conglomerates, have to adjust to this new environment.

This study is important because it will analyze workflows in relatively small newspapers, which represents a large percentage of today’s operational news publishing companies. Also, most of the case studies and articles presented in journals and magazines seem to be more focused on large newspapers or groups of newspapers that have more capacity and economic stability.

Methodology
For this study, seven newspapers with an average daily circulation between 12,000 and 50,000 copies were analyzed. The objectives of this research were to:

• Define a descriptive and demographic profile for small newspapers.
• Present graphically the current general workflow and possible variations for the production area within small newspapers.
• Estimate the degree of automation employed in plate production, press run, and post-press operations.
• Determine how small newspapers follow the hybrid production (semi-commercial) model.
• Add to the body of knowledge on this very important topic.

Research data was acquired through the administration of a survey. The survey was divided into three sections. The first section, aimed at building a descriptive profile, consisted of questions about demographics, circulation, and revenues. The second section was designed to identify the core print audience (defined by age range), as well as the strategies employed to maintain or increase circulation. The third section was focused on printing production workflow. The questions were designed to obtain information about the technology employed in the current processes (including prepress, press, and post-press), the existing degree of automation, and planned equipment investments. This section also included questions about hybrid production. Participants were asked about the kind of commercial jobs produced, the technology employed, and finally, their future strategies for print production.

Limitations of the Study
As with any research, this study was subjected to a number of limitations, including:

• A small sample of newspaper companies—which included four from the same parent organization—responded to the questionnaire. Therefore, the findings cannot be generalized to a larger population. The study only reflects the situation of seven newspapers within the size and areas defined.
• Due to time and budget constraints, only three newspapers could be visited. This limitation restricted the researcher from ensuring that the feedback and quality of the information obtained were consistent across all of the companies studied.
• Due to company policies regarding confidentiality, a few of the questions were not answered by some of the participants. Consequently, some of the conclusions were drawn on fewer answers, while others had to be eliminated from the study.

Results

Demographic Information and Circulation

For confidentiality purposes company names and any other identifying information are not disclosed in this research report. The participating companies are located in small cities in different areas within the United States, while one is in Latin America. The number of employees ranges between 60 and 433 persons, including full-time and part-time workers. Table 1 illustrates the main demographic characteristics of the respondents.

Table 1 . Demographic characteristics of the newspapers

Descriptive Profile for Small Newspaper
For the purposes of this research study a newspaper with a daily circulation of 50,000 copies or less was considered to be a small newspaper, regardless of the other print jobs produced by the company. The three characteristics used to define the descriptive profile for this study are audience, process and total production. Thus, a small newspaper can be defined as a local newspaper with an average daily circulation between 12,000 and 50,000 copies, and with a page count from 22 to 50 pages on weekdays and from 38 to 80 pages on Sunday. The average age of the core audience is between 50 and 64 years of age.

The printing process includes computer-to-film and computer-to-plate in prepress, coldset web offset in production, and inserting, trimming, and stacking as the main post-press processes. The total production, measured as the number of copies, is distributed, on average, as 36% newspaper, 15% complimentary products (TMCs), and 49% commercial jobs. Figure 1 represents the descriptive profile for small newspapers.

Workflow Graphic Representation
Generally speaking, the printing workflow is essentially the same for any newspaper—it includes plate production, press run, and post-press. Additionally, the press process that is common to the majority of newspapers is web offset. What creates differences between companies is the degree of automation employed to streamline the workflow. Figure 2 illustrates a workflow model for small newspapers indicating the degree of automation according to the information provided by the participants.

Degree of Automation in Plate Production, Press Run, and Post-press Operations
Newspapers have achieved a high degree of automation during recent years. This trend will continue as long as the market demands more and improved products. The use of new materials, different formats, and special effects are some of the challenges that the industry faces. Also, the development of digital printing has shown good potential in newspaper production because it brings more flexibility for products, as well as for processes.

Plate Production
Plate production is the process where almost 100% of automation was found. The reception of pages is at least partially automated in four of the newspapers. At the same time, only companies 1 and 2 still use the conventional film method to develop plates. These newspapers are the ones with the smallest production within the group of respondents. In an interview, the production manager at company 2 stated that the main reason for not installing computer-to-plate (CTP) equipment is the cost. In such a small operation, labor cannot be reduced, and therefore CTP does not represent any savings for the company.

Four of the five participants that are currently using CTP technology have installed plate punching and plate bending inline, thereby reducing manual intervention to a minimal level.

Press Run
The degree of automation found in the pressroom is relatively low. Ink and water supply and chemical replacement are the only two sub-processes that have been partially automated by a majority of respondents. Color registration, page registration, and web tension are partially automated by a few respondents, while other sub-processes such as density control, press-setting, blanket cleaning, and cutoff have not yet been automated.

Post-Press
The post-press process common to all respondents is inserting. Almost all totally automated inserting equipment has been developed for large operations. Most of the inserters used by the respondents still require manual loading. Some of the respondents use manual labor during peaks to increase inserting speed, while some use it for the complete inserting process.

Two respondents—company 3 and 7—stated their intention to acquire new equipment with higher levels of automation. The rationale behind these planned purchases is to increase the production of commercial jobs. At the same time, companies 2, 4 and 5 indicated that there are no changes or strategies planned for the near future in the production area.

Hybrid Model in Small Newspapers
Hybrid production, also known as semi-commercial production, refers to the use of newspaper companies’ printing equipment to print other kinds of work in addition to newspapers. The variety of products produced includes inserts, flyers, ads, catalogs, guides, and other publications that have traditionally been the work of commercial printers (“Converging technologies”, 2007).

“The trend toward hybrid production has gained great importance during recent years. Newspapers use their excess capacity to print commercial jobs, although they have slightly lower quality than commercial printers using other production methods. However, their costs are less, which helps them to gain jobs. These jobs require more flexibility in the formats and kind of papers used, as well as more finishing capabilities. These requirements are addressed in the new developments in technology to maintain a balance between traditional newspaper printing and commercial printing.” (“Hybrid Model”, 2007)

The integration of newspaper printing and commercial work is not a new trend. This is a practice that many newspapers have used for a long time. Several factors have contributed to the development of hybrid production from the early 1990s until now. For example the introduction of full-color newspaper presses in the 1990s not only added value to the core product but also enabled the production of commercial jobs (Werfel, 2007).

All of the participants produced at least one kind of commercial job. Nevertheless, the only kind of job common to all is other newspapers. In addition, the majority produces no more than two kinds of commercial jobs. Company 3 is the only newspaper that prints magazines and posters.

With the exception of company 2, all newspapers employ the same equipment and personnel to produce commercial jobs that they do to produce the newspaper. (company 2 uses a different workflow for commercial jobs because the only customer the company has uses CTP equipment to process their plates, and also has a quality control procedure that applies only to this workflow.) Additionally, five of the seven respondents did not openly state intentions of developing new capabilities, increasing capacity, or improving their workflow to increase the production of commercial jobs.

Other Important Findings
The use of quality controls in production among the participants was fairly low. Only company 6 has implemented a standard procedure for quality assurance. In some cases, the company relies on the skills and experience of the operators to achieve good color appearance, but does not use any parameter for comparison.

Participants reported that little data is collected from the three main stages of the production workflow, and the great majority of that information is manually gathered. Process times are the most important data, and press time is the only record common to almost all newspapers. Some newspapers keep waste registers in the press stage, but almost none keep them during prepress and post-press. There is almost a complete absence of information collected during post-press.

Two respondents—companies 3 and 7—are currently acquiring new equipment and expanding facilities. They are doing this not only to serve their core business, but also to diversify and penetrate the commercial print market. The other five newspapers have no major investments planned for the future, and three of them also have no future production strategies.

Implications for the Industry and the Community
From the printing production perspective, small newspapers do what large newspapers are currently pursuing. They provide local content to a relatively small audience. The majority of them have been in business for many years, and they have the trust and respect of their community. This fact somehow makes them less vulnerable to the threats posed by new media. Nevertheless, their local roots have not prevented their circulations from shrinking.

Small, well-positioned newspapers have the potential to create strong alliances with larger newspapers. The benefits of this type of partnership are mutual. This allows national newspapers to get closer to the audience and to provide more personalized content. For local newspapers, this could be an opportunity to develop new products for younger audiences. This could also provide the opportunity to upgrade the equipment and/or to improve the workflow by utilizing the experience and insight of the larger newspaper. Another option is the acquisition of such companies by larger newspapers. This may provide similar benefits as an alliance, but other business considerations must be taken into account.

The hybrid production model, when extended to products such as magazines, brochures, and posters, requires certain levels of automation and the implementation of quality practices that several of the surveyed newspapers do not have. Small newspapers with no interest in developing the hybrid model and investing in better equipment can reduce their excess capacity by sharing facilities with other papers located in nearby areas. Companies such as the Fairport, NY based GateHouse Media, which owns several newspapers that print about 500 publications within the U.S., have consolidated the production of several of these publications in centralized facilities. Other newspaper groups—as well as independent newspapers—can use this strategy to improve efficiency and reduce costs without affecting their own circulation.

Equipment replacement in newspaper operations is extremely expensive. The installation of a new press or updating an existing one takes a long time and is labor-intensive. Such a large capital investment requires a careful evaluation of many factors, and must be clearly justified. The most important reasons for substituting equipment include: frequent and expensive maintenance; obsolescence of the old machinery; increases in efficiency that allow the company to significantly reduce expenses; and a considerable and stable increase in sales.

For small newspapers, obsolescence and greater efficiency are two factors that are not considered in most cases. This is due to the fact that coldset web offset is still used by a large majority of companies, and is also due to the fact that such purchases cannot always be supported by personnel reduction in small companies. Another possible reason as to why some small newspapers have decided not to make any important equipment acquisitions is because they do not foresee an increase in production and, therefore, there is no economic benefit in such an action.

The consolidation of facilities and the absence of investment in small newspaper operations have some consequences. One important consequence for press manufacturers is the fact that maintenance and parts become the primary services for this market. A consequence for the community, since many of these newspapers are located in small cities, is the fact that any downturn for the company can mean a loss of employment. If the company goes out of business entirely, this can be a significant loss within a small community.

Another area where respondents indicated inadequate procedures was quality assurance. In plants where one or a few highly experienced employees control quality, consistency and repeatability cannot be assured. It is therefore important to define and establish processes addressed to evaluate and maintain quality standards. Additionally, if hybrid production has not yet been developed, then the implementation of quality programs is a value-added service for advertisers and for readers as well.

Summary and Generalizations
Small newspapers have the benefit of a monopolistic environment. Most national mass media do not have the capability to offer continuous hyper-local content; therefore, they do not represent a direct competition for small newspapers.

The possibilities to automate the process in newspaper printing production are wide, but the competitive advantage for small newspapers relies more on the content they are able to provide. However, continuous improvement in printing production is essential and can be achieved by evaluating the process and implementing quality programs.

Bibliography

Christensen, C. (2006). Blueprint for transformation. Newspaper Next: The Transformation Project. American Press Institute.

Converging technologies shine in pressroom: hybrid technologies for newspaper production. (2007, April). Graphic Arts Monthly. (79) 4, 10-12, 14, 16, 18, 20-21.

Donald, W., Peters, J. (2006, September 7). Industry survey, Publishing. Standard & Poor’s. Retrieved October 1, 2007 from Standardandpoors.com.

Hybrid Model Gains Momentum. (2007, April). Graphic Arts Monthly. (79) 4(Suppl. 1), 3-4.

Werfel, M. (2007, October). IfraExpo shows paradigm shift. Newspaper Techniques, 22.

First Published:
July 9, 2008