A Instead of buying new inserters with a host of automation features, Community Newspaper Co. of Needham, Mass., opted to stick with its existing equipment.

But it's still getting those automation features.

Newstec Inc. of Walpole, Mass., and Miracom Computer Corp. of White Plains, N.Y., have partnered to add computer systems to remanufactured inserters for the 130-publication newspaper group.

"By combining state-of-the-art software with modernized inserting equipment, companies like Community Newspapers extend the useful life of their existing equipment," says Skip Connors, Newstec executive vice president. "They get new features that don't even exist on the latest models from the manufacturer. And they save a substantial amount of money."

Todd Fitzmaurice, director of production and facilities for Community Newspapers, says the equipment will help meet his "long-term objectives of innovation, flexibility and continuing customer service."

"We're very excited about the cost-saving potential Newstec's partnership with Miracom offers Community Newspaper Company," says Newstec founder John F. Connors Jr., who introduced high speed, straight-line inserting to the newspaper industry.

Freedom Newspapers recently joined the PAGE Co-Op, bringing the buying cooperative's membership to 353 daily papers and 640-plus printing locations. Freedom owns 27 daily and five non-daily newspapers.

Pooling buying power to drive price discounts, PAGE spent $138.4 million in 1998, up 19 percent from the previous year. While the Wayne, Pa., group's initial focus was on such consumables as newsprint, ink, plates, graphic-arts materials and circulation supplies, the cooperative has expanded over the years into capital equipment, systems, consulting services—and, most recently, credit-card processing services.

PAGE membership is open to any privately owned newspaper company with at least one paid-circulation daily or weekly general-interest publication. For a free video detailing membership benefits, call (800) 468-9568.

There's lots of talk these days about "repurposing" print content for the World Wide Web. Gannett Media Technologies International's new online city-guide software can also do the opposite.

Along with automating the conversion of newspaper content into dynamic Web content, GMTI's CityServer offers a way to bring Web content back to ink-and-paper.

"We see a lot of technology companies supplying online systems to newspapers," says Daniel Zito, president and chief executive officer of the Cincinnati company. "We wanted to give them the means to strengthen their print franchises at the same time."

Intended to develop online directories in such critical content areas as real estate, automotive, dining, entertainment and community events, CityServer allows advertisers and community organizations to develop content using simple form-based input, then upload it directly to the paper's Web database. Its Web2Print application also provides an export gateway to bring the data back to print systems.

CityServer's first commercial installation is at The Desert Sun in Palm Springs, Calif. (www.inpalmsprings.com).

That pagination station or ad-sales terminal can be a real pain in the neck.

Repetitive-strain injuries have risen 80 percent this decade, and personal computers have been part of the problem—not to mention the source of many a sore back or neck. Now, however, the same PC can offer a little relief.

Bob Anderson, author of Stretching and Stretching at Your Computer or Desk, developed StretchWare, software that automatically reminds computer jockeys to get up and stretch at user-defined intervals. It also offers step-by-step instructions for 14 different stretching routines, ranging from first-thing-in-the-day stretches to ones specifically designed for graphic artists, keyboard operators and power telephone users.

Available for both Windows and Macintosh, Stretchware costs $29.95 through the end of the year. Visit www.stretchware.com for a free 30-day demo.

T he days of advertising departments littered with CD-ROMs and slicks of art could soon become history.

Advertising-outsourcing company AdOut recently launched The Spec Dept. (www.thespecdept.com), a one-stop Internet resource for spec ads, templates, related graphic files and co-op resources now commonly scattered across disparate CDs and slicks.

"The Spec Dept. will put literally thousands of ad ideas at a newspaper salesperson's fingertips," says Jeff Turner, chief executive officer of the Van Nuys, Calif., company. "Imagine going on a sales call, plugging your laptop into the Internet, accessing a library of ads, and presenting hundreds of ideas to the client in his or her office."

The site features ads produced by AdOut staff working for California dailies, those from newspapers around the country and a series of editable spec-ad templates.

An advertising-image library and a co-op database featuring planning information round out the offerings.

The service is one of several applications spun off from AdOne's recent outsourcing operations at the Los Angeles Times and other California newspapers; another is a series of video games intended to teach keyboard shortcuts for common ad-production software (TechNews, January/ February 1999, p. 4).

Based on newspaper size, Spec Dept. subscriptions range from $50 to $495 monthly.

Knight Ridder subsidiary MediaStream is developing a similar service, and Cox Newspapers officials have discussed using their own wide-area network to allow papers to share spec ads.

Following the growing practice of consolidating operations within newspaper clusters, Thomson Newspapers is building a $35 million printing and distribution facility for its Wisconsin strategic-marketing group.

The 120,000 square-foot facility, currently under construction in Appleton, will print The Post-Crescent of Appleton, The Oshkosh North-western and the Herald Times Reporter of Manitowoc. Together, the three Winnebago SMG papers have a combined daily circulation of 97,000 and a Sunday circulation of 120,000. Advertising, editorial and other departments will remain in their respective newspapers' downtown plants.

"By creating a manufacturing location that services a strategic-marketing group as opposed to a single newspaper, we can introduce significantly more sophisticated equipment and procedures," says Thomas R. Hay, Thomson vice president of operations.

A shaftless, 64-couple, 16-reel MAN Roland Inc. offset press, configured as two parallel lines, will allow all units to be used for large products, reducing the need for pre-runs, officials say. Three folders also allow three separate products to be produced simultaneously. The new press, which will allow increased color and advertising flexibility, replaces a 26-year-old Goss Metro offset press in Appleton and a 23-year-old Harris offset press in Oshkosh.

Inserting will be handled by three 16-head GMA Inc. SLS 2000 inserters. Each is capable of inserting up to 16 different products into one jacket at speeds of up to 25,000 copies per hour. According to Jerry Morgan, the Winnebago SMG's director of production, the new equipment will increase inserting capacity by one-third and output by 200 percent. A print-roll buffer system will also allow pressroom and mailroom operations to run independently.

Installation will begin in November, with full operations slated to begin the following August.

Three newspaper groups announced plans to use Koz.com's online-community software on 220 newspaper Web sites.

Knight Ridder New Media's Real Cities, MediaNews Group and Donrey Media announced plans to roll out Koz's Community Publishing System.

CPS includes such community-building tools as online chat, newsletters, group member rosters, interactive calendars, discussion groups, and free Web-page services intended for local groups and organizations.

"Community publishing represents a core value of Real Cities and connects our users in a way in which online city networks excel," says Kathy Yates, acting president of Knight Ridder New Media.

"CPS has tremendous potential for helping us strengthen our relationships in our communities, provide our users with powerful new tools and build upon consumer loyalty with our Real Cities network."

For instance, Philadelphia Newspapers Inc.'s Philly.com will offer CPS services to little leagues, Scout troops, church groups, charities, cultural organizations and nonprofits.

Philly.com also plans to partner with a local youth-soccer organization claiming 100,000 members.

"The Internet is a global medium, but it has the power to bring local communities together and help them learn, buy, vote, work, play and worship," says Dan Miller, vice president for The Kelsey Group in Princeton, N.J.

See related story.

TechNews Volume 5, Number 3: May/June 1999

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