Swedish national newspaper live on AI-powered publishing system

Amidst a technological reformation, the options are clear: stick to the status quo and resist change, or embrace innovation and leap into the future.

Världen idag, a Swedish-Christian newspaper based in Uppsala, opted for the latter approach. They recently launched one of the most pioneering online news publishing system on the market. Together with Labrador CMS and Roxen, the newspaper is ready to deliver news with the support of AI, with an increased focus on its digital presence.

“We have invested in Labrador CMS and Roxen to adapt to the digital reality, where the web is becoming increasingly important to us as a newspaper," Jonas Adolfsson, editor-in-chief of Världen idag, says.

The new website was ready to use in late 2023, and everyone involved is now confidently using the functionalities that Labrador CMS brings. The editor-in-chief is delighted with the new system so far:

“This solution is more dynamic and gives us more alternatives and flexibility than the previous system. It is more up-to-date and provides many possibilities,” he adds.

“The possibility of having a flexible and varied website is valuable as our digital presence is more important than ever for our broadcasting onward. We aim to have a powerful voice in the Swedish media landscape, and a better web solution is at the front of this vision.”

Ahead of The Competition 

When Världen idag chose the Norwegian online news publishing system created by journalists, for journalists, 'their expertise in enhancing the newspapers' website was paramount.  

"We have been a satisfied client of Roxen for many years. When they took down their web solution, we looked for other companies who already had the integration with Roxen Editorial Portal. With Labrador CMS, we believe we will get a modern solution that will give us a better website," Henrik Lundell, CEO of Världen idag, says. 

Web first-approach

Världen Idag have a web first approach. All journalists are writing their articles in Labrador CMS.

They send their articles to Roxen print production system and use their autolayout to produce the print really fast.

Labrador CMS separates data and layout, and sends structured data to the print system.

All images are stored in high res on Labrador backend, and the article is sent in json-format, in  a few seconds.

More info on Roxen here.

Jan Thoresen, the CEO of Labrador CMS, expresses excitement about Världen idag’s decision to integrate their established Roxen system with Labrador CMS. “For many newspapers that have been around for years, opting for the best and newest technological solution can be quite a change. Världen idag, however, now features more advanced editorial AI functionality than most of its competitors."

A Seamless and Structured Implementation Process 

Transitioning from a manual to an automated digital and print publishing system may seem overwhelming, but Thoresen assures a smooth process and implementation. “We implemented Världen idag’s design, integrated it with their paywall and print system, and then imported all their old content. After training their staff, we launched the new site with all the old content redirected. The entire process took exactly 3 months.”

“Since all the high-res images are stored in Labrador CMS’ system, reporters write everything there and merely export the articles that go to print into Roxen’s system. It is that simple,” he adds.

Future-Ready Publishing System for Print & Digital

Thoresen believes journalists moving forward ought to focus on their craft rather than technological barriers:

“The combination of systems like Labrador CMS and Roxen allows reporters to concentrate on good stories instead of juggling an old-school publishing system. It is crucial to mention that the client has complete control over their content and publishing. This is the future of journalism.”

Östlund agrees and adds:

“The advent of generative AI in newsrooms is inevitable and puts powerful tools in the hands of journalists and editors. Simultaneously, it will flood us with editorial content at an accelerating pace, making carefully packaged original content scarce. This might provide a business opportunity and a chance to charge a premium for subscriptions aimed at discerning readers.”