Global News

Once Shaw Media decided that WordPress.com VIP would be the best platform for a Global News overhaul, the next step was to select an engineering partner that could execute a vast redesign vision, centered on fully responsive design, and ensure a cohesive publishing strategy. Global News demanded a content management system that could not only handle their massive volume of produced content, but one that could facilitate updating, curating, and editing content at the same pace that breaking news unfolds. With more than 300 publishers contributing content, this was no small task. Just as WordPress was a clear publishing platform choice, 10up emerged from a highly competitive bid process as the clear partner of choice.

Tailoring the website experience to a visitor’s region—a Canadian province or an international edition—was one of the first engineering challenges 10up took head on. Leveraging WordPress.com VIP’s IP address based geolocation features, 10up engineered a WordPress.com VIP compliant plug-in that detects the visitor’s region and enables modification of the site’s content presentation accordingly—all while maintaining an aggressive caching strategy to ensure first class load times. Readers experience news reports, programming, content, and even weather tailored to their local affiliate region.

As with most great publications, effectively curating content appearing on major sections like the regional home pages is key. Following a thorough analysis of the newsroom’s workflow and publishing practices, 10up engineered a curation solution tailored to the real world challenges and methods Global News employs. “It’s all one system that gives different choices depending on what zone you’re curating, so it’s not like you need to learn one way to manage content,” says Keith Robinson of Global News. Building upon an approach 10up has successfully deployed for other publishers, 10up broke customizable blocks of content into aptly named “curatables.” From titles and captions to videos and galleries, content can swiftly and easily be assigned to appear on a regional or global basis.

On top of geo-targeted content and curation, the new GlobalNews.ca incorporates unique features like breaking news banners, automated contests, and deep controls over the content on every page.

10up prides itself on its collaborative, partnership mentality, and Global News was no exception. In addition to working closely with Shaw Media’s stakeholders and publishers, 10up collaborated with internal Global News software engineers and two other agencies, creative design agency Upstatement, and the front end team, Filament Group.

GlobalNews.ca is a transformative publishing experience for journalists, news anchors, and field reporters, built by extending and enhancing the world’s best publishing platform. It’s a modern, clean site that works across devices of all shapes and sizes to bring the latest and most important news to both the nation and the world.