Automated Publishing System for Newspaper

Freelance Project Brief: Automated Newspaper Publishing Platform (Web-to-Print + Digital Distribution)
Project Overview

We are seeking an experienced developer or development team to design and implement a fully automated publishing workflow for a regional newspaper operating across multiple townships.

The system will enable:

Remote article submissions from contributors
Editorial review and approval workflow
Automated layout into print-ready templates
Seamless publishing to website and social media channels

The goal is to minimise manual labour, reduce production time, and create a scalable digital-first publishing system that integrates print and online distribution.

Scope of Work
1. Contributor Submission Portal
Secure, user-friendly web interface for journalists and contributors
Role-based access (contributors, editors, admin)
Submission fields:
Article text (rich text editor)
Images/media uploads
Metadata (author, category, location, tags)
Automated file handling and storage
Version control and edit tracking
2. Editorial Workflow System
Dashboard for editors to:
Review, edit, and approve submissions
Request revisions
Status tracking (Draft → Submitted → Edited → Approved → Published)
Notifications (email and/or in-platform)
Audit trail of changes
3. Automated Print Layout Integration
Integration with Adobe InDesign using:
XML/IDML-based templating OR
API/plugin-based automation
Auto-placement of articles into predefined page templates
Support for:
Headlines, body text, images, captions
Multi-page flow and layout rules
Output:
Print-ready PDF for each issue
Optional:
Ad placement zones and templated advertising slots
4. Website Publishing Integration
Integration with CMS such as:
WordPress (preferred) or equivalent
Automatic publishing of approved articles to website
Category/tag mapping from submission metadata
Scheduling capability
SEO-friendly formatting
5. Social Media Automation
Automatic posting of published articles to:
Facebook pages (multiple regional pages)
Ability to:
Customise post text
Include images and article links
Schedule or auto-publish upon approval
6. Multi-Region / Multi-Edition Support
Ability to manage content across 6+ townships
Tagging and filtering by region
Optional:
Automated creation of region-specific print editions
7. System Architecture & Hosting
Cloud-based deployment (AWS, Azure, or similar)
Scalable and secure architecture
Backup and recovery systems
Performance optimisation for multiple concurrent users
8. Automation & Efficiency Focus
Minimise manual intervention wherever possible
Smart content routing (e.g., auto-assign categories/templates)
Bulk operations (approve/publish multiple articles)
Template-driven workflows
Deliverables
Fully functional web-based submission and editorial system
Automated print layout integration (InDesign-compatible)
Live website integration
Social media automation setup
Documentation (user + technical)
Training session (remote)
Ongoing support options (to be quoted separately)
Required Skills & Experience
Proven experience with:
Publishing workflows or newsroom systems
CMS integration (especially WordPress)
API integrations (social media, third-party tools)
Automation and workflow design
Strong knowledge of:
Adobe InDesign scripting (ExtendScript, XML workflows)
Web development (frontend + backend)
Experience building scalable, production-grade systems
Preferred (Highly Regarded)
Experience with editorial systems or media organisations
Familiarity with tools like:
WoodWing Studio
Airtable
Zapier or Make
UX/UI design capability for clean, simple workflows
Timeline
Phase 1 (Core system): 6–10 weeks
Phase 2 (Automation + integrations): 4–8 weeks
Ongoing improvements as required
Budget

Open to proposals.
Expecting a premium, labour-saving solution, not a basic website build.

Proposal Requirements

Please include:

Relevant past projects (especially publishing or automation systems)
Proposed tech stack and architecture
Estimated timeline and cost breakdown
Ongoing maintenance/support options
Objective

To build a modern, automated publishing system that reduces manual production effort, improves consistency, and enables efficient expansion across multiple communities.