Mobile requires different approach to print and web
J.C.C. Bruns-owned Mindener Tageblatt produces various versions of its newspaper, with a printed circulation of 32,000 copies and a website that gets up to 25,000 visits per day. The publisher began developing in-house a version for mobile devices, as part of its multi-channel strategy. However, the growing diversity of viewing platforms complicated production, as the processes became too complex and labor intensive.

Christoph Pepper, editor-in-chief, realized a different solution was required: “Producing a mobile newspaper is a completely different ball game. Our page layout systems are optimized for printed newspapers, not for producing dynamic content for mobile devices. We needed an automated solution that could blend XML data from our editorial systems into an optimized layout for a variety of mobile devices and operating systems."

The Mindener Tageblatt five-step mobile publishing strategy

1.    Adopt ‘Responsive Design’ philosophy
All content was customized for an optimal viewing experience on all digital-display media, such as monitors, tablets or smartphones. This was crucial for making production and process structures more lean and cost-effective. The publisher also redesigned its website and related digital content according to this philosophy.  

2.    Assess the publishing options
Mindener Tageblatt wanted to bring all versions of its ePaper together on one production platform, including the web versions. This left the publisher with two options – create its own solution or adapt its own setup. Both options would be costly, either from a capital investment or labor perspective.

3.    Reach for the cloud
Mindener Tageblatt has a long-standing partnership with Agfa Graphics. One of the main reasons the publisher chose Eversify was because it didn’t need to invest in any additional hardware or software. Eversify is a cloud-based solution, hosted within Agfa Graphics’ secure infrastructure. Also, updates and new functionality are added automatically.

4.    Maximize use of existing resources
Eversify integrates easily with newspaper editorial and production environments, enabling Mindener Tageblatt to make best use of its existing editing and production resources. It automatically creates appealing ePapers, which can also be edited via an easy-to-use back-office when needed. The final app presentation is created using full HTML5 functionality, making it suitable for various digital output devices.

5.    Test the output
During the production process, Eversify can simulate how the final content will be presented on various virtual media, such as tablets or smartphones. Currently, Mindener Tageblatt isn’t using these options to produce its ePaper+, but Pepper plans to exploit it in future: “It will play an essential role when we develop additional products. It's all part of a unified publishing workflow that combines print, digital products, and publication apps, to create a premium reading experience, whatever platform the reader is using.”

For Pepper, the partnership between Mindener Tageblatt and the Eversify team has proved very successful: “They were very professional in terms of product conception, design and support. We were able to develop our ePaper+ edition in a record time. Believe me, it doesn't get much better than this."

Rainer Kirschke, Business Manager Mobile Publishing for Eversify, Agfa Graphics, comments: “The software is really easy to integrate, whatever the platform. It has enabled Mindener Tageblatt to cost-effectively produce an optimized mobile version of its newspaper, and offer its mobile-device readership a highly engaging experience.”

Read Christoph Pepper’s blog on mobile publishing at: http://www.eversify.com/the-mobile-push-9/

About Eversify
Eversify, a solution from Agfa Graphics is a mobile content publishing software solution that can be integrated in any editorial, content management system or layout system based on Adobe InDesign. It delivers automated diversified content streaming to a wide range of devices (smartphones, tablets) and websites. There are also three levels of App functionality: Eversify Classic - a digital copy of the PDF, Eversify Hybrid   – an enhanced PDF that allows the manual addition of extra content enriched with HTML5 articles and Eversify Interactive (HTML5) - a pure HTML APP with all benefits of multimedia and perfect usability. Additionally, Eversify can deliver classic flipbooks, hybrid flipbook or best in class interactive HTML5 based homepages. Eversify is part of the world-leading Agfa Graphics portfolio of solutions.  For more information, visit http://www.eversify.com.

About Agfa
The Agfa-Gevaert Group is one of the world's leading companies in imaging and information technology. Agfa develops, manufactures and markets analogue and digital systems for the printing industry (Agfa Graphics), for the healthcare sector (Agfa Healthcare), and for specific industrial applications (Agfa Materials). Agfa is headquartered in Mortsel, Belgium. The company is present in 40 countries and has agents in another 100 countries around the globe. The Agfa-Gevaert Group achieved a turnover of 2,65 billion euros in 2015.
Please visit us at http://www.agfa.com

About Agfa Graphics
Agfa Graphics offers integrated prepress solutions to the commercial printing industry, the newspaper printing and publishing industry and the sign and display, decoration and industrial inkjet printing industry. These solutions comprise consumables, hardware, software and services for production workflow, project and process management, cloud software and image processing. Agfa Graphics is a worldwide leader with its computer-to-film, computer-to-plate, digital proofing and security solutions for commercial and packaging printers. For newspaper markets Agfa Graphics is leading supplier of automation for printed and mobile publishing workflows. Agfa Graphics has also developed a prominent position in the new segments of industrial inkjet. It offers a wide range of inkjet presses and a complete assortment of high-quality inks.
http://www.agfagraphics.com

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