Princeton, NJ – In December 2015, McClatchy Company contracted New Jersey based ProImage to centralize their nation wide production using NewsWay automated workflow solution. 13 McClatchy owned properties and the workflow for commercial and contract printers will receive centralized edition planning, RIPPing, Imposition, Preflighting, Ink Presetting, Ink Optimization and output management. A total of 35 CTP output devices will be managed from the McClatchy main hub in Fort Worth, TX. 

ProImage NewsWay is a production workflow system for newspaper and commercial printers that controls and manages production from front-end systems through to output. NewsWay is entirely browser-based, requires no client licenses and allows monitoring production status from origination to print sites, regardless of the print location. 

Each McClatchy property will have its own custom workflow to meet their specific production requirements. A unique, browser-based login and password allows each to view only specific publications and multiple user access levels provides different views into production. 

The primary hub in Fort Worth, TX will house the servers functioning as the interface between the multi-site NewsWay system that links the hubs and the print sites. Its functionality includes workflow management, production tracking, Ripping, page & plate approvals, annotation, driving proofers, furniture & text burning, priority scheduling, and plate room management just to name a few. 

Five out of the 13 locations will have a local NewsWay footprint equipped with a WAN module allowing for more efficient plate transmission. This module ensures higher efficiency data transfer rates, accurate file delivery and real time status updates. The hub will Rip, impose and send the plate ready TIFFs to the receiving print plant’s NewsWay system.The plate will be replicated at the local site for multiple instances based on press and printing needs. The NewsWay receiver module will also have an integrated RIP for disaster recovery purposes. In addition to Ripping, each local site can plan, impose and output locally if needed. 

The five locations with a local NewsWay Footprint are: 

Kansas City Star, MO  

Miami Herald, FL  

Charlotte Observer, NC  

The State, Columbia, SC  

Sacramento Bee, CA

Each of these locations will have all products produced by NewsWay. The remaining eight locations will have a standard site workflow where plate ready TIFFs are sent to TIFF Spoolers of the desired CTP each time a copy is needed.

ProImage ahead of the Game

The centralization project significantly streamlines McClatchy’s production. Five properties had existing local NewsWay systems that were transferred to the production hub. All other existing local workflow systems will be replaced with the NewsWay centralized system.

“When we started looking at potential vendor candidates, it became apparent that ProImage had the most experience in this area because of the many previous, large-scale installations they already had done.” states Herman Spencer, Premedia Technology Manager at McClatchy Company. “We quickly realized that ProImage is ahead of the game”. 

Centralization of Production Workflow offers many Benefits

“Centralizing such a large production network various local software systems will reduce maintenance costs significantly” adds Herman. In addition, support contract costs will be cut and IT & Prepress will be trained on one system, which reduces the learning curve of new systems and allows for expert knowledge across sites. Locations will be capable of providing support to each other and negates the upgrading of hardware and software as this will be done on a corporate level. 

Because of its powerful platform and flexibility, ProImage NewsWay is the ideal solution for centralizing production. This is proven by recent installations at LEE Enterprises where ProImage is managing 30 properties and over 50 CTP devices. Journal Media Group, formerly EW Scripps, manages production for 12 properties, and at PostMedia, formerly Sun Media a Quebecor Company, NewsWay is managing the entire production at 8 properties totaling 16 dailies and 64 weeklies plus about 25 commercial jobs in Canada each week.