WO1998007104A1

WO1998007104A1 - A method of producing a newspaper

Info

Publication number: WO1998007104A1
Application number: PCT/SE1997/001343
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mikael Skogstroem
Original assignee: Mikael Skogstroem
Priority date: 1996-08-13
Filing date: 1997-08-12
Publication date: 1998-02-19
Also published as: SE9602972L; AU3872697A; SE9602972D0

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of producing a newspaper which is adapted to the requirements of an individual subscriber. The method is characterized by: bringing the articles to be included in the newspaper to a machine readable form, classifying said articles in accordance with different subject areas and storing the articles in an article database (3); registering and storing in a subscriber register (5) the different subject areas to be included in the newspaper of each subscriber in accordance with his/her subscription; producing for each subscriber an individual newspaper copy in a machine readable form, by collecting from the article database articles that are listed under ordered subject areas; thereafter storing this newspaper copy in a newspaper copy archive (6); and thereafter bringing each newspaper copy (8) to a form desired by the subscriber, such as a form that can be read by the subscriber's computer, or in a paper printed form.

Description

A METHOD OF PRODUCING A NEWSPAPER
The present invention relates to a method for producing a newspaper adapted to the wishes of individual subscribers.

One problem with present-day newspapers, irrespective of whether they relate to the daily press, weekly press or specialist press, and irrespective of whether the newspapers are produced in printed or electronic form, is that all subscribers to a newspaper or all readers of a newspaper obtain a newspaper with the same content as the other subscribers or readers. For instance, a newspaper delivered to subscribers who are completely uninterested in the sport pages and culture pages will nevertheless receive a newspaper that contains these pages. Thus, present-day methods of producing and distributing newspapers involve sending unnecessary information to some subscribers or readers of a newspaper, resulting in a corresponding unnecessary consumption of news print and machine time.

The present invention aims at solving these problems.

This aim is achieved in accordance with the invention by means of a method of the kind defined in the introduction that is characterized by the following method steps: - The articles to be included in the newspaper are brought to a machine readable form, classified in different subject areas and stored in an article database.

- The subscription of each subscriber concerning different subject areas that shall be included in his copies of the newspaper are registered and stored in a subscriber register.

- There is produced for each subscriber a separate newspaper copy in a machine readable form by collecting from the article database articles that are listed under ordered subject areas and thereafter storing this newspaper copy in a newspaper copy archive and thereafter bringing each newspaper copy to a form desired by the subscriber, such as a form that can be read by the subscriber's computer, or in a paper printed form.

In one preferred embodiment of the method, the articles listed under the ordered subject areas are collected from the article database in accordance with a sequence of subject areas given by the subscriber when placing his/her order. Advertisements are included in the newspaper solely in connection with the subject area given by the advertiser, and only one example of an adver tisement is included in each individual newspaper. The sections that cover the ordered subject areas follow immediately after one another in each individual newspaper.

In one variant, the various sections covering the ordered subject areas each begin on a new page in each individual newspaper.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is a highly schematic flowchart of the various steps in one embodiment of the inventive method;
Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of one page of the newspaper produced in accordance with Figure 1; and
Fig. 3 illustrates an alternative configuration of the page shown in Figure 3.

Figure 1 is a highly schematic illustration of a newspaper production arrangement that includes a unit 1, for instance a computer, a mini-computer, or a personal computer, into which newspaper articles are entered. The newspaper articles have been brought to a machine-readable state, for instance by having been written on a word processor 2, and have been classified in specific subject areas and preferably given a priority. The newspaper to be produced may be a computer magazine containing such subject areas or fields as personal computers (PC), networks (NET), hard disks and Macintosh (MAC). The priority given to the articles is determined by their content, and news articles will thus have a higher priority than, e.g., articles in which new products or processes are analyzed or studied in detail.

Subsequent to being classified, the articles are stored in an article database 3 together with their classification data relating to subject area and preferably also with respect to priority.

Classification may be effected by the newspaper office in the following manner: - The news value of an article is assessed on a scale from 1-5.

- The geographical connection of the article is established or decided (continent, country, region, district).

The circle of readers addressed by the article is assessed, for instance it is judged whether the article addresses parents, single persons, pensioners, and so on.

- The article is given alternative headings: one heading appropriate for a single column and one heading appropriate for two, three or four columns.

- An assessment is made of the extent to which different passages of the article can be erased, and the sequence in which such erasures can be made in order to automatically shorten the article in respect to the production of individual newspaper copies.

- With respect to pictures or graphics, the text appropriate thereto is specified and the sequence in which the pictures may be omitted when several pictures are associated with the text and not all of the pictures can be accommodated. It must also be possible to state within which limits each picture may be cut, with respect to motif, so that the picture can be automatically cut in accordance with layout and available space in the production of the newspaper.

Orders from subscribers 4 are also fed into the unit 1. Each individual subscriber will have given on his/her order form those subject areas that are of interest, and preferably also the order or sequence in which the subject areas shall be presented in the newspaper. The subscriber will also have stated on his order form whether his newspaper shall be delivered in a printed form or in a machine readable form, and the address to which the newspaper shall be delivered. This information and subscriber identity data is entered into a subscriber register 5. Other personal information additional to age and address may also be entered into the register, such as civilian status, children and their ages when applicable, and so on.

The actual newspaper production is carried out by starting-up a special newspaper production programme in the unit 1. This programme carries out the following steps: a) collects from the subscriber register data relating to the first subscriber A; b) opens a template page with the logo type and other general information relating to the newspaper, such as the publisher responsible; c) collects from the article database those articles that shall be included in future numbers of the newspapers within the subject field or area that is first in line on the list of subject areas ordered by subscriber A; d) placing text mass, associated pictures, advertisements and the like on the template page in accordance with a pattern in which the articles of highest priority are placed as high up as possible;

e) fetching from the article database those articles that shall be included in a future number of the newspaper within the subject area in the next following region of the subject areas ordered by subscriber A; f) places the text mass, associated pictures, advertisements and the like on the template page immediately after the last article from the preceding subject area in accordance with the pattern given in step d); g) fetches in sequence the articles relating to respective ordered subject areas and proceeding in accordance with step f) with each of these areas per se; h) when the articles relating to all of the subject areas ordered by the subscriber have been entered on the template page in accordance with steps d)-g), the newspaper copy subscribed to is complete and is stored in a separate newspaper copy archive 6;

and i) thereafter collecting all data relating to the next subscriber in the register and stored in said subscriber register until the data relating to the last subscriber in the register has been collected, whereafter steps b)-h) are carried out in respect of each of the subscribers per se.

Thus, upon completion of the aforedescribed steps a)-i), each individual newspaper copy of a future number of the newspaper will be stored in the newspaper copy archive 6 in a machine readable form.

The articles are placed in an order of priority in each newspaper copy. Articles that have a high news value and are in high accord with the background of the individual subscriber (circle of readers, geographical connection) are placed high up on the page, whereas other material is placed further down. The same sort of journalistic assessments made by an editor in a standard newspaper editing process are thus carried out automatically. The newspaper production programme will preferably be compiled so as to include several different layout alternatives and layout selection criteria. For instance, two articles of equal value may be placed side-by-side and thus share the space on one page side.

However, if one of these articles is much longer than the other, the programme will elect to place the articles one after the other. The programme is thus constructed to provide an aesthetically attractive layout in accordance with given layout criteria. The programme will also preferably be compiled to take into account whether the subscriber wishes the articles to be written in brief or in detail. Because the assessment of the extent to which different passages of the text of an article can be erased has earlier been made, the articles can be shortened automatically in conjunction with the production of the newspaper in accordance with subscribers wishes and also with respect to layout. For instance, the produced newspaper copy will preferably be configured so that all pages are essentially filled.

Trimming or pruning and thinning-out of any pictures belonging to respective articles will also take place automatically, for the same reason.

As earlier mentioned, it is intended that the newspaper can be distributed in both a printed form and a machine readable form.

The unit 1 therefore also includes to this end a distribution programme which scans through the subscriber register and collects the data relating to the form in which each of the subscribers wishes to receive his/her newspaper and also the desired method of distribution. If the subscriber wishes a printed copy, the distribution programme sends the newspaper copy concerned to a printer 7, a printing press or the like for printout, whereafter a newspaper copy 8 is printed. If the subscriber requires the newspaper in a machine readable form and is connected to a computer distribution network 9, such as
Internet, for instance, the newspaper copy concerned is sent to the electronic address of the subscriber (e.g. his Internet address).

If the subscriber is not connected to a data distribution network but still wishes to receive his/her newspaper in a machine readable form, so as to be able to store and later search for articles in his/her own computer, the newspaper copy concerned is copied onto a diskette and delivered to the subscriber in the same way as a printed copy would be delivered, for instance by post.

Figure 2 illustrates a newspaper copy 8 in larger scale. For the sake of illustration, the illustrated newspaper copy is comprised of one single page although it will be understood that it may comprise several pages in practice. As will be evident from
Figure 2, the articles are listed under the different subject areas PC, NET, HARD DISK and MAC immediately after one another, which is the preferred layout.

Figure 3 shows a variant of a newspaper copy in which each subject area begins on a new page. This variant has the advantage of enabling subscribers that desire printed copies to readily save articles from several numbers of the newspaper in accordance with subject. In another variant of the method, the newspaper production programme is designed to enable both of the layouts in
Figs. 2 and 3 to be achieved. On this basis, subscribers are able to state their desired layouts on their respective order forms.

It will be noted that when the newspaper shall have a specific format, it may be necessary to save low priority articles for the next number to be published, for space reasons.

It will also be noted that when a subscriber is connected to the same data distribution network 9 as the unit 1 or to a computer connected to said unit, the subscriber himself will be able to enter information concerning his/her order or to change earlier information, this information being confirmed by the unit 1 which, at the same time, informs the subscriber of the publication to which the changes apply and the affect of the changes on the subscription fee. Naturally, orders can be sent in a traditional manner, either by post or by telephone.

The aforedescribed method enables newspapers to be customized to the specific requirements and wishes of the individual subscriber. In addition to advantages on behalf of the subscriber, who avoids a great deal of unnecessary information in this way, the community as a whole also reaps a benefit, particularly in the case of printed newspapers, since the amount of wastepaper generated will be less than the amount generated with traditionally produced newspapers. In the case of newspapers that are distributed via a data distribution network, the transmission time is reduced to a corresponding extent. Another advantage with respect to subscribers is that they only need to pay for the subject areas of interest to themselves.

With respect to advertisers, the method has the advantage that their advertisements need only be inserted under desired subject areas, meaning that only that group of people to which the advertisement is targeted will be reached. This also means that the cost of the advertisement can be placed in accordance with the number of newspaper copies in which the advertisement is included. Advertisers need then only pay for those advertisements in newspaper copies that are read by the intended target group.

When an advertiser asks for the advertisement to be included in several subject areas, it is conceivable to compile the newspaper production programme such that the advertisement will be inserted only once in each individual newspaper copy.

Each of the newspaper copies is stored in the newspaper copy archive 6 as an electronic document, for instance as a PostScript file or so-called PDF. Such a document will contain all that is required to show the document on a computer screen precisely as it will appear when printed. However, the receiver requires a special feeder in order to open such a document. In the case of subscribers who wish to receive the newspaper in a machine readable form, a diskette containing the necessary software is distributed either when sending the first newspaper copy or under separate cover. The software may also be distributed via the
Internet or some like data distribution network.

The unit 1, the article database 3, the subscriber register 5 and the newspaper copy archive 6 may either be incorporated in one and the same computer or in different network connected computers.

It will be understood that the method described with reference to the drawings can be modified within the scope of the invention, particularly with respect to layout and subject areas. For instance, the distribution program can be omitted when the newspaper is intended to be produced solely in a printed form.

The invention is therefore restricted solely by the content of the following Claims.

Claims

1. A method of producing a newspaper which is adapted to the requirements of an individual subscriber, characterized by: bringing the articles to be included in the newspaper to a machine readable form, classifying said articles in accordance with different subject areas and storing the articles in an article database (3); registering and storing in a subscriber register (5) the different subject areas to be included in the newspaper of each subscriber in accordance with his/her subscription; producing for each subscriber an individual newspaper copy in a machine readable form, by collecting from the article database articles that are listed under ordered subject areas and thereafter storing this newspaper copy in a newspaper copy archive (6);

and thereafter bringing each newspaper copy (8) to a form desired by the subscriber, such as a form that can be read by the subscriber's computer, or in a paper printed form.

2. A method according to Claim 1, characterized by fetching the articles under the ordered subject areas from the article database (3) in accordance with the sequence of subject areas ordered by the subscriber.

3. A method according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterized by inserting advertisements into the newspaper solely in connection with the subject area given by the advertiser.

4. A method according to Claim 3, characterized by including only one copy of an advertisement in each individual newspaper.

5. A method according to any one of Claims 1-4, characterized by arranging the ordered subject area sections of each individual newspaper in direct sequence one after the other.

6. A method according to any one of Claims 1-4, characterized by starting each of the ordered subject area sections on a new page of each individual newspaper.