Local News Site Infrastructure
You are the first to write up what happens in your district. Wrestling with infrastructure is not your job; writing the story is.
A local news site does not need much, but it costs dearly when it is set up badly. If changing the front page needs code, if the site falls over on election night, or if the archive disappears one day, the software is the problem.
This solution has three parts: the software where stories are written and arranged, the hosting the site runs on, and the domain that carries the publication’s name. The three are set up together, and setup and migration are not charged for.
Who It Is For
News sites publishing regularly with a small team.
Publishers running an online news site alongside a printed edition.
Publications with no print edition, set up directly as online news sites.
Publications to be built from scratch, from the domain to the masthead. We work through the order together.
Sites moving off WordPress or bespoke software that do not want to lose their URL structure or search rankings.
What the Build Includes
Three required components and one optional. We do not sell beyond that.
News Software
Story entry, drag-and-drop front page, reporter and editor roles, automatic meta tags, XML sitemap and a Google News feed.
- Drag-and-drop front page
- SEO and AMP
- Push notifications
Web Hosting
NVMe storage, LiteSpeed cache, daily backups, free SSL, cPanel access and DDoS protection, hosted in Istanbul.
- NVMe disk
- Daily backup
- Free SSL
Domains
Availability lookup across more than 30 extensions. A .com.tr domain calls for a trademark certificate, a trade name or a periodical declaration.
- .com.tr
- Transfer
- Annual pricing
Cloud Server (optional)
For when traffic outgrows a hosting plan or root access is needed. Comes with instant scaling and snapshot backups.
- Root access
- Instant scaling
- 24/7 monitoring
Who Carries Which Duty?
Running an online news site means taking on the duties Law 5187 sets for periodicals. What the software can and cannot close out is below.
| Duty | What the infrastructure provides | What stays with the organisation |
|---|---|---|
| Publishing a masthead (Law 5187, art. 4) | A masthead page and a link reachable from every page. | The accuracy of the information and updating it when things change. |
| Periodical declaration (Law 5187, art. 7) | Nothing. The declaration is a document filed with the prosecutor’s office. | Filing it, keeping the registration number and renewing it when details change. |
| Appointing a responsible editor (Law 5187, art. 5) | Nothing. The appointment is a decision of the organisation. | Appointing the responsible editor, meeting the conditions and naming them in the masthead. |
| Content archive and retention (Law 5187, art. 10) | Daily backups and enough disk for the archive to fit. | The accuracy and integrity of the archive, and handing it over when requested. |
| Right of reply and correction (Law 5187, art. 14) | Publishing space where the text can appear on the same page at the same type size. | Meeting the deadline, publishing the text and running the legal process if needed. |
| Press card quota | Nothing. The quota depends on the publication’s characteristics and its payroll. | Meeting the staffing conditions and making the application. |
| Reader comments | A comment area and a moderation screen. | The moderation policy and acting on reported content in time. |
This table is not legal advice. Have your legal adviser confirm the scope in your actual situation.
Further Reading on the Regulatory Side
The topics a local news site runs into in its first year.
Legal Compliance Checklist for Online News Sites
A list of the items to close out before going live.
Read the articleMasthead Template for Online News Sites
What a masthead must contain, plus a ready template.
Read the articlePeriodical Declaration: Sample and Filing Guide
How to complete the declaration and where to file it.
Read the articleMust a Site Display Identity and Contact Details?
Which details have to stay visible on the site.
Read the articleIs a News Site a Hosting Provider or a Content Provider?
The distinction that sets the scope of your liability.
Read the articleRight of Reply: Sample Petition
What to do and by when, once a right-of-reply request arrives.
Read the articleCalculating the Press Card Quota
How many press cards a publication is entitled to, by type.
Read the articleFrequently Asked Questions
Can my existing WordPress site be migrated?
How many users can I create?
Do you handle the masthead and the declaration for me?
Do I have to buy the domain from you as well?
Is there a minimum term?
Let Us Build or Move Your Site
We will open a demo account and walk the panel with you. If you decide to move, we handle the migration.