11 Best CMS For News Publishing In 2023

Are you on the hunt for the best CMS for news publishing?

In this article, we’re diving deep into how you can power your new publishing journey and take it to the next level.

Yes, with a content management system!

From understanding the nitty-gritty of each tool to uncovering their unique features, we’re here to guide you through your decision-making process.

Are you a digital journalism rookie, a veteran newsroom leader, or perhaps a tech-savvy enthusiast intrigued by the digital media world? We have a CMS for you.

We aim to help you find that perfect match that aligns with your publishing needs, style, and aspirations.

You’re on the right track!

This post covers:

The Best CMS For News Publishing

In the fast-paced world of news, your CMS is your steadfast ally so your content reaches your audience swiftly and seamlessly.

Thus, it needs to be intuitive, responsive, and reliable. Essential features? Look for real-time editing, robust content management, seamless integration with social media and other platforms, and – importantly – top-notch security.

Let’s together choose the perfect companion for your newsroom adventures, such that understands your needs, adapts to your pace, and helps your content shine.

1. WordPress

WordPress is like finding a golden ticket if you’re delving into news publishing.

First off, it’s extremely user-friendly. Even if you’re not a tech guru, WordPress makes it easy to post your news stories with just a few clicks.

What’s more, customization is a breeze with WordPress. With 1,000s of themes and plugins, you can tailor it to look and function just how you envision.

And as your audience grows? No sweat. WordPress scales with you, handling increased traffic without a hitch.

SEO is a big deal in news publishing, and WordPress has your back there, too. It’s packed with tools to help your content rank higher and reach more readers. And let’s not forget mobile users – WordPress ensures your site looks fabulous on any device.

Another key benefit is the massive community. You’ll find forums, tutorials, and meetups galore, so you’ll never feel alone on your epic journey. That’s why, for many, WordPress isn’t just a CMS; it’s a part of their publishing family.

Key Features of WordPress:

• An intuitive and easy-to-navigate dashboard makes it simple for publishers to create, edit, and manage content, even for those with minimal technical expertise.
• Publishers can customize the look and functionality of their site to suit their specific needs and branding, thanks to the flexibility of themes and plugins.
• WordPress is equipped with excellent SEO capabilities. With plugins like Yoast SEO, optimizing content for search engines becomes easier, increasing the visibility and reach of news articles.
• Easily integrate social media platforms to share news content and increase engagement.
• With regular updates and a range of security plugins, WordPress helps protect your news website against common security threats.

Best for:

WordPress is for journalists, bloggers, and media organizations seeking an easy-to-use, customizable, and scalable platform for efficient content management and audience engagement.

Pricing: WordPress is a free and open-source CMS.

Get WordPress

2. Drupal

Drupal might just be your dream partner in the news publishing world. It’s incredibly powerful and adaptable, perfect for those who want a bespoke online presence.

Unlike one-size-fits-all solutions, Drupal is like a set of advanced building blocks with the flexibility to create a unique, tailored experience for your readers.

One of Drupal’s superpowers is its robust security. In a world where online safety is paramount, especially for news sites with high traffic and sensitive content, Drupal is a fortress, constantly updated to protect against the latest cyber threats.

And talk about scalability! Whether your audience is in the hundreds or the millions, Drupal can handle it gracefully, so your site runs smoothly regardless of the growth.

Moreover, Drupal is also very well equipped in the multilingual, personalization and marketing automation sectors. It has the tools to take your news publishing project to the next level.

While Drupal might be slightly more advanced than WordPress, it has plenty of unique features to help you realize your goals.

Key Features of Drupal:

• Extensive customization options with modular design to tailor sites precisely to your needs – ideal for unique or complex news site layouts.
• Known for its strong security framework, Drupal is preferred for news websites requiring high data protection levels.
• Drupal excels in handling high traffic volumes, making it suitable for large news websites that experience spikes in traffic during major news events.
• It provides comprehensive multilingual features out of the box for a global reach.

Best for:

Drupal is for larger news organizations and publishers requiring advanced customization, high security, and scalability to manage complex, high-traffic websites.

Pricing: Drupal is free and open-source.

Get Drupal

3. Joomla

Joomla is a reliable, multi-talented and user-friendly CMS for news publishing with excellent flexibility.

It comes packed with features and extensions that cater to all your publishing needs, be it adding social media widgets, managing multimedia content, or creating engaging layouts.

You can also jazz it up with interactive pools, manage a bustling forum and create a multimedia-rich news experience.

Plus, it’s super adaptable to small blogs and large news portals.

Joomla is also a champion of content organization. Its advanced categorization and tagging system makes handling a variety of news topics and types a smooth ride.

What we also like are its multilingual capabilities. You can effortlessly publish your news in multiple languages, reaching a diverse, global audience.

And its responsive nature ensures your site looks great on any device, from desktops to smartphones.

For a flexible, comprehensive, and community-backed news publishing experience, Joomla could be what you’re looking for.

Key Features of Joomla:

• Content organization with powerful categorization, tagging, and content management features for handling various types of news articles and media.
• A wide range of extensions and templates allow publishers to customize their site’s functionality and appearance however they want.
• It easily integrates with social media platforms to share and promote news content effectively.
• Joomla includes caching and other performance optimization features, ensuring news websites load quickly and efficiently.

Best for:

Joomla is for publishers seeking a user-friendly, highly customizable platform with solid content management and multilingual support, suitable for small and large-scale news operations.

Pricing: Joomla is free and open-source.

Get Joomla

4. Sanity

Sanity is a fully decoupled, open-source React-based CMS that brings your newsroom right to your fingertips.

With Sanity, writing and editing content on the go becomes a breeze. It’s responsive, allowing you to tweak and publish your stories faster than ever from any device.

Imagine the freedom of managing your news content from the comfort of your phone!

Sanity shines in its incredible extensibility. Crafting a custom editorial pipeline is easy, facilitating seamless, collaborative workflows.

Moreover, with Portable Text, your articles aren’t just words; they come with an extensible data layer, allowing you to build dynamic, engaging content.

And the workflow customization? Whether you need multiple rounds of edits, fact-checking, or giant Kanban boards, Sanity makes complex editorial processes straightforward and adaptable to your specific needs. You can even integrate document badges and custom actions directly into your content.

And when it comes to publishing engaging content, Sanity has you covered with integrated performance analytics and a suite of plugins for testing, optimization, and SEO.

Key Features of Sanity:

• Decoupled CMS architecture based on React for flexibility and a seamless user experience, especially for dynamic, interactive news sites.
• You can write and edit content directly from your mobile device, enjoying convenience.
• Leveraging React hooks, Sanity enables complex, custom operations on content for managing and manipulating news stories and data.
• The platform supports the development of custom workflows and editorial pipelines to accommodate complex processes.

Best for:

Sanity is for forward-thinking news organizations and digital publishers who require a highly customizable, mobile-responsive, and collaborative platform for dynamic, data-rich storytelling.

Pricing: Sanity has a free plan for individual/smaller projects. On the other hand, its Growth plan goes for $15/month per user. (Enterprise solution is also available.)

Get Sanity

5. Quintype

Quintype is an affordable enterprise-level publishing platform that grows with your business.

What sets Quintype apart is its fully managed service. Forget the hassle of updates, security, or backups; Quintype handles it all, giving you more time to focus on what you do best – storytelling.

For the tech-savvy, Quintype’s API-first headless CMS offers total control over the front-end, while its secure enterprise cloud comes with top-notch DDoS protection, SSL, and auto-scaling infrastructure.

But Quintype is perfect for smaller teams, too. Its user-friendly tools and editor make content creation effortless, even on the go, with its responsive mobile CMS. Collaborate easily with your team and break the news faster than ever.

Want to increase your reach? Quintype makes reaching your audience across multiple channels and devices simple, from managing metadata to automating social media distribution.

Lastly, Quintype’s analytics and personalization tools help you better understand and engage your audience. Discover what’s trending, make informed decisions, and deliver content that resonates with your readers’ preferences.

Key Features of Quintype:

• Fully managed service handles updates, security, and backups so publishers can focus more on content and less on technical maintenance.
• With Quintype’s advanced migration engine, transferring data to their platform is smooth and secure.
• Quintype’s well-documented REST APIs provide complete control over the front-end, offering flexibility for customized digital experiences.
• It features an editor for rich media stories and responsive mobile CMS, enhancing collaboration among journalists, freelancers, and editors.

Best for:

Quintype is for news publishers and digital media organizations seeking a future-proof, user-friendly, and fully managed platform that simplifies content creation and enhances audience engagement.

Pricing: Quintype has custom pricing tailored to your project needs, which you get after scheduling a demo.

Get Quintype

6. Arc XP

Arc XP is API-first, meaning it’s designed for flexibility and speed. Whether you use it in headless deployments or with its Experience Platform, it offers an end-to-end solution that streamlines content creation and simplifies management.

It blends publishing, workflow, and collaboration tools to create and deploy swiftly within a flexible platform.

Arc XP centralizes content planning, production, collaboration, and distribution into one cloud-native solution.

Imagine creating cohesive stories with text, photo, and video elements effortlessly. Or automating workflows to declutter content creation and distribution, making life in the newsroom much easier.

Plus, with live streaming capabilities and omnichannel delivery, your stories reach audiences wherever they are, on whatever device they use.

Lastly, Arc XP’s authoring tool, Composer, and its content planning tool, WebSked, provide everything you need to create, schedule, and publish rich content experiences across multiple platforms and channels.

Key Features of Arc XP:

• You can use it in both headless deployments for maximum flexibility or coupled with the Arc XP Experience Platform for a comprehensive end-to-end solution.
• The platform automates workflows and routine approval tasks to streamline the content creation and distribution process.
• Arc XP includes centralized digital asset management, simplifying multimedia elements’ storage, management, and access.
• The CMS allows capturing and streaming live events directly from the Arc XP mobile app or professional broadcast equipment.

Best for:

Arc XP is for large-scale news publishers and media organizations seeking a flexible, agile, and comprehensive content management system to streamline workflow, manage assets, and deliver dynamic digital experiences across multiple platforms.

Pricing: Arc XP has custom pricing tailored to your project needs, which you get after scheduling a demo.

Get Arc XP

7. Stibo DX – CUE

Stibo DX’s CUE Publishing Platform is creating a buzz in the news publishing world.

CUE is an innovative, forward-thinking tool ready to redefine digital storytelling and give your content business a futuristic edge.

It’s a multichannel, headless powerhouse designed to turn content into a competitive advantage. Its open system architecture means flexibility is at your fingertips.

What makes CUE stand out? It’s a one-stop content creation platform, allowing you to produce content for all channels in a single space.

And here’s where it gets even more exciting – CUE is cloud-based, offering a flexible CMS solution without the hassle of hardware costs.

CUE’s unique, flexible anatomy simplifies multimedia storytelling. Rigid formats no longer constrain you; with CUE, you can combine text, images, and videos in ways that best present your content.

What’s unique about CUE is its seamless integration with print CMS. This makes it perfect for creating print and digital content in a single workflow.

If you need to cover all specters of publishing, CUE is a great solution that does the trick.

Key Features of Stibo DX – CUE:

• Beyond digital, CUE provides integrated solutions for print CMS and e-papers, facilitating a unified digital and print media workflow.
• It offers robust tools for managing stories, resources, and workflows for efficient collaboration and planning across editorial teams.
• As a cloud-based CMS, CUE ensures operational flexibility, security, and scalability, reducing physical infrastructure and maintenance need.
• CUE includes a centralized digital asset management system, streamlining multimedia storage, management, and access.

Best for:

CUE CMS by Stibo DX is for media groups and enterprises seeking a flexible, multichannel content management system that supports innovative digital storytelling and efficient asset management across digital and print platforms.

Pricing: CUE has custom pricing tailored to your project needs, which you get after scheduling a demo.

Get Stibo DX – CUE

8. ACE

ACE is your all-in-one, multi-channel maestro, bridging the gap between web and print publishing.

It offers a flexible environment where you can author content for both online and offline channels using the same workflow. Craft articles enriched with multimedia, galleries, embeds, and more, all without compromise.

What sets ACE apart are its customizable, channel-specific workflows and dynamic searches of newswires, which you can tailor and share among your team.

ACE Web module is a real gem for online publishers, offering rich widgets, landing pages, and onsite SEO optimization with zero coding needs.

Plus, its image optimization ensures your visuals look stunning while providing great loading speeds.

For print enthusiasts, ACE’s automated print production is a game-changer. From automatic pagination to advertising and artwork placement, it handles it all. And let’s not forget the unified asset management and archive system, giving you instant access to all your media.

In a nutshell, ACE CMS is adaptable, efficient, and ready to tackle any challenge in the digital and print world.

Key Features of ACE:

• ACE allows for creating and preparing content for online and offline channels, providing a flexible environment for cross-platform publishing.
• The platform supports total digital enrichment with galleries, multimedia, embeds, links, maps, and more, ensuring engaging content.
• It includes accurate, real-time previews for digital and print content, helping to ensure consistency and quality across mediums.
• The CMS handles all aspects of print production, including article and picture pagination, advertising placement, and automated content fitting.

Best for:

ACE is for news organizations and media companies requiring a versatile, multi-channel publishing solution for easy managing and delivering content across digital and print platforms.

Pricing: ACE has custom pricing tailored to your project needs.

Get ACE

9. Superdesk

Superdesk stands out with its clean, intuitive design, making it a breeze for journalists and managers alike.

It’s all about customization, allowing everyone to tailor their workspace to their personal style and needs.

Superdesk simplifies creating and managing content across multiple channels, whether for web or print.

Need to automate repetitive reports? Superdesk has got your back with templates that save you time and effort.

But what makes Superdesk shine is its focus on collaboration. It’s designed as a virtual newsroom where you can easily track and update assignments, making team coordination effortless.

Plus, with features like predictive text and autocomplete, you can focus more on storytelling and less on the grunt work.

Superdesk is a versatile and smart tool for today’s dynamic news publishing world.

Key Features of Superdesk:

• Clean, user-friendly interface for ease of use by journalists and a comprehensive overview for newsroom managers.
• Users can customize their workspaces to suit individual preferences and needs, enhancing personal productivity and workflow efficiency.
• The CMS includes tools for automating news production, such as creating templates for routine reports.
• Designed as a virtual newsroom, Superdesk enhances collaboration among reporters and editors.

Best for:

Superdesk is for modern news organizations and media outlets seeking a highly customizable, user-friendly, and efficient platform to enhance collaborative content creation and streamline multichannel publishing workflows.

Pricing: Superdesk offers you to run it yourself for free or pick any of the premium plans, starting with Lite at $269/month.

Get Superdesk

10. Hocalwire

Hocalwire is about taking your newsroom operations to the next level with a platform that encourages collaborative journalism and integrates automation and social channels.

It’s designed to handle live information from multiple sources, ensuring you’re always on top of the news game. Hocalwire is perfect for managing a scalable contributor platform with features like two-way communication and map-based tracking.

With HocalAware, you’re not just getting a backend system; you’re getting a tool that increases traffic, pushes content to social media, personalizes news, and opens new revenue streams.

But one of our favorite features: Hocalwire lets you create your mobile apps. This means you can reach your audiences with a unique, engaging UX/UI that truly reflects your brand’s identity.

For a CMS that’s all about efficiency, collaboration, and staying ahead in the digital news arena, Hocalwire is your go-to choice.

Key Features of Hocalwire:

• Hocalwire incorporates AI for content analysis, sentiment analysis, and precise personalization of newsfeeds.
• It offers a modern newsroom experience with live information from multiple sources, two-way communication, map-based tracking, and a scalable contributor platform.
• Publishers can create customized mobile apps with unique UX/UI to take the mobile experience to a new degree.
• HocalAware extends beyond typical backend systems, boosting traffic, enabling social media publishing, personalizing news content, and creating new revenue opportunities.

Best for:

Hocalwire is for news organizations and digital publishers seeking a comprehensive, AI-powered, and collaborative platform with advanced social media integrations and custom mobile app capabilities.

Pricing: Hocalwire offers a free demo plan, while the Basic paid plan goes for $500/month.

Get Hocalwire

11. ExpressionEngine

ExpressionEngine (EE) lets your website, content, and design shine in your unique style. It’s all about giving you the freedom to create your vision, your way.

One of the coolest things about EE is how it organizes content into flexible channels. EE makes managing different content types a breeze, whether for blogs, news, or bios.

And editing content? You can hop into edit mode on the front end and make changes on the fly.

But EE isn’t just about easy editing; it’s about bringing your own code to life with its intuitive tags. Whether HTML, JavaScript, or PHP, ExpressionEngine lets you craft dynamic, engaging web experiences.

ExpressionEngine also ensures you manage various member types and multiple sites from one control panel.

There’s more. Build a community with EE’s discussion forum module and extend EE’s capabilities with a vast range of add-ons from its developer community.

Plus, updating EE is a breeze – just one click, and you’re done. Fast, efficient, and worry-free.

Key Features of ExpressionEngine:

• Direct editing on the front end of the website enables quick and easy content updates without the need for a separate control panel.
• Variety of add-ons for enhancing the website’s capabilities and enabling further customization.
• Live Preview lets content editors see how their content will appear in the site’s design as they type.
• The CMS enables the management of multiple sites from a single control panel.

Best for:

ExpressionEngine is for news publishers and media outlets seeking a highly customizable, intuitive, and versatile platform that supports diverse content management, multi-site operations, and dynamic audience engagement.

Pricing: ExpressionEngine has a free plan for projects that only require control panel access. On the contrary, it’s paid plan goes for $249/year.

Get ExpressionEngine

What Is The Best CMS For News Publishing

With all the above options, you’ll surely find what you need, whether an all-digital platform or a two-in-one (digital + print), but these are our favorites:

• WordPress is a top choice for news publishing due to its ease of use and extensive customization options, making it ideal for publishers of all sizes to manage and present their content efficiently. Its vast array of themes and plugins specifically designed for news sites enables quick deployment and easy adaptation to the evolving needs of digital journalism.
• Drupal excels in news publishing with its robust content management capabilities and high-level security, making it suitable for large news organizations dealing with high traffic and complex content structures. Its flexibility in content organization and powerful taxonomy system allow for detailed categorization and management of diverse news articles, enhancing user navigation and experience.
• Joomla offers a user-friendly interface with solid content management features, making it a suitable CMS for news publishers who need a balance of simplicity and functionality. Its strong community support and wide range of extensions enable publishers to easily add news-specific features, from social media integration to multimedia handling.

	Customization & Extensibility	Content Management & Organization	Security & Scalability
WordPress	High	Excellent	Excellent	VISIT
Drupal	High	Excellent	Excellent	VISIT
Joomla	Moderate	Good	Good	VISIT
Sanity	High	Excellent	Good	VISIT
Quintype	Moderate	Excellent	Good	VISIT
Arc XP	High	Excellent	Excellent	VISIT
Stibo DX	High	Excellent	Good	VISIT
ACE	High	Excellent	Good	VISIT
Superdesk	Moderate	Excellent	Good	VISIT
Hocalwire	Moderate	Good	Good	VISIT
ExpressionEngine	High	Excellent	Good	VISIT

How To Get Started With WordPress

1. Choose hosting: Start by selecting a reputable hosting provider with WordPress support. Consider factors like uptime, customer support, and scalability. Some popular options include Bluehost, SiteGround, and WP Engine. (See our in-depth guide on how to choose WordPress hosting.)
2. Install WordPress: Most hosting providers offer a one-click WordPress installation feature. Use this to install WordPress on your hosting account. If your host doesn’t provide this, you can download WordPress from wordpress.org and follow the installation guide.
3. Select a theme: Choose a news WordPress theme that suits your publishing needs. There are numerous free and premium themes specifically designed for news websites. Look for a responsive, customizable, and SEO-friendly theme.
4. Customize your site: Customize your theme to match your brand. Adjust colors, fonts, and layout. You can do this under your WordPress dashboard’s “Appearance” section. Don’t forget to set up your website’s header, footer, and sidebar.
5. Install essential plugins: Enhance your site’s functionality with plugins. Essential plugins for a news site include SEO tools (like Yoast SEO), security plugins (like Wordfence), caching plugins (like W3 Total Cache), and social sharing tools.
6. Create categories and menus: Organize your content by creating categories. Categories could be based on news types like local, international, politics, sports, etc. Then, set up your navigation menus to help visitors find content easily.
7. Publish your content: Start creating and publishing your articles. Utilize WordPress’s intuitive editor to add text, images, and multimedia. Ensure your content is engaging, well-written, and newsworthy.
8. Promote your site: Once your news site is up and running, promote it through social media, email newsletters, and SEO. Engage with your readers through comments and social media to build a community around your site.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What makes a CMS suitable for news publishing?

Some key characteristics are fast content management, ease of use, scalability, strong SEO capabilities, and the ability to handle multimedia content efficiently.

Is WordPress a good CMS for news sites?

Yes, it’s highly popular due to its flexibility, extensive plugin ecosystem, and ease of use. WordPress easily adapts to any niche and industry, whether you want to start a content-specific news site or a general one.

Can I customize the design in a news CMS?

Absolutely. Most CMS platforms offer customizable themes and design options to match your brand’s style. There are also multiple extensions to add new features and options to modify code.

How important is mobile responsiveness in a news CMS?

This is extremely important, as a significant portion of readers access news on mobile devices.

How does CMS scalability affect news publishing?

A scalable CMS can handle increasing amounts of traffic and (viral) content, which is crucial for growing news platforms.

What security features should a news CMS have?

Robust access controls, regular updates, secure hosting, and data backup capabilities are essential for security.

How does a CMS impact SEO for news websites?

A good CMS will have built-in SEO tools and be optimized for fast loading times, which are vital for SEO. But 3rd-party SEO integrations also work wonders.

Can I integrate social media into my news CMS?

Yes, most CMS platforms allow easy integration with social media for content sharing and promotion.

Is it difficult to migrate to a new CMS for an existing news website?

Depending on your site’s size and structure, It can be complex, but many CMS platforms offer migration tools to ease the process.

How does the CMS handle multimedia content, such as videos and images?

Most modern CMS platforms support easy uploading, editing, and embedding of multimedia content, often with tools to optimize loading times and appearance.

What role does user management play in a news CMS?

User management is crucial for a news CMS as it allows you to assign different roles and permissions, such as editors, authors, and contributors, enabling a streamlined workflow and content management process.

How important are analytics and reporting features in a news CMS?

Analytics and reporting are vital for understanding audience behavior, tracking engagement, and optimizing content strategy. A good news CMS should offer comprehensive analytics tools or allow integration with external services like Google Analytics.