The Live Coverage tool is part of the Site Booster Bundle add-on. When active, it allows users to add a stream of chronologically-based updates just before or just after the main post body of a story.
This tool is designed for covering live events, such as sporting events, school board meetings, or other breaking news events. It could also be used to add edits or corrections to a story after the time of publication.
It allows you to have a core story that you can later add updates to in real time without editing or altering the core story. Each update is an independent post, so multiple staff members can contribute updates at the same time, and those updates will be threaded together based on post date/time. Updates display in reverse chronological order, with the newest updates at the top.
When Live Coverage Mode is activated and updates are actively being added, the story page automatically checks for new updates every two minutes, and displays a red “Update(s) Available” button on the reader’s screen if it detects new updates for the story. Readers can click this button to load new updates.
Activate Live Coverage for your Story
- Create your core story, or open an existing story in edit mode.
- Check the box for “Activate Live Coverage” at the bottom of the Story Template box on the right side of your story in edit mode.
- Use the Live Coverage Placement dropdown menu to choose if you would like to the Live Coverage updates to appear Above Story Body or Below Story Body.
- Update/Publish your story.
Add a Live Update
- Click on the Live Coverage tab on the left side of your SNO Dashboard.
- Click “Create New Update.”
- Give the update a headline, and enter Writer’s Name and Job title, if you would like. If the update’s author is the same as the core story’s author, we recommend that you leave the Writer’s fields blank.
- Enter the text for your update in the main text box.
- Choose a story to connect this update to in the Connect Update to Story box on the right side.
- Click the Publish button.
Optional Fields for Update
Media Options Box: Add a Photo, Slideshow, or Video/Embed to your update.
- Photo: Set Media Type dropdown to Photo. Click “Set Featured Image” button, then select or upload your photo. Use the Location dropdown to select the location for the photo to appear in your update.
- Slideshow: Set Media Type dropdown to Photo. Set the Location dropdown to Slideshow. Click “Set Featured Image” button, then the Upload Files tab. Slideshow photos must be directly uploaded to this update; you cannot select them from your Media Library. Once you have all photos uploaded, click the Set Featured Image button.
- Video/Embed: Set Media Type dropdown to Video/Embed. Click Add Video or Embed Code button. Enter video URL or embed code in the “Embed Code or Video URL” box, and add a credit or caption, if you would like.
Design Options Box: Add additional fields to your update or alter the design.
- Short Label for Update: Add a label to your update. Text in this field will appear at the top of your update.
- Byline Row Custom Field: Text entered here will appear in italics underneath the time the updated was added. This field appends to the byline row, if you have entered a Writer’s name for this update.
- Hide Update Date/time: Check this box to hide to time posted.
- Hide Update Headline: Check this box to hide the headline of your update.
- Set Custom Background Color: Check box for “Use Custom Background Color,” then click Select Color to set your background color. The default background color for updates is white.
Pin Update to the Top of the Story: Set this update to always show first, above all other updates.
- In the Publish box on the lower right side, click “Pin Update” then click the box for “Pin update to first position” to pin any updates to the top of the story page. You also have the option to check a box to hide the pinned icon and label, if you would like.
- If you pin more than one update, they will display newest to oldest.
- The default background color for pinned updates is light gray.