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About the Service
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1. Purpose
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This site is to enable journalists, photographers, radio and video reporters to file copy to (almost) any publication.
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Access to the site is by prior-arrangement and requires a logon to both access the site and send copy.
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If you would like to send to any of these publications, please read the How to get a Logon section on the top menu bar of this website for more details on registration and setting up your system
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This site is to enable agencies to file direct to the relevant publications - in particular where a 3rd party is currently used to deliver the copy.
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2. Which Publications
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- UK National media groups
- UK Regional papers
- UK TV and Radio
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3. Who is responsible for what ?
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While all contractual, legal and financial matters remain with the individual publications, technical details for the move are being handled by FingerPost (email address is agencies.at.fingerpost.co.uk).
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Technical problems are shared between You the sender ('I cannot connect' type questions), FingerPost ('my file has disappeared') and the Receiving Publications - a fault-finding checklist will be provided as who to contact for problems.
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4. Can I send pictures, video and other non-text files ?
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For the initial period, only text files and pictures are acceptable.
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As the new system can handle any/all binary objects, it will probably be used for other formats at a later date.
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5. What format should the text be in ?
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Whatever format you were sending before - including plain text - is still acceptable !
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It is also possible to send the data in one of a number of XML varieties - such as NITF, HTML or NewsML, please email agencies.at.fingerpost.co.uk (with some examples if you have some) to check.
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6. Can I send Word files, InCopy, Quark, BubbleGum, KwillPen formatted, some weird XML format your son-in-law developed files ?
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Not at the moment (Word - doc or docx - may be possible but pls be aware that all styling/formatting will be stripped, especially tables.)
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7. Which transmission methods are available ?
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The three main methods are :
All three are 'push' - ie you send to us.
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If you are unable to send using one of these methods, or you are sending more than a handful of files a day, we can accept other methods/protocols (and in some cases, we may be able to grab from your site). Please email explaining what you prefer to do.
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If you have a system for automatically sending, then there is a published API for sending on each method. Please contact agencies.at.fingerpost.co.uk for more information.
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8. Costs
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Please check with FingerPost for the charging schedule
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9. Who manages the connections ?
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You can manage your own information via a secure web page, www.fip-comet.co.uk, including :
- - Change your contact email address(es) for notifying you of errors etc
- - Review your stats - which files were sent to which publication/sections, when.
- - Send System Messages to FingerPost
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10. Can I edit on this system
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There are basic writing and editing tools on the site - or you can just use the site to deliver copy : send-in-once send-out-to-many.
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11. What kit do I need to file copy
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Use the same PC, Mac, iPad, or other device you are currently using - this site does NOT restrict access on the kit you use to write/create/edit/send.
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12. What do I change on my current system
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While we cannot offer advice on your current supplier - please refer to THEIR doc/web site for information rather than contacting us - it 'should' be a matter of merely changing, for each sending method you want to use :
- email address for each publication/desk
- ftp host,logon,passwd and folder for each publication/desk
- just logging on to this website and choosing where to send the data
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