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February 25, 2025

How We Build News Platforms

We've built 5+ news platforms. Here's what we learned about editorial workflows, traffic spikes, and data visualization for media.

Branded abstract 5e Labs cover image for How We Build News Platforms

Most development shops build a news site once, slap a WordPress theme on it, and move on. We’ve built five. La República, Semanario Universidad, Ojo al Clima, El Observador, Voz de Guanacaste.

What makes news platforms different

  • Speed is non-negotiable — a 4-second load time loses readers
  • Editorial workflow must work for non-technical editors at 6am
  • Traffic spikes on breaking news can 10x your normal load
  • Data visualization turns complex datasets into stories people actually read

Our approach

Custom WordPress and Drupal solutions tailored to how each newsroom works. CDN configuration, image compression, lazy loading — not as afterthoughts, but as requirements from day one.

The long game

These aren’t one-off projects. We maintain these platforms on monthly retainers. That means we optimize them continuously — not just when something breaks.

Have a project in mind?

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