Strong supporter of Kangasala now in digital form


The newspaper Kangasalan Sanomat did not just lay down motionless - it developed a digital service concept. The company chose eDocker as its collaborative partner for its newspaper’s digital edition.



Back in 2012 the circulation of the print version of Kangasalan Sanomat remained high, nearly exceeding 8,000.  In January 2013 traditional print business started to decrease, and the company clearly understood new technology seriously had to be adopted. Besides, the online print replicas of the time did not work on tablet computers. Their second online effort, Kangasalawiki.fi, had not become remarkably successful either.


Matti Kauhanen, CEO of Kangasalan Sanomat, contacted Janne Korhonen of People Group Academy, and together the men marched to Tekes to apply for funding so that the traditional local newspaper could take the crucial step into the digital age and become a pioneer of digital development. Kangasalan Sanomat already had a Publishing & Business project under way. Tekes agreed to provide funding.


Cost-effective and adaptable service

The staff at Kangasalan Sanomat started the search for a suitable collaborative partner and a publishing platform. They found eDocker.


"We selected eDocker publishing platform, because the solution needed to be cost-effective, it had to integrate seemlessly to our production process, and needed to be something we could modify independently as well. Every little tweak could not be subject to a charge", CEO Kauhanen explains.


"We pay a fixed monthly fee and we can produce more with the eDocker platform than just a digital newspaper - even completely new services, such as various types of digital publications for companies", ponders Kangasalan Sanomat  Editor-in-Chief Tuula Ruusumaa.


"The people at eDocker also develop their service and listen carefully", Ruusumaa adds. 


Digital publication can be created quickly

At first, Editor-in-Chief Ruusumaa and one of the journalists at the newspaper studied the use of the eDocker platform and the compilation of the digital publication from stories that had been laid out for the printed paper, but web designer Juho Tuhola soon joined the effort.


"With a small company it is always a question of who will do the tasks at hand. Changing the working culture is a great challenge. eDocker’s enriched digital edition can be implemented very quickly", Ruusumaa says.


The digital edition of Kangasalan Sanomat appeared for the first time in May 2014. The digital edition is an enriched version of the printed newspaper and subscriptions are possible either with or without the printed edition. In addition to the stories in the print paper, there are slideshows and videos. Digital edition subscribers also get their paper a day before print edition.


Reactions to the digital edition have been quiet, but positive. Kangasalan Sanomat is currently collecting feedback and reviews from the digital edition readers.


Support is available for funding

In addition to the digital edition which was launched in the spring, Kangasalan Sanomat opened an online store for the entrepreneurs of the region. The newspaper especially wants to support the business of traditional retailers.


"We are the most local newspaper in Kangasala and we are always on Kangasala's side. We want to support local entrepreneus by offering them a new channel to do business", Ruusumaa explains.



"We got funding for the project. Local newspapers can benefit applying funding from the Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment. In this way even a small newspaper can find the courage to develop something new", Kauhanen says.


"New business models need to be tried boldly", Ruusumaa adds.

Kangasalan Sanomat

"Kangasalan Sanomat is a printed and digital newspaper published twice a week. In addition, Kangasalan Sanomat provides Kauppaympyrä.fi online store for local entrepreneurs.

• Founded in 1918. Subscription-based digital edition from May 2014 and the Kauppaympyrä.fi online store from October 2014.

• The circulation area is Kangasala. - The editorial office is in the centre of Kangasala.

• 10 employees.

• Turnover EUR 1.2 million.

• Slogan: Natural and close. Kangasalan Sanomat helps to create community spirit in Kangasala. It helps to organise local events, and sponsors local sports. The newspaper has more than 2000 Facebook likes.