Release schedule:
The Pangea CMS 8.28 release is scheduled for December 12th 2023 at the times listed below:
Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
- Prague time: 06:00 am - 07:30 am
- DC / Miami time: 00:00 am - 01:30 am
Voice of America
- DC / Miami time: 02:30 am - 04:00 am
- Prague time: 08:30 am - 10:00 am
Office of Cuba Broadcasting
- DC / Miami time: 04:00 am - 05:00 am
- Prague time: 10:00 am - 11:00 am
LibertyNet
- Prague time: 07:30 am - 08:30 am
- DC / Miami time: 01:30 am - 02:30 am
What's new?
- CMS updates:
- Features to CMS 8:
- Site updates:
- Retired features:
- Bug fixes:
Custom alt text for main images
In the CMS 8.26 release, we introduced custom alt text for embedded images. We're happy to announce that after the 8.28 release, CMS users will also have the option to create custom alt text for the main image on a content page.
On the edit screen for the content page, go to General > Main image alt text.
Find detailed information about alt text (including best practice and recommendations) in our dedicated guide:
Instantly discard all autosave versions
We've added the Discard all button to let users instantly discard all autosave versions on the main Search screen in CMS. It's no longer necessary to discard each version individually.
Clarified process for manual updates to Scheduler
We received inquiries from users about the process for manually updating Scheduler with the latest data from Template week. It was specifically reported that after running a manual update of an audio tube, repeats were sometimes removed from Scheduler.
This behavior is caused by the set procedure that CMS must follow to complete all manual updates to Scheduler. Unfortunately, we cannot change this procedure. However, we have taken this opportunity to improve our messaging in CMS by better explaining how manual updates to Scheduler work. The following alert will be visible on the Update Scheduler dialog when you update an audio tube:
"If the selected time period includes a repeat but not the original program, the repeat will be deleted from Scheduler."
We've also published the following new guide with more detailed information about the update process:
Navigation menu edit screens to CMS 8
We've migrated the following tools in CMS to CMS 8:
- Primary navigation
- Sub navigation
- Footer navigation
Using these tools, you can manage the different navigation menus on your site. This means:
- (A): Primary navigation: Available via the ≡ (three lines) icon. Provides an overview of your site structure.
- (B): Sub navigation: Can optionally be added below the header on any Section or Infopage. Provides links to key pages.
- (C): Footer navigation: Available at the bottom of every page on your site. Provides links to pages that are not regularly updated.
For detailed information, see the following articles:
Each tool was migrated with no major changes to functionality. However, you can look forward to improved speed and usability.
Find these tools via Settings > Navigation Menu.
"Apple podcasts" replaces "iTunes"
On the Subscription dialog for podcasts, Apple podcasts will replace iTunes, reflecting the latest terminology used by Apple. This change will apply automatically on all sites where the value for the Common.Link.Itunes configuration key is currently set to "iTunes". If you set a different value for this key, the text will not be changed.
On the Edit Category screen in CMS, the label for this setting is now Apple Podcasts URL (previously it was iTunes URL).
Alt text improvements for the sharing navigation
In the sharing navigation on content pages, visitors can open more sharing options by hitting the ... (More options) icon. The expanded list can then be closed by hitting the X (Fewer options) icon.
Currently, the same alt text is applied for both icons. After the 8.28 release, services will have the option to set separate alt text for these icons. The following configuration keys will be available via the Site localization tool:
| Key | Global default value |
| Responsive.Sharing.ShowLess.Title | Fewer options |
| Responsive.Sharing.LoadMore.Title | More options |
The "Fewer options" key is new, so it's important that services add a localized value. The "More options" key is not new. However, services might want to update this key to create a unified structure between the two corresponding keys.
Retired feature: Short URL
We've retired the Short URL feature that automatically created an extra URL for all Sections and Infopages based on the English Name. After the 8.28 release, a Short URL will not be created for new Sections and Infopages. For existing Sections and Infopages , the Short URL will still work. However, it will redirect automatically to the Live URL (or Custom URL if the page has a Custom URL).
The Short URL feature is not needed, as services can use the Custom URL tool to create descriptive, human-readable URLs for Sections and Infopages.
Bug fix: Focus jumps to the start of the article
Users reported that after embedding an image into an article, the focus sometimes jumps to the start of the article. We've fixed this bug in the 8.28 release. This means that after you add embedded content, focus will always be on the new embedded item.
