Create content

Create and embed a Backgrounder

What's inside this article:


Basic information

This article explains how to create a Backgrounder, then embed the Backgrounder into the body of a text content page (such as an article).

A Backgrounder is a block of text with a gray background, which is visually separated from the body text. Backgrounders typically provide background information on a topic that is relevant to the story. Each Backgrounder is created as a separate content item in Pangea CMS. This allows sites to use the same Backgrounder on multiple stories.

Go to Create > Text > Backgrounder to create a new Backgrounder.



Add the title

Add the title for the Backgrounder via Editor > Add title....

The title will be used as follows:

  • The title identifies the Backgrounder in Pangea CMS. Pangea CMS users will be able to search for the Backgrounder by entering keywords from the title.
  • The title will be used as the default title at the top of the embedded Backgrounder. If preferred, editors will we able to change the default title when embedding the Backgrounder.



Add text

Add text in the main box on the Editor subpage.

While the main box is active, the text editor bar is available. If you click elsewhere on the page, the bar disappears.

The following options are available:

  • Enter text manually.
  • Paste text from a third-party word processor (such as Microsoft Word).

The text editor includes many useful options for formatting your text. For details, see the following article:



Add an image

A Backgrounder might include the following types of images:

  • Internal images: Images that were manually uploaded to Pangea CMS.
  • External images: Images from the following external agencies:
    • AFP (Agence France-Presse)
    • AP (Associated Press)
    • Reuters

To get started, position the cursor where you want to insert the image. Then, hit the Insert embedded content button.

For detailed instructions, see the following article:



Save / publish the Backgrounder

Choose your preferred option:


Save the Backgrounder

To save the Backgrounder:

  1. Select Draft / Edited in the status drop-down menu.
  2. Select Save or Save & close.

NOTE: The "Draft" normally signals that the content is still in progress, while the "Edited" status normally signals that the content is ready for review. However, this depends on your service's individual editorial workflow.

The Backgrounder is now saved. With the Draft / Edited status, the Backgrounder is available for use in Pangea CMS and can be embedded on content pages. On the public site, the Backgrounder will remain hidden until it is manually published. The placeholder in Pangea CMS will include the Draft / Edited badge.


Publish the Backgrounder

To publish the Backgrounder:

  1. Select Published in the status drop-down menu.
  2. Select Publish or Publish & close.

The Backgrounder is now published. With the Published status, the Backgrounder is available for use in Pangea CMS and can be embedded on content pages. On the public site, the Backgrounder will only be visible on the pages where it has been manually embedded.


Schedule publication

You can schedule automatic publication for a specific time and date in the future. For details, see the following article:

With the Scheduled status, the Backgrounder is available for use in Pangea CMS and can be embedded on content pages. On the public site, the Backgrounder will remain hidden until it is automatically published at the scheduled time. The placeholder in Pangea CMS will include the Scheduled badge.



Embed the Backgrounder

After a Backgrounder has been saved or published in Pangea CMS, you can embed the Backgrounder on any of the following text content pages:

  • Article
  • Blog
  • FactCheck (embed in the Verdict content)
  • Feature
  • Feature story
  • Live blog (embed in a post)
  • News
  • Transcript

Follow these steps on the edit page for each story where you want to embed the Backgrounder:

  1. Click inside the main box on the Editor subpage. Position the cursor where you want to insert the Backgrounder.
  2. Hit the Insert Embedded Content button in the text editor bar.
  3. Ensure Single item and Content are selected.
  4. Search for and select the Backgrounder you want to embed. For tips and information about using Search, see the following article:
  5. If needed, change the title or the size of the Backgrounder. Then, hit Add.

You see a placeholder representing the embedded Backgrounder in the text editor. The following options are available:

  • (A): Edit: Change the title or the size of the Backgrounder. To edit the content, you need to open the separate edit page for the Backgrounder in Pangea CMS.
  • (B): Remove: Remove the Backgrounder from the page.