Authors

Creating an author

What's inside this article:


Basic information

User groups: Journalist_2020, Editor_2020, Master Editor_2020
About user groups

This article explains how to create an author in Pangea CMS.

After you create and save a new author:

  • Authors list: The author is added to the approved list of authors for your site. Only authors from this list can be assigned to content pages.
  • Bio page: A bio page for the author is published on the public site.



Open the authors list

In Pangea CMS, go to Settings > Authors to see the current list of authors for your site.

To create a new author, click Add new.

The author settings open in a new dialog. The following sections explain each step in detail.



Add author names

Several 'name' fields are available:

  • Last name
  • First name
  • English name
  • Pen name

Find more details below:

Last name

Under Last name, enter the author's real last name. This field is required. If the author does not have separate first and last names, enter their full name here. The last name is displayed on the public site if no pen name is set.

First name

Under First name, enter the author's real first name. This field is optional. The first name is displayed on the public site if no pen name is set.

TIP: If the author has separate first and last names, we recommend adding both.

English name

Under English name, enter the author's name in Latin script. This field is optional. It is useful if the author's real name uses non-Latin script (such as Cyrillic). This name does not appear on the public site. An English name may be useful for Pangea CMS users who do not understand your local language.

Pen name

Under Pen name, enter an alias or pseudonym for the author. This field is optional. It is useful if the author needs to remain anonymous.

To show the pen name on the public site, tick Replace first/last name. When this option is ticked:

  • Public site: The pen name replaces the author's real name.
  • Pangea CMS: The author's real name remains visible.



Add a contributor ID

Under Contributor ID, enter a valid contributor ID. This field is optional.

An author with a contributor ID can be assigned to an item as a contributor. Contributor names are visible internally for RFE/RL payroll but do not appear on the public site.

NOTE: If you need a contributor ID, contact the RFE/RL Finance Department. This field is only relevant for RFE/RL.



Display social buttons and email

Social buttons

The following fields are optional:

  • Facebook username: Enter the username for the author's Facebook profile.
  • X (Twitter) handle: Enter the handle (without @) for the author's X profile.

You can find the username or handle at the end of the public URL for the profile (for example: facebook.com/username).

If the field is filled, a button for the profile appears on the author bio page.

Email

Under Email, enter the author's email address. This field is optional.

To show the email on the author bio page, tick Display email. Otherwise, the email is only visible in Pangea CMS.

TIP: Display the email on the bio page if the author is happy to receive comment and opinion from readers.



Add the full author description

Under Description, enter the full author description. This field is optional. However, we recommend providing a description for every author. The full author description appears on the author bio page.

Guidelines

Write the description in third person. At minimum, include the author name (or pen name), job title, and the organization they represent, for example:

  • John Doe is a correspondent for RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service.

You might also mention:

  • Specific experience and expertise
  • Work history / professional background
  • Interests
  • Special projects
  • Educational background and relevant qualifications
  • Special awards and achievements

IMPORTANT: If the author needs to remain anonymous, make sure you do not include information that might identify them personally.



Select an image

Under Image, select an image or photo to represent the author on the public site. This field is optional. If you do not select an image, a generic avatar represents the author on the public site.

TIP: Use actual photo of the author or your service logo.

Image upload

To use an image that is saved on your device, you first need to upload the image to Pangea CMS. For instructions on how to upload images, see Uploading images.

Image cropping

To manually crop the image:

  1. Click the Crop image button.
  2. Click and drag the box to reposition the crop area.

Manual cropping maintains the 1:1 (square) ratio. On the public site, the image appears in a circular frame.



Enable author highlights

An author highlight is a short author biography. It appears below the main content on pages where the author is assigned. Author highlights help to build trust and credibility with your audience.

To enable author highlights, tick Highlight author. When this option is ticked, the highlight appears automatically on supported content types where the author is assigned.

Author highlights appear on the following types of content pages:

  • Article
  • Blog
  • Factcheck
  • Feature
  • Feature story
  • News
  • Transcript

Short description

If you tick Highlight author, we recommend adding a short description. If you do not add a short description, the author highlight does not show a description.

Add the short description under Short description.

We recommend a maximum of 140 characters for the short description. Longer descriptions:

  • Extend the length of the page, which can overwhelm readers (especially on mobile).
  • Reduce engagement with links below the author highlight, such as related content.



Link to the bio page from content pages

Generate content is ticked by default.

Keep this option ticked to enable the following:

  • The author name on all content pages functions as a link to the bio page.
  • The bio page includes a list of content assigned to the author.



Set up the author bio page

Every author on the approved authors list has a published bio page on the public site. It is not possible to create a new author without a bio page.

An author bio page can include the following elements:

  • (A): Name - Always displayed. Added in the author settings.
  • (B): Image - Optional. Selected under Image in the author settings. If no image is selected in the settings, the page displays a generic avatar.
  • (C): Description - Optional. Added under Description in the author settings.
  • (D): Email - Optional. Added under Email in the author settings.
  • (E): Social buttons - Optional. Configured in the author settings.
  • (F): Subscribe button - Always displayed if enabled for your site.
  • (G): Content list - Optional. Enabled via Generate content in the author settings.

Preview the bio page

Before you save a new author, you can check how the published bio page will look for readers. Choose your preferred option under Preview in the left panel:

  • Desktop: Check how the page will look when viewed on a desktop computer.
  • Tablet: Check how the page will look when viewed on a tablet.
  • Mobile: Check how the page will look when viewed on a mobile device.



Save the author

When all the relevant author settings are prepared, you can save the new author.

Before saving, make sure that the Active status is selected at the top of the dialog. Active authors are available to assign to new content pages. For more information about author statuses, see Managing authors.

To save the author, click Save or Save & close.