The Sun-Times News Group kicked off a group-wide major Web site redesign in late September, following the recent name change of its parent company Sun-Times Media Group.

The group, formerly Hollinger International, changed its name to Sun-Times Media Group in July and is composed of more than 100 newspapers in the Chicago area, including the flagship Chicago Sun-Times.

STNG Online Network officially launched Sept. 24, connecting 98 local newspaper Web sites.

The new Web site layout is designed to allow users to have access to local community news, while giving visitors full entry and helpful links to the content on all of the other STNG sites.

“The launch of STNG Online marks a substantial step in our efforts to leverage, on the Web, the power of our content and presence in communities across Chicago,” said John D. Cruickshank, STNG chief operating officer and publisher of the Sun-Times. “As we look ahead, our objective is to continually enhance the network with new features that make our sites even more helpful for our readers and our advertisers.”

STNG said it first looked at redesign concepts about a year ago, which encompassed more than just changing the look of the site but also covered technology, navigation and advertising display.

Easy access

The result is a tabbed interface that lets users easily navigate to any STNG newspaper site, the publisher said. It also added such multimedia elements as video clips, photo galleries and other interactive components.

Sharing content across sites was a key consideration, said Fred Lebolt, STNG’s vice president of new media. A visitor searching for gardening tips in the Sun-Times, for example, would also be presented with links to other gardening articles carried by STNG papers.

“The same is true of a visitor looking at news about a local high school football game,” he said. “That visitor will be easily directed to information about football across Chicago and other professional sports, without having to search at all.”

STNG created its own Java-based and open-source content management system, working with Pathfinder Associates of Chicago.

It also built an automated feed process that takes content from papers’ front-end systems directly into the CMS. The layout of each paper’s home page is automated, but can be customized if needed.

STNG said it will continue to tweak the site, adding more interactive elements and targeted content channels to meet reader and advertiser needs.

Users are not required to register for access to news stories and features, but may require authentication for future features, STNG said.

Dedicated online sales staff as well as reps who sell both online and display ads work together to solicit advertising for the site, STNG said.

“The technology supporting the network tailors advertising to the way that an individual clicks through the STNG sites,” Lebolt said. “Based on this, for national advertisers, the network will allow them to reach specific audience segments.”