Getting Started
New to BLOX? You're in the right place!
What is BLOX?
BLOX Content Management System gives news and media organizations more tools to create content, attract users, and grow their bottom lines. Why settle for less?
Learn more about BLOX CMS
Logging into BLOX
For information on how to log into the BLOX CMS administrative interface, as well as:
- Accessing the BLOX dropdown menu
- Changing your active site
- Preferences once logged in
Supported Browsers
For information on which web browsers are supported for:
- Front-end user experience of a BLOX site
- BLOX administrative interface
- BLOX Go! (our mobile admin interface)
Templates: Zen or Flex?
BLOX CMS utilizes two front-end template systems, "Zen" and "Flex". For information on:
- What's the difference between the two template systems
- How to identify what template system your site is using
- How to upgrade from Zen templates to Flex templates
Which BLOX applications do I need to use?
Within the BLOX CMS, there are several applications for use when managing your site. The tables below provide a brief summary of each application.
Community Applications
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CALENDAR
Manage the calendar events that have been submitted by staff and/or users on your site.
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COMMENTS
Manage the comments that have been submitted by users on your site.
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EMAIL REACH
Manage your email newsletter campaigns, utilizing a Constant Contact integration.
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FORM SUBMISSIONS
Manage the information collected from users submitting via forms.
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SMS LISTS
Send text messages to readers about breaking news or other pertinent information.
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SUBSCRIPTIONS
Manage subscription services which restrict access to content on your site.
Design Applications
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BLOCKS
Manage the layout of your site's pages (URLs) by moving around containers of content known as "blocks".
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FORMS
Manage the forms which users can submit information through.
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STATIC PAGES
Manage pages of content on your site that will rarely change (ex. "About Us" page).
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TEMPLATES
Manage the templates that make up the display and functionality of the front-end user experience.
Editorial Applications
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ASSETS
Manage articles, images, videos, and more, known as "assets" within BLOX CMS.
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E-EDITIONS
Manage the electronic versions of your print products, known as "e-Editions".
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SYNDICATION
Offers creation of channels to import editorial content from sources such as AP, RSS feeds, other BLOX sites, etc.
Marketplace Applications
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AD-OWL
Manage the online order entry system which processes and schedules web and print classified ads.
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BANNER ADS
Manage the banner advertising (ie. leaderboards, skyscrapers, wallpaper ads and more) on your site.
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BUSINESSES
Manage your business listing's information and relationships with other applications.
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CLASSIFIEDS
Manually create or automatically ingest your classifieds' liner and display ads into your site.
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TRANSACTIONS
Manage the monetary transactions which have occurred through the Forms and Upsell Manager apps.
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UPSELL MANAGER
Manage properties which can be applied to assets to highlight or promote them for a period of time.
Statistics and Support Applications
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ANALYTICS
Manage reports of various statistical data on your site.
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TICKET
Manage Customer Service support tickets from the TownNews.com's CRM (ticketing) system.