The News Feed is one of the key features of Zencity Organic. We strive to collect the most comprehensive set of online news publications that are relevant to your work in local government. With the new Local News Configuration tool, you now have the ability to refine the news coming into your feed so you can see more of what's important to you and cut down on irrelevant articles. Head over to the 'Configuration' tab in the News Feed to get started!

Defining Your Filters

In the 'Keywords to include' box, enter specific keywords or phrases that are unique to your organization. This is telling the program what to search for in the news. Any articles that contain the keywords or phrases you list will be imported and displayed on your News Feed. A default name is already listed for you and cannot be removed. 

In the 'Organization Leadership' box, enter the full names of elected officials, agency staff, and organization leaders that you want to collect news about. Like the above 'Keywords' box, this is also telling the program what to search for in the news. Any articles that contain the names you list will be imported and displayed on your News Feed.

In the 'Keywords to exclude' box, enter any keywords or phrases that you want to completely block from appearing in your News Feed. Any articles that contain any of the terms you list will not be imported into the platform. 

Selecting Your Data Sets

In the 'Define specific sources' box, enter the local news sites around your area that are publishing relevant content. This is telling the program where to search for the news. Online publications will be imported from the set of websites that you provide here. Note that this list of sites is in addition to a pre-defined location filter, meaning that by default the feed includes any news coming from your area that mentions your organization. 

Check the 'Broad' box at the bottom of the page to have non-local news outlets included in your News Feed. This means that the online publications imported into the platform will not be limited to the specific local websites you listed above or to the location-based filter. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the configurations I set apply to my News Feed only, or will they affect what the other users in my organization are seeing as well?

The configurations will apply to the organization as a whole. Any changes you make will not be unique to your own dashboard.

Is there a correct format to enter keywords in each of the boxes?

Yes. You must enter each keyword or phrase one at a time and click "Done" when you're finished typing each one. This puts each keyword or phrase in its own blue rectangle. Also note that quotation marks should not be used at all on the News Configuration screen.

Will the configurations I set affect the news articles that are already on my News Feed?

No. The changes will apply going forward. To remove items from your News Feed that were already imported, you can click on the three-dot icon at the top right of each news item and select "Hide this item." 

How do I edit a term that is entered on the News Configurations screen?

To remove any term that you or a colleague have entered, click on the "x" in the blue rectangle right next to the term to delete it. To apply corrections to any term that you or a colleague have entered, click on the term, click again to put your cursor where you want it within the text, make the necessary edits, and then click "Done." Make sure to click "Save" at the bottom of the page after you make any changes!

Why don't I see the Configuration tab? 

The Configuration screen is available only to Client Admin users by default. If you need access, please reach out to your Customer Success Manager, or to our Customer Solutions Team by submitting a support ticket or opening a support chat within the platform.

Have another question or need expert help with your news configurations? Our Customer Solutions Team is here to support you.