Open source liveblogging tool set to launch

Sourcefabric and the Global Editors Network are set to launch an open-source liveblogging platform.

The "new real-time, collaborative storytelling tool" will launch at the News World Summit in Paris, which gets underway today.

The liveblogging platform, which is called 'GEN Live Desk', came out of "a Google-supported GEN editor's lab", according to an email newsletter from Sourcefabric, a non-profit that makes open source software for newsrooms.

"Journalists from the BBC, the Guardian, Le Monde, Voralberger Nachrichten and Zeit Online contributed to its design," the email states.

According to the new liveblogging tool's site (which you can request an invite to use here), GEN Live Desk will be "free to download and easily implemented into your website and alongside existing newsroom tools".

It promises to "create a rich news experience for your readers" and "drive traffic with engaging content and use sponsorship, contextual adverts or paid subscriptions to increase revenue".

Sourcefabric built GEN Live Desk using code from Superdesk, Sourcefabric's open source newsroom management software due out later this year.

Superdesk will "allow media organisations to shape their newsroom workflow, content delivery and business strategy", the non-profit states.

Journalism.co.uk will be reporting from the News World Summit today, tomorrow and Friday. Reports will be on this site and you can follow the #GEN2012 hashtag. 

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