Freedom251 › Newsroom Management Systems Software
Superdesk Planning Component
What Superdesk Planning Component is
Superdesk Planning Component helps newsrooms organise event coverage and connect planning with editorial workflows and customer-facing calendars. Editors can create events and planning items, define coverage activities, and assign them to desks or journalists. Assigning coverage automatically creates a corresponding content item in Superdesk, with event metadata applied so journalists do not need to enter it again. The component can ingest third-party calendar feeds in iCalendar, JSON, or custom formats. Notifications alert reporters, photographers, and stringers about last-minute changes, and alerts can also be routed through tools such as Slack. Newshub search supports predefined filters and tailored queries for finding content. The component has a RESTful API and can be adapted for standalone use or integrated with Superdesk. Superdesk is an open-source newsroom CMS under GNU AGPL version 3; the Planning Component has paid plans. Lite costs €350 a month for 25 users, while Pro costs €2,990 a month for 100 users. Its maker is based in Prague and was founded in 2010.
Who it suits
It suits news agencies, publishers, and corporations that need to plan newsroom event coverage and assign work to journalists or desks. Teams seeking calendar-feed ingestion, notifications, or API access may also find its listed capabilities useful.
What it does well
- Assignments create corresponding Superdesk content items
- Event metadata carries into content
- Accepts iCalendar, JSON, and custom feeds
- Alerts can be routed through Slack
What to know first
- No free plan
- Lite is limited to 25 users
- Pro costs €2,990 a month
Limits
The Lite plan includes 25 users, while Pro includes 100 users. Enterprise offers unlimited users; the Planning Component itself has no free plan.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Lite | billed monthly · 25 users | €350 a month |
| Pro | billed monthly · 100 users · 4 hours extended support per month | €2,990 a month |
| Enterprise | Unlimited users | On request |
| Full Managed Services | Starting from 1,400€ / month · Managed cloud or on-premise hosting · 24/7 priority support for critical issues · Pricing scales with newsroom size and needs | €1,400 a month |
| Technical Engineering Support | Starting from 950€ / month · Business-hours system and integration support · Priority engineering access · For newsrooms with in-house IT | €950 a month |
| Custom Development | Available upon request, based on project scope. · Custom integrations · Workflows and automation · Module adaptations | On request |
As superdesk.org lists them, read 20 Sept 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Open https://www.superdesk.org/publishing/planning-component
- Choose the Lite plan at €350 a month for 25 users or the Pro plan at €2,990 a month for 100 users
- Use the web, API, or self-hosted deployment route
- Create events and planning items, then define coverage activities
- Assign activities to desks or journalists
- Connect calendar feeds and route notifications through available messaging tools
Verdict
The component links event planning with content creation, calendar feeds, and coverage notifications. Compare the user limits and support arrangements with your newsroom’s needs before choosing a plan.
Questions
Is there a free plan?
No. The Planning Component is paid. Lite costs €350 a month for 25 users, and Pro costs €2,990 a month for 100 users.
What happens when coverage is assigned?
Assigning coverage automatically creates the corresponding content item in Superdesk, with event metadata applied to it.
Can it use external calendars?
Yes. It can ingest third-party feeds in iCalendar, JSON, or custom formats.
Does it integrate with Slack?
Yes. Built-in alerts can be routed through third-party messaging tools such as Slack.
Can it run without Superdesk?
The RESTful API allows the Planning Component to be modified for standalone use as well as integrated with Superdesk.
What support services are offered?
Technical Engineering Support starts at 950€ per month with business-hours system and integration support. Full Managed Services starts at 1,400€ per month and includes managed cloud or on-premise hosting plus 24/7 priority support for critical issues.
Facts from Superdesk Planning Component's own pages
- API and standalone use
- The Planning Component has a RESTful API and can be modified for standalone use as well as integrated with Superdesk. · superdesk.org, 3 Oct 2026
- Automatic content creation
- Assigning coverage to a journalist automatically creates the corresponding content item in Superdesk. · superdesk.org, 3 Oct 2026
- Customer access
- Newshub search supports predefined filters and bespoke queries for finding content. · superdesk.org, 3 Oct 2026
- Event management
- Editors can create events and planning items, define coverage activities, and assign them to desks or journalists. · superdesk.org, 3 Oct 2026
- Event metadata
- Calendar event metadata is applied to content so journalists do not have to enter those details themselves. · superdesk.org, 3 Oct 2026
- External calendars
- It can ingest third-party feeds in iCalendar, JSON, or custom formats. · superdesk.org, 3 Oct 2026
- Founded
- 2010 · superdesk.org, 28 Sept 2026
- Free plan
- No · superdesk.org, 20 Sept 2026
- Headquarters
- Prague, Czech Republic · superdesk.org, 28 Sept 2026
- Hosting and security updates
- Full Managed Services offers cloud or on-premise hosting, monitoring, proactive updates, and regular security updates. · superdesk.org, 3 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- Alerts can also be routed through third-party messaging tools such as Slack. · superdesk.org, 3 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- The maker describes Superdesk as serving news agencies, publishers, and corporations, and says the Planning Component organises newsroom event coverage. · superdesk.org, 3 Oct 2026
- Maker
- Superdesk is brought to users by Sourcefabric; the maker says Sourcefabric is headquartered in Prague and was founded in 2010. · superdesk.org, 3 Oct 2026
- Notifications
- Built-in notifications alert reporters, photographers, and stringers to last-minute changes. · superdesk.org, 3 Oct 2026
- Open source
- Superdesk is an open-source newsroom CMS with no licence fee, and the maker says it is licensed under GNU AGPL version 3. · superdesk.org, 3 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- The Planning Component is an editorial organiser for event coverage and newsroom planning that integrates with journalists’ workflows and customer-facing calendars. · superdesk.org, 3 Oct 2026
- Support
- Technical Engineering Support includes business-hours system and integration support; Full Managed Services advertises 24/7 priority support for critical issues. · superdesk.org, 3 Oct 2026
Where Superdesk Planning Component stands on Freedom251
- Newsroom Management Systems Software#5 of 20
- Content Calendar Software#22 of 24
- Content Management Systems#158 of 165