Ediciones Deportivas Catalanas, S.A.U., the publisher of the Spanish sports daily SPORT, is developing an AI-driven project called ESCRIBA to automate the layout process of its print edition. Funded by Spanish public grants for AI integration in media, the tool adapts digital-first content into physical page designs while maintaining human editorial oversight.
How ESCRIBA Automates Print Layout for SPORT
The ESCRIBA project addresses the operational friction created by “digital-first” newsrooms. According to Joan Cañete Bayle, Director of Editorial Strategy at Prensa Ibérica, modern newsrooms publish and update content for the web throughout the day, but the print edition requires a separate logic of selection, hierarchy, and physical space constraints.
ESCRIBA functions as an intelligent assistant that proposes how to organize digital materials for the printed page. The system focuses on several specific technical tasks:
- Content Selection: Identifying which digital stories fit the print agenda.
- Adjustment: Modifying text lengths to fit specific layout blocks.
- Visual Hierarchy: Organizing pieces based on their relative importance to the reader.
- Operational Efficiency: Reducing the time spent on mechanical formatting during the high-pressure “closing” phase of a newspaper.
The Role of Human Judgment in AI Integration
The publisher maintains that AI is not replacing editors but supporting them. Because laying out a newspaper involves visual sensitivity and a deep understanding of the outlet’s identity, the final decision-making power remains with the professional staff.
In the ESCRIBA framework, technology provides alternatives and organizes materials within defined parameters. However, the final result depends on the judgment of editors who understand SPORT‘s priorities and audience. This hybrid approach ensures that efficiency gains don’t compromise the visual balance or editorial coherence of the physical product.
Public Funding and the Spanish Media AI Initiative
ESCRIBA is part of a broader effort to modernize the Spanish media sector through public grants specifically designed for integrating AI into media value chains. These grants target experimental development projects that improve competitiveness and technological transformation.
For SPORT, this funding allows the company to test how AI can bridge the gap between a fast-moving sports news cycle—where breaking news and match reports change by the minute—and the rigid deadlines of a print press. The project serves as a case study in reducing operational workloads without sacrificing the quality of the final printed product.
Comparing Digital-First Workflows vs. Print Requirements
The challenge ESCRIBA solves is the fundamental difference between how information is consumed online versus on paper. The following table outlines the shift in logic the AI must manage:
| Digital Workflow | Print Layout (ESCRIBA’s Focus) |
|---|---|
| Infinite scroll and flexible length | Fixed physical page limits |
| Real-time, constant updates | Closed, coherent final product |
| Hyperlinked, non-linear navigation | Strict visual hierarchy and composition |
| Immediate publication | Hard deadlines for press production |
By automating the transition between these two formats, SPORT aims to maintain its identity as a comprehensive sports authority while adapting to the speed of the digital era.
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