Website Redesign Project & Client Details

Client: Abridged PBS KVIE
Date: September 2025
Website: Abridged PBS KVIE
Technologies:
- HTML5
- CSS3
- jQuery
- Secure Socket Layer (SSL)
- WordPress
Devices:
- Smartphones: iPhone, Android
- iPads & Tablets
- Laptop
- Desktop
Compatible Browsers:
- Google Chrome
- Mozilla Firefox
- Safari
- Microsoft Edge
- IE 9+
- Opera

Client Background

Abridged is a new nonprofit newsroom dedicated to delivering community-first journalism in Sacramento, powered by PBS KVIE. To support their launch in 2025, Abridged needed a modern, scalable, and accessible website that could grow alongside their mission. Their site had to be easy for staff to manage, flexible enough to support frequent news updates, and integrated with tools for donations and newsletter engagement.

Capitol Tech Solutions (CTS) partnered with Abridged to bring this vision to life. Our long-standing relationship with PBS KVIE, provided valuable insight into how to build digital platforms for journalism organizations that need reliability, scalability, and long-term support.

The Challenge

Abridged required more than just a new website, they needed a digital publishing platform built for growth. One of the first hurdles was selecting the right tech stack for long-term scalability, weighing Ghost against WordPress to determine which would best support editorial flexibility and future expansion. With a tight deadline to meet a September launch, the site also had to be developed and rolled out in phases, allowing critical features to go live quickly while leaving room for refinement. CTS designed and built custom news templates with categories, fields, and hierarchy to make publishing intuitive and consistent for editors. Beyond design and development, the project also included staff training, ensuring the newsroom team could independently manage posts, updates, and content. To guarantee the site remained secure, fast, and adaptable, CTS committed to providing post-launch hosting, maintenance, and ongoing support.

Our Approach

CTS designed a phased strategy to bring Abridged’s new digital publishing platform to life:

Platform Selection: After evaluating Ghost vs WordPress alongside the PBS KVIE team, WordPress with the BRICKS builder was chosen for its scalability and flexibility.
Phase 1 – Soft Launch (August 2025): Delivered homepage, news templates, donation platform, and newsletter sign-up to establish the foundation.
Phase 2 – Hard Launch Prep: Expanded features, designed newsletter templates, and tested integrations in preparation for the September 16 official launch.
Phase 3 – Post-Launch Expansion: Refined content hierarchy, added new features, and trained staff to independently manage news updates.
Ongoing Support: Providing hosting, maintenance, and security updates to ensure stability and long-term growth.

Capitol Tech Solutions has experts in user experience and website development. Learn how our digital agency can help you today.

Get Started

Results

The September 16, 2025, launch marked the successful debut of Sacramento’s newest nonprofit newsroom, delivering a fast, modern, and sustainable digital platform. The phased rollout ensured Abridged met its ambitious deadlines without sacrificing quality, while the WordPress infrastructure now gives the newsroom freedom to expand content and features without major redevelopment.

The integration of donation and newsletter systems has strengthened community engagement, and custom content structures make publishing efficient for editors. With staff trained to manage updates independently, Abridged is positioned for long-term self-sufficiency. Backed by CTS’s ongoing hosting and maintenance services, the site continues to operate securely and reliably supported by lessons learned from our long-standing partnership with PBS KVIE.