Newspaper (News/Journalism)

Newspaper (News/Journalism) - Media Reporting System for FiveM

Bring journalism and media roleplay to your FiveM server with the Newspaper script, a comprehensive news reporting system that lets players work as journalists, photographers, and news editors. This script provides tools for investigating stories, conducting interviews, taking photos, writing articles, publishing newspapers, and broadcasting news to the server. With job-based permissions, article creation systems, photo integration, and server-wide news distribution, the Newspaper script creates authentic media industry roleplay where player-run news organizations report on server events, crimes, politics, and community happenings.

What is Included

The Newspaper script delivers complete journalism functionality. Reporters can investigate stories around the server, interview players and record quotes, take photographs of events and locations, write news articles with headlines and body text, submit stories to editors for approval, publish approved articles to the newspaper, and distribute news to all players through announcements or readable items. The system includes reporter job integration with ESX/QB, article writing interface with text editor, photo system for attaching images, editor approval workflow for quality control, newspaper publishing and distribution, and server-wide news broadcasts for breaking stories.

Key Features

• Journalism Job - Reporter and editor roles with hierarchy
• Story Investigation - Tools for gathering news around the server
• Interview System - Record player quotes and statements
• Photo Integration - Attach images to articles for visual evidence
• Article Writing - Text editor interface for news stories
• Editor Approval - Quality control workflow prevents spam
• Newspaper Publishing - Distribute news to entire server
• Breaking News Alerts - Server-wide announcements for major stories

Perfect For

• Roleplay servers with journalism jobs
• Communities wanting player-run media
• Servers with political and crime reporting needs
• Professional roleplay environments focused on civilian jobs

The Journalism Workflow

The reporter experience begins with story assignment or independent investigation. Reporters can receive assignments from editors (cover the mayoral election, investigate crime spike in certain area, interview business owner), or pursue their own leads based on server events they witness. This flexibility allows both structured newsroom operations and independent investigative journalism.

When investigating, reporters use in-game tools to gather information. The interview system lets them approach players and request quotes. Target players receive an interview request prompt - if accepted, the reporter can record their statements which are saved to the article. This creates authentic interview roleplay rather than reporters just copying what people said in chat.

Photo integration is crucial for visual journalism. Reporters can take screenshots at crime scenes, events, or locations being covered. These photos attach to articles and display when the newspaper is read, providing visual evidence and making stories more engaging. A corruption scandal is more impactful when accompanied by photos of the meeting location.

Article writing happens through the in-game text editor interface. Reporters compose headlines, write body text organized in paragraphs, and format their stories professionally. The editor supports basic formatting - bold for important points, italics for quotes, paragraph breaks for readability. Good reporters craft compelling narratives, not just fact lists.

Editorial Process and Quality Control

The editor role provides essential quality control. When reporters submit articles, they enter a queue for editorial review. Editors can read submitted pieces, check facts against server logs or events, verify photos are appropriate and relevant, edit text for grammar and clarity, and either approve for publication or send back with revision notes.

This approval workflow prevents spam newspapers filled with nonsense or inappropriate content. It maintains journalistic standards and ensures published content adds value to server roleplay. Editors can work with reporters to improve their writing, teaching journalism skills and developing better content over time.

The system supports multiple newspaper organizations, each with their own editorial staff and standards. The San Andreas Times might run serious investigative journalism, while Los Santos Daily focuses on entertainment and lifestyle. Competing newspapers create media rivalry and give readers different perspectives on events.

Publication and Distribution

Once articles are approved, the newspaper moves to publication. The system compiles approved articles into an issue - either daily, weekly, or event-triggered publications depending on server configuration. Publishers can design the newspaper layout, featuring certain stories prominently while others appear in smaller sections.

Distribution happens through multiple channels. Physical newspaper items can be sold at stands around the city - players purchase and read them as inventory items. Digital distribution can send notifications to all online players when a new issue publishes. Breaking news alerts can broadcast immediately for urgent stories (major crime, political announcements, server events).

When players read newspapers, they see the compiled articles with headlines, photos, and full text. The reading interface presents content in newspaper-style formatting, creating immersive media consumption. Players can save newspapers to reference later or collect important issues.

Story Coverage and Roleplay Impact

Newspapers create permanent records of server history. Political campaigns get covered, creating election storylines that players can follow. Crime reporting puts pressure on criminal organizations - public exposure of their activities creates consequences. Business openings receive publicity, driving customer traffic. Court cases get analyzed, influencing public opinion.

The media becomes a roleplay factor that other players must consider. Police departments want positive press for their work. Criminals might threaten reporters investigating too deeply. Politicians need good media relationships for election success. Businesses advertise in newspapers to reach customers. The newspaper isn't just content - it's a system that influences other roleplay spheres.

Investigative journalism can expose corruption, injustice, or server issues. A reporter who uncovers police corruption creates storylines for police command, internal affairs, and city government. This journalism drives plots and creates consequences beyond mechanical game systems.

Technical Specifications

• Performance Impact - Minimal (0.01ms idle, 0.02ms when writing)
• Article Storage - Database-backed with unlimited article capacity
• Photo System - Screenshot capture and cloud storage integration
• Text Editor - Rich text formatting with 5000+ character limit
• Distribution System - Server-wide announcements and item-based reading
• Multi-Organization - Support for multiple competing newspapers
• Archive System - Historical newspaper storage for reference

Journalism Job Structure

The job system typically includes three tiers: Reporters are entry-level journalists who investigate and write stories. They can conduct interviews, take photos, and submit articles for approval. Senior Reporters have additional permissions like publishing breaking news alerts directly without approval and mentoring junior staff.

Editors review and approve articles, manage story assignments, and maintain publication standards. They can edit submitted content, reject inappropriate articles, and coordinate the overall newspaper direction. Some systems include Editor-in-Chief roles with full newspaper management permissions.

Photographers specialize in visual journalism, taking photos at events and crime scenes to support reporter stories. On servers with photo-focused reporters, this can be combined into one role, but specialized photographers create role variety.

Newspaper Business Economy

Newspapers can operate as server businesses with economic mechanics. Physical newspapers sell for $5-15 each at distribution stands, generating revenue. Advertising space can be sold to player businesses - restaurants pay $500 to have their ad in this week's issue, reaching all newspaper readers.

Journalists earn salaries from the newspaper organization. Reporters might earn $50-100 per published article plus base pay, while editors receive higher salaries for management responsibilities. This creates legitimate income for civilian roleplay characters.

Competing newspapers fight for market share. The paper with better content sells more copies and attracts more advertisers. This competition drives quality and creates business rivalry beyond criminal enterprises.

Integration with Server Events

Smart server administrators integrate newspapers with major events. Elections aren't just voting mechanics - they include campaign coverage, candidate interviews, and election night reporting. Court trials receive media coverage that influences public perception. Gang wars are analyzed by crime reporters examining causes and impacts.

Major server updates or changes can be announced through in-character newspaper articles rather than out-of-character Discord posts. New businesses opening, law changes, infrastructure projects - all become news stories that maintain immersion while communicating information.

Community events like car shows, races, or festivals get covered by entertainment reporters, creating memorable documentation and encouraging event attendance. Players enjoy seeing their events featured in newspapers, driving participation.

Configuration and Customization

Server owners can customize extensively. Set publication frequency (daily, weekly, event-based), configure journalist permissions and hierarchy, adjust article length limits and formatting options, enable or disable photo requirements, set approval workflows (require editor approval or allow instant publishing), customize newspaper styling and branding, and integrate with existing job and business systems.

The system supports multiple languages, letting international servers provide newspapers in their preferred language. Custom newspaper names, logos, and themes allow server branding and identity.

Installation

1. Download and extract newspaper script
2. Import SQL database tables for articles and photos
3. Configure newspaper settings in config file
4. Add journalist jobs to ESX/QB job database
5. Set up newspaper item for distribution
6. Configure photo upload system (local or cloud storage)
7. Add to server.cfg and restart
8. Test article creation, approval, and publication workflow

Framework Compatibility

• ✅ ESX - Full job integration and item support
• ✅ QBCore - Compatible with QB jobs and inventory
• ⚠️ Standalone - Limited functionality without framework job systems

What Makes It Stand Out

The Newspaper script creates genuine journalism roleplay rather than just text announcements. The investigation and interview tools let reporters gather real stories from server events and player activities. Photo integration adds visual evidence to articles, making news more engaging and credible.

The editor approval system prevents spam and maintains quality standards for published content. Unlike basic announcement systems, this creates a full media ecosystem where player journalists report on crimes, political events, business openings, and community happenings. The newspaper becomes a living record of server history that influences other roleplay spheres.

Perfect for servers wanting authentic media roleplay that documents server storylines and creates immersive news coverage of in-character events. The system transforms passive content consumption into active journalism roleplay where players create, curate, and distribute news that matters to their community.

Related Products You Might Like

• FiveM Jobs Creator - Create custom jobs including media positions with 321+ sales
• CrewPhone - Best gcPhone alternative for messaging and communication roleplay
• Super ESX Server - Complete server package with jobs and MLOs included
• GKSPhone - Modern phone script for server-wide announcements and news sharing