diff --git a/ccm-cms-types-newsitem/web/themes/freemarker/ccm-cms-types-newsitem.ftl b/ccm-cms-types-newsitem/web/themes/freemarker/ccm-cms-types-newsitem.ftl
index 2c001d6c6..85238f11a 100644
--- a/ccm-cms-types-newsitem/web/themes/freemarker/ccm-cms-types-newsitem.ftl
+++ b/ccm-cms-types-newsitem/web/themes/freemarker/ccm-cms-types-newsitem.ftl
@@ -187,3 +187,11 @@
     </#if>
 </#function>
 
+<#function getNewsDateIso item>
+    <#if (item["./newsDate"]?size > 0)>
+        <#return item["./newsDate/@iso"]>
+    <#elseif (item["./nav:attribute[@name='newsDate']"]?size > 0)>
+        <#return item["./nav:attribute[@name='newsDate']/@iso"]>
+    </#if>
+</#function>
+
diff --git a/ccm-cms/web/themes/freemarker/ccm-cms.ftl b/ccm-cms/web/themes/freemarker/ccm-cms.ftl
index 8693d5493..9169046b7 100644
--- a/ccm-cms/web/themes/freemarker/ccm-cms.ftl
+++ b/ccm-cms/web/themes/freemarker/ccm-cms.ftl
@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@
 
 </#macro>
 
+<#function getContentItem>
+    <#return model["/bebop:page/cms:contentPanel/cms:item"]>
+</#function>
+
 <#--
     Includes the template for the type of the provided content item 
     for the provided view and style. The paramters view and style are