According to a press release by Booth Newspapers Publisher Dan Gaydou, Booth Newspapers and MLive.com will now operate as one consolidated company, MLive Media Group.
Distribution and administrative operations will move to Advance Central Services Michigan, a newly formed subsidiary company.
The restructuring will most likely mean job cuts as the organization increases its focus on digital content.
From the announcement on MLive.com:
Many of our newspaper employees will have a place in the MLive Media Group and will still work in your local community at the MLive Media Group office. Many others will have a place at Advance Central Services Michigan. While we believe these changes will create growth opportunities for our current employees, the reality is they will also lead to reductions in our work force. We will provide as much notice and consideration to our employees as possible. We’ll strive throughout this process to treat all our employees with the professionalism and respect they deserve.
Gaydou says MLive Media Group will open new offices and hire people to produce content for its online products and its newspapers. Employees affected by the layoffs will be able to apply for those jobs.
Home delivery will be reduced to three days a week for the following newspapers, with daily content available in an online format.
- The Grand Rapids Press
- The Kalamazoo Gazette
- The Muskegon Chronicle
- The Jackson Citizen Patriot
Other Booth newspapers including the Flint Journal, Saginaw News, Bay City Times, and AnnArbor.com will also move under the MLive Media Group name but delivery changes at those papers are not expected.
John Klein Wilson - Michigan Radio newsroom
