Fairfax’s regional, rural and suburban publishing business Australian Community Media (ACM) announced plans last month to revitalise its newspapers and websites across the Illawarra and South Coast and upgrade newsrooms and local sales teams with new digital-first publishing technology and new ways of working.

Employees across the group were briefed on Thursday, June 25, on the final shape of the new operating structure after a period of consultation with staff and community members.

Publications involved include The Illawarra Mercury, Wollongong Advertiser, Kiama Independent, Lake Times, South Coast Register, Shoalhaven & Nowra News, Milton Ulladulla Times, Bay Post, Moruya Examiner, Narooma News, Bega District News, Merimbula News, Eden Magnet and Bombala Times.

As a result of feedback, journalist and photography resources have been added to bolster Illawarra Mercury coverage of local news and sport, and an administration role has been added to support editorial and sales.

The company expects voluntary redundancies of about 47 full-time equivalent positions across its Illawarra and South Coast operations. 

This includes about 31 editorial roles, mostly editorial production, management and photography, with the balance from administration and sales.

The original plan proposed voluntary redundancies of about 50 full-time equivalent positions, including 34 in editorial.

Led by group business manager Corinne Whiteman, group managing editor Kim Treasure and group sales manager Lisa Rodgers, the restructured editorial and sales teams will deliver new-look newspapers, more digital content and enhanced advertising solutions.

Recruitment of the Illawarra Mercury’s next editor will be a priority after the departure last week of Alistair Langford-Wilson.

 “We are grateful to Alistair for all he has contributed to our business and wish him well for the future,” a Fairfax Media spokesperson said.

Deputy editor Jen White will be acting editor while a new editor is recruited.

Publishing changes across the group include the South Coast Register switching to publishing twice a week, on Wednesdays and Fridays, and the weekly Wollongong Advertiser merging with the Lake Times to deliver community news and advertising for the suburbs of Wollongong and Shellharbour.

Some shared services will be based at Wollongong, but local sales and editorial staff will continue to operate from the towns they serve.

ACM reassured readers newspapers including the Bega District News, Merimbula News Weekly and Eden Magnet will continue to operate and be published online and in print.

The support of readers, local businesses, organisations, and the wider community is greatly valued as the company moves forward under this new structure.

Director of ACM John Angilley thanked staff and community members for their constructive feedback, and said the final decision outlined to employees on Thursday would help make the region’s newspapers more sustainable into the foreseeable future.

“It is pleasing to see that our communities care about our journalism and our trusted local mastheads as much as we do," he said.

"With the continued support of our audiences and advertisers, our plan for the future will help our newspapers and websites remain sustainable and vibrant local voices.”

Staff were briefed on the voluntary redundancy program, new roles created in the restructure and the implementation schedule for new technology and training.

“Our staff will adopt more efficient ways of working and new technology to improve how they provide local news and information to their communities, with our journalists and photographers continuing to do what they do best - telling local stories," Mr Angilley said.

“This is a substantial upgrading for our newsrooms with new systems, digital-first editorial production practices and quality checking processes plus a vastly better local sales approach.”

The new way of working has been successfully introduced at Fairfax publications in south-west NSW, including The Daily Advertiser in Wagga, and is being rolled out this month at 13 mastheads in regional Victoria.

The changes are part of an overhaul of ACM aimed at building a stronger, more sustainable and modern media network in regional, rural and suburban Australia.

ACM’s network of newspapers and websites serves hundreds of communities in every state and territory.