A union says 185 jobs will be disestablished and 164 new jobs created in a massive suite of changes to media company Fairfax Media New Zealand.

Newspapers rolling of a printing press

Reporters and editorial staff at Fairfax Media have been informed today of the changes.

Fairfax publishes The Dominion Post, The Press, The Sunday Star-Times, TV Guide and a number of provincial newspapers, and is also behind the stuff.co.nz website, as well as publications in Australia.

The changes proposed by Fairfax represent a significant shift in the way they operate, driven by technological change and the move to more online news, says Paul Tolich, Engineering Printing Manufacturing Union (EPMU) industrial officer for print and media.

Specifically, editorial leadership roles and subediting roles will be going, and reporters will be expected to take on more oversight of their own work," Mr Tolich says in a statement.

The union is concerned that the increased focus on the digital space could mean neglect of the print media, which generates the bulk of Fairfax's revenue.

"New Zealand needs a strong fourth estate with journalists well-supported to report the news," Mr Tolich says. "We should not lose sight of that in the rush to put everything online."

The EPMU will work with members on a detailed response to Fairfax's proposal.

"Our aim is to ensure our members' terms and conditions of employment are not eroded as they are moved from their current roles into new ones," Mr Tolich says.

Fairfax staff have told ONE News that change was expected but this went "way further than anticipated" and they're "shocked".

Those affected directly by the restructure have been offered counselling.

'Newsroom transformation'

Fairfax Media New Zealand says its continuing its "newsroom transformation", with a proposal to further organise its editorial operations into focused, local teams and specialist national topic areas.

The proposal underpins a fundamental shift in the way its newsrooms are geared to serve its audience, the company said in a media release this afternoon.

Executive Editor at Fairfax Media, Sinead Boucher, says teams in this proposed "Modern Newsroom" structure will be digital-centric and build around audiences and content - not specific products or mastheads.

"The proposal is not about reducing headcount," Ms Boucher says. "We are boosting our reporting capability in small and large communities, and by streamlining our print-focused production processes, increasing the ratio of content creators from just over half to almost two thirds."