MLive Media Group today announced a restructuring that directs resources to emerging content and business opportunities, while reducing some management, support and production roles.



The changes in content include staffing a new team that will focus on statewide investigative, political and data-driven journalism; the formation of a video storytelling and production team; and focusing resources on emerging social media channels and audiences, said John Hiner, vice president of content. The Michigan's Best food and travel series, extremely popular with readers and businesses, will be expanded, he said.



MLive Media Group has the largest audience of any media company in Michigan. It includes the MLive.com web site, as well as newspapers in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Muskegon, Jackson, Ann Arbor, Flint, Saginaw and Bay City. Publication schedules for those newspapers will not be affected.



The company also maintains digital news and sales operations in Detroit, where it is No. 1 in digital readership among all media, and in Lansing.



The number of staff members producing content - reporters, photographers and producers in video and social media - remains intact statewide, although some roles will evolve based on audience demands, Hiner said. Overall, 29 content positions will be eliminated, primarily through reducing management roles and jobs related to newspaper production, he said.



News leadership has been restructured around regional management, Hiner said. The new structure will allow more flexibility for covering topics of statewide interest, while maintaining essential news coverage in local markets, he said.



MLive Media Group formed in 2012, combining the eight newspapers and MLive.com. Since then, monthly digital readership has nearly doubled, from about 6 million monthly unique visitors in 2012 to more than 11 million monthly visitors today. In addition, the newspapers in the Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo/Muskegon region are ranked No. 1 in the country for market penetration, and the newspapers in Flint/Saginaw region are ranked No. 6, based on Nielsen Scarborough research from earlier this year.