Media General has announced a drastic change to its organizational structure which will see all the various media properties in a certain segment of the country report to a “Market Leader.” The traditional setup dividing newspapers, broadcasting and digital divisions will be scrapped.
“We are shifting from a structure that is organized by division to a structure that is organized by market,” said President/CEO Marshall N. Morton in an internal memo. “All properties in a given market will report to a Market Leader regardless of platform.”
The change goes into effect July 1. Morton said the new system would “greatly accelerate our Web First strategy, speed decision making across the enterprise and provide an even closer connection to our customers.”
He cited Tampa as one market where the model was in place, and succeeding.
Morton announced the following Market Leaders, who hold the President title and report to COO Reid Ashe:
Virginia/Tennessee – Jim Zimmerman
Florida – John Schueler
Mid-South – John Cottingham
North Carolina – Jim Conschafter
Ohio/Rhode Island – Rick Rogala
“I am confident that our new market-based structure will strengthen and speed our capacity to react to the changes in our business,” said Morton, “especially the rapid move into the digital world.”
