News Corp Australia has formally debuted its new State and Communities Mastheads division as part of the media company's new structure.

The division will encompass News Corp's metro and regional titles, and under the leadership of Managing Director and Publisher, Mark Reinke, will aim to connect with over 10 million Australians who engage with regional news brands across digital and print platforms.

News Corp's restructure was first reported in May, with the State and Communities Mastheads one of three publishing divisions that have replaced the formerly state-based structure. It joins the recently announced Prestige Titles division, which includes The Australian and Conde Nast International titles, with the third division understood to encompass News Corp's free offering, including new.com.au. 

"We know our audiences want specific content that’s relevant to them and we know clients increasingly want to execute state-by-state in a targeted manner. Combining this new leadership structure with some of Australia’s best Editors working on some of the nation’s most trusted mastheads means we are uniquely placed to meet the needs of our audience and our clients in specific markets or as part of a network," said Reinke.

The State and Communities team will be responsible for creating journalism for its growing subscriber audience and developing opportunities for commercial clients. John Lehmann has been appointed as the Commercial Director of the State and Communities Mastheads, which includes The Herald Sun, The Daily Telegraph, The Courier-Mail, The Advertiser, and regional, rural, and community titles. Lehmann will continue to serve as Managing Director, NSW in his expanded role.

Lehmann has made several state leadership appointments to drive commercial revenue across the mastheads’ digital and print portfolio. Former CEO of Stuff Group, New Zealand’s largest news publisher, Laura Maxwell, has been appointed as Managing Director, Queensland. Former General Manager of The Weekly Times, Agostino Giramondo, has meanwhile been named as Managing Director, Victoria and Tasmania. Melissa Librandi will continue in her role as Managing Director, South Australia, Northern Territory, and Western Australia.

"Our audiences are the millions of aspiring Australians who want the best for their families and their communities. They are highly engaged and motivated and our state mastheads offer clients the ability to reach consumers who are making important purchasing decisions every week. By focusing on each state and its unique needs, there is a real opportunity for business growth and differentiates us from other media in the market," Lehmann.

This new division and leadership structure aims to cater to the specific needs of their audience and clients in each state, offering a unique opportunity for business growth and differentiation in the market.