Journalist leaders on Merseyside are demanding a Government-led inquiry into claims that the region's historic newspapers are now operated by anti-competitive monopolies.
The call comes after it was announced that staffing levels at the Liverpool Daily Post and Echo newspapers are to be scaled-down with more than 40 jobs axed on the editorial floor.
It is the second time in weeks that the newspapers' owner Trinity Mirror has announced a major restructuring in its Merseyside operations.
In excess of 140 printers face redundancy with the closure of the Liverpool presses in Old Hall Street as production is switched to Oldham.
In the latest move the firm says it plans to launch a "new editorial operating model" and will be streamlining its production processes to create a centralised news and content hub.
Early next year the Daily Post will be reduced to five-day, Monday to Friday, publication. Meanwhile Trinity Mirror will stage a period of consultation with its staff, and the National Union of Journalists (NUJ).
But the NUJ Merseyside Branch Chairman Mike Ricketts is calling for a Competition Commission inquiry into newspaper ownership in the UK regions.
Mr Ricketts said: "Firstly the National Union of Journalists is relieved the Liverpool Daily Post will survive as a morning regional newspaper. It will mean Liverpool continuing as one of only a handful of cities with both an evening and a morning paper.
"Having said that the National Union of Journalists is alarmed at the impact Trinity Mirror’s editorial reorganisation will have, not just on jobs, but on the level of local news coverage.
"If reporters and writers are going to be busy writing articles, then creating website materials and even video footage, it is going to take them away from very important frontline reporting tasks.
"The tried and trusted formula of having reporters out on the streets, whether it is in Liverpool or elsewhere, and sending in their dispatches, has made British journalism the envy of the world.
"If Trinity Mirror stands by its commitment to local journalism it should be embracing new media platforms with job recruiting, not getting rid of the jobs of journalists.
"We see this as a massive cost-cutting exercise that will dilute local journalism, and that in turn will pose an even bigger threat to media organisations. Democracy hangs by a very thin thread and local journalists are a crucial part in ensuring it survives.
"We will be asking the Secretary of State for Media, Andy Burnham, to call for a Commission to investigate the real threat to provincial journalism by allowing a small handful of newspaper barons and baronesses to own thousands of local papers.
"This should also be referred to the Office for Fair Trading and the Competition Commission. Local newspapers need to be liberated rather than strangled."
All journalists at the Post and Echo will be required to "re-apply" for the reduced number of jobs which will include mutl-tasking for reporters, photographers and sub-editors. Management numbers will also be cut.
In a statement Trinity Mirror North West said: "The combined changes, to be implemented in the first quarter of 2009, will lead to a reduction of 43 jobs from the 175-strong Merseyside team.
"The company is committed to achieving as many of the redundancies as possible on a voluntary basis.
"While the recent world economic crisis has hit advertising revenues across the media industry accentuating the need for change, this revolutionary editorial plan, conceived by the senior editors over several months, is designed to secure a strong long term future for the key newspaper brands.
"There will be a particular focus on providing rich, in depth and absorbing content for the company’s steadily growing North West digital audience, which already exceeds 1.7m unique users a month.
"The focus is on protecting and strengthening the all-important front line content gathering roles, ensuring that the Liverpool Echo, the Liverpool Daily Post, and great Merseyside weekly brands like the Southport Visiter will continue to provide readers with unparalleled coverage of the city region.
"The new plan will see a flattened editorial management structure, with a reduction in numbers of senior management roles, and a streamlined newspaper production model that will reduce the requirement for production journalists."
Trinity Mirror North West managing Director Sara Wilde said: "We are determined to carry on producing the vibrant, entertaining and informative newspaper brands which are at the heart of the communities they serve on Merseyside. We have been based here in the city of Liverpool for over 150 years, and these changes are designed to ensure that we will be here for another 150.
"To do that in the digital age, and in such difficult trading conditions, has entailed making some bold changes, which will revolutionise the way in which we produce our newspapers and websites.
"It is an unfortunate consequence that part of that process will see the number of required editorial roles reduce. However, we believe the changes we are introducing mean we can do that while maintaining the high quality products our readers have come to expect.”
Liverpool Echo editor Alastair Machray said: "The new, streamlined working methods we are implementing will mean readers will not see any detriment to their favourite titles – we are absolutely committed to that."
Daily Post editor Mark Thomas said: "The big change our readers will notice is the end of Saturday production of the Liverpool Daily Post.
"This reflects the changing information needs of our affluent, business-led audience, who can also look forward to much stronger newspapers during the week, incorporating all their favourite weekend features."
The company statement added: "The changes mean that all journalists' jobs are changing to some extent, with traditional reporter and photographer roles being replaced by multi-media journalists, who will take photographs, shoot video and create unique written web content, as well as writing for the newspapers.
"They will be directly managed by a highly-skilled team of multi-media desk staff who will also create web and newspaper pages."
The company added that all the existing journalistic staff are being "invited to apply for the new jobs", or to apply for voluntary redundancy.
Those leaving the business will be offered full counselling and outplacement support. Those who stay to take on the new roles will receive extensive training, and may even get salary increases.
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