In a reflection of the changes sweeping across the news industry, the owners of The Star-Ledger today announced the formation of a new media company that will provide content, advertising and marketing services to the state's largest newspaper, its sister publications and NJ.com.

The new company, NJ Advance Media, will begin offering sales and marketing services for The Star-Ledger and NJ.com in June. It will begin providing news, photos, videos, features and other content by September, company executives said.

The move is expected to cost the jobs of an unspecified number of employees across most or all departments, including the newsroom. The Star-Ledger and other dailies owned by Advance Publications in New Jersey and Pennsylvania will continue to publish seven days a week, the executives said.

By consolidating services and eliminating positions, the company expects to see significant savings at a time of great upheaval for the newspaper industry, which has struggled to remain profitable as advertising dollars migrated to the internet or evaporated outright in the recent recession.

Company officials say the reorganization will better position the newspapers and NJ.com to survive the changes in the way consumers get their news. As an example, they said, the number of full-time reporters, columnists and photographers at NJ Advance Media is expected to be larger than the number now at both The Star-Ledger and NJ.com.

The officials did not say how those gains would be achieved. It's possible the new company will absorb staff members from other Advance newspapers or hire new journalists following the layoffs.

The Star-Ledger's editor, Kevin Whitmer, will remain a key figure in the news operation, serving as editor and vice president of content at NJ Advance Media. Lamar Graham, now NJ.com's chief content officer, will serve as a vice president of audience development.

Others in management positions include Barb Chodos and Steve Alessi, both of whom will serve as vice presidents of sales. Chodos is currently NJ.com's general manager. Alessi is a vice president of sales for The Star-Ledger and NJ.com.