In a move reflecting the changing nature of today's news media, the American Society of Newspaper Editors has decided to drop the word "newspaper" from its name.

Following a proposal suggested late last year, the industry group has chosen to re-name itself the American Society of News Editors, it announced on Monday.

Nearly three-quarters of its membership voted in favour of the decision.

The change allows the group "to reflect the fact that we serve editors who are leaders in delivering news on multiple platforms in addition to newsprint," society president Charlotte Hall said in a letter to members.

Founded in 1922, the society was established to represent the editors of U.S. daily newspapers. However, the group has now decided to extend membership — which currently counts approximately 600 print leaders — to editors of online news providers as well as to leading journalism educators.

In late February, the group also announced it was cancelling its annual conference so that members could focus on their respective publications amid the overall struggles and challenges currently faced by the U.S. print industry.

"This is a uniquely stressful period in our business as we face both structural change and deep recession," Hall said in February.

It is only the second time the annual convention has been cancelled; the first being in the final days of the Second World War.

With files from the Associated Press