TORONTO — Kenneth Whyte has been appointed publisher and editor-in-chief of Maclean's, the magazine announced Monday.

Whyte said in an interview that he's honoured to helm the national weekly as it marks its centennial this year.

He added he plans to change the magazine's look and increase its amount of content, continuing a series of changes the publication has undergone in recent years under former editor, Anthony Wilson-Smith.

Smith leaves at the end of the month.

"It takes sometimes two or three editors to turn something around and I'm going to build on what's been started,'' Whyte said.

Whyte, who will join Maclean's on March 14, is the former editor-in-chief of the National Post. He held the job when the national daily arrived on the scene in 1998.

"Newsmagazines are still a lot more relevant than they've been given credit for,'' Whyte said.

"The 24-hour news environment is nothing new. It's something that has been around for a long time ... people still need context, they still need background, they still need insight and relevant commentary.''

Marc Blondeau, senior vice-president of Rogers Consumer Publishing, said Whyte has demonstrated an unparalleled commitment to journalism during his career.

"Ken's very strong intellect and passionate commitment to readers make him the ideal choice to lead an institution that is committed to Canadians.''

A journalist with 20 years experience, Whyte began his career as a sports reporter at the Sherwood Park News in Alberta.

He joined Alberta Report weekly news magazine as a reporter in the mid-1980s and later served as executive editor of the magazine.

In 1994, Whyte was appointed editor-in-chief of Saturday Night.

He is currently a visiting scholar in media and public policy at McGill University.

Maclean's, which has about 60 editorial and design staff, was founded a century ago. Figures from the Print Measurement Bureau indicate it has about three million readers.