Three Johnston Press weeklies are switching from broadsheet to tabloid format as the publisher forges ahead with the relaunch of more than 170 of its local newspapers.
The Berwick Advertiser, The Berwickshire News and The Southern Reporter are set to make the switch on 21 March after more than 150 years as a broadsheet.
Readers of the Berwickshire News were told: “Combined with a fresh outlook and plenty of new content, the slimmed down size will make The Berwickshire much easier to pick up and harder to put down.
“There is a refreshed, modern design to go with the new compact format. But your favourite local newspaper will still contain all the things which make it essential reading. Most importantly, we will continue to provide the very best coverage of news, sports, entertainment and community events relevant to the area where you live.
And readers of the Advertiser were told the new format would make the paper “easier to pick up, harder to put down”.
It added: “It’s the end of an era, however, the move from broadsheet to compact is not something we are undertaking lightly, but follows extensive research with the public, who whole-heartedly supported the change.
“The new compact, which will also benefit from an extensive redesign, will be easier to handle and more suited to current lifestyles.
“Despite the change in appearance, the newspaper’s traditional values and unrivalled coverage of new, sport, information and advertising will continue to be delivered to the people of the Borders.”
Other titles that have switched to the compact format include West Sussex County Times and the Bucks Herald.
The company hired international design firm Cases I Associats to create five different design templates to be rolled out across its entire portfolio of daily and weekly newspapers.
Last year the company converted five of its daily newspapers to weeklies including The Scarborough Evening News and Halifax Courier,
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