A neat technical solution has delivered "more" with less for readers of News Corp's Sydney community newspapers.

Two Geoman towers and one folder have been converted to print the 320 mm page height of the "smaller, friendlier" format introduced following the holiday break.

NewsLocal publisher John McGourty announced the format change for the 14 suburban Sydney newsprint titles in October, "leading the way in Australia". The mastheads affected are the Blacktown Advocate, Canterbury Bankstown Express, Central Coast Express Advocate, Central Sydney, Fairfield Advance, Hills Shire Times, Hornsby Advocate, Liverpool Leader, Macarthur Chronicle, Manly Daily, Northern District Times, Parramatta Advertiser, Penrith Press and Rouse Hill Times.

The size matches advertising shapes for the 'compact tabloid newsprint' products with those for News' glossy prestige publications, although the actual page sizes are different.

National production director Marcus Hooke told GXpress that two towers of one of the manroland Geoman presses at the Sydney Print Centre had been converted - including changes to shutters on the turbo dampening systems - and formers modified to accommodate either 320mm or 350mm page lengths.

"It's a very neat solution," he says.

A sample newspaper tells advertisers about the new sizes and launches a 'Get closer with your local' brand campaign. As well as house advertising, the campaign is being rolled out to static and digital street furniture and social media.

Pictured: The new-look NewsLocal format with new mastheads and campaign slogan, and (above) operations leader Damien Zahra checks first editions;

On our home page: John McGourty with the new-look Macarthur Chronicle as it comes off the press