SHAH ALAM: Berita Harian will meet its readers in compact form after 51 years as a broad-sheet.

The paper's weekend edition Berita Minggu, hit the market today while Berita Harian will be printed in compact form starting tomorrow.

Its sister papers, the New Straits Times and New Sunday Times, went compact in April 2005.

Though smaller in size, the Berita Harian will continue its editorial stance of providing serious and credible news.

New Straits Times Press group editor-in-chief Datuk Hishamuddin Aun said Berita Harian wanted to follow the global trend of broadsheet going compact to attract the youngsters.
"While maintaining loyal readers, we'd like to attract young readers to pick up the paper.

"As a broadsheet, the newspaper is deemed serious and conservative and is associated with readers in their 30s and 40s," he said at the paper's launch at Balai Berita 2 here last night.

He added that in compact form, stories will be more concise.

Berita Harian group editor Datuk Manja Ismail said a study of the paper's readers showed that 80 per cent of them wanted a serious newspaper in compact form as it would be easier to read on the go.

"We have also received positive feedback from our advertisers."

He said that many papers worldwide such as The Independent and The Times in Britain have gone compact.

"I hope our loyal readers will keep supporting us and younger readers will start reading our newspaper."

Also present at the launch were NST group editor Datuk Syed Nadzri Syed Harun and Berita Harian deputy group editor Mustapa Omar.