News Corp Australia has announced that Leader Community News will undertake a hefty investment in its print products, upgrading the majority of its portfolio to an improved magazine quality format, along with a series of editorial improvements.

From Monday September 5, fifteen titles will join an existing six Leader publications to be printed on gloss or ecoprime premium stock. While keeping Melbourne local news as its core, fresh content and design elements will be introduced to deliver even more value for readers.

Among these additions, a new lifestyle section that features stories on health, wellbeing, food, home, entertainment and travel will initially be introduced to 11 papers, with exclusive content from Australia’s top parenting site Kidspot.com.au featuring in many more titles.

For advertisers, these new environments will create unique opportunities to reach engaged local audiences, with enhanced stock producing sharper images and better colour accuracy.

News Corp Australia’s managing director – community publishing Brett Clegg said, “As a business we are passionate about community news. It is great to be announcing changes that will continue to strengthen Leader’s pre-eminent position in its markets.

“This investment is a reflection of the increasing affluence of these fifteen areas and the exciting future we see in these publications. It is critical for Leader to reflect the growing prosperity of our suburbs with a more prestigious product and a new and fresh contemporary feel.”

Leader Community News general manager Fiona Mellor added, “I’m very excited to be announcing plans to further enhance our portfolio of brands. Not only will the new publications look great on improved stock, but the layout of content will be refreshed to ensure the quality content we are known for is even more appealing.

“These combined changes will ensure we are not only satisfying advertisers in the area, by providing them a premium environment in which to showcase their goods and services, but our readers, who will benefit from quality content presented in a fresh new way.”

The titles that will be upgraded to ecoprime stock are: Frankston; Greater Dandenong; Hume; Knox; Lilydale & Yarra Valley; Maribyrnong; Maroondah; Monash; Moonee Valley; Moorabbin; Mordialloc; Moreland; Northcote; Preston; Whittlesea.

The titles that will include the new lifestyle section are: Bayside; Caulfield Glen Eira; Manningham; Monash; Moonee Valley; Moorabbin; Moreland; Port Phillip; Progress; Stonnington; Whitehorse.