A nice big feature in today's Media Guardian about how Manchester's media landscape is undergoing a revolution, what with the BBC coming, Google opening their first regional offices here (wha? first I've heard of that. What do they want with offices here?) Etc. etc. etc. Having been here a few years I only have to see the words Manchester and Revival in the same headline and my eyes start glazing over with boredom, but I guess it's nice that they're bothering to write anything at all.
Also got the news this weekend that the MEN is going to be distributed free in the city centre. Here's a thought - how about actually improving the dismal product instead of trying to give it away for nothing? Maybe?
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Exactly - MEN is kinda shit, isn't it? What astounds me still is the lack of any kind of "alt" paper with long-form features, investigative journalism and intelligent reviews of music/film/lit etc. The Big Issue just doesn't cut it. Even the MU student newspaper needs a massive overhaul. With a student population as large as Manchester's there's no reason why it needs to be weekly ... hell back in Tempe, Az, with a student population about as large as Manchesters, the ASU daily paper has kept others from moving in. On top of that, the student pop is able to support a whole second weekly.
Though I do believe Manchester's got a creative revolution a-comin... too bad I won't be here to see it.
Yankunian - are you coming to Verberate tonight down at Trof? Quick plug: Chloe Poems is on, details at Verberate.co.uk
c, i totally don't remember that... too much sunshine and my brain turns to mush.
ps. gapfrdig rocks. I especially like their totally underrated first album, Rhujhks Dhfgorg.
Dave, I totally agree with you about the paper, and I too was surprised to see nothing like that in Manc. I think the alt-weekly as we know it doesn't exist over here. And nope, I'm not going to be able to make it to Verberate, as I've got a massive deadline or two to contend with. Shucks.
you know yancunian, what the MEN really needs is a young hip writer who knows all the funkiest hang-outs and always knows where the cool kids are.
if only we knew where to find one of those...
I thought readers might be interested to know the current status of the actual build for MediaCity:UK in Salford Quays.
The site now consists of 6 cranes with a 7th on the way (crane base in place). Most of the concrete cores of the new BBC building look to be in place or started, rising to 9-10 stories (maybe more) for the highest cores.
The land for the taller buildings off to the side of the main BBC building (right from the Lowry Centre side) is still being dug and prepared but more temporary cabins are in place off Broadway (the road that runs through the back of the Quays) presumably to house more MediaCIty:UK project staff and a contingent of the BBC (cameramen) looking at the latest articles across the internet.
The current phase of the build occupies 35-40 acres (next to the City Lofts flats) with other phases planned across the water on the Imperial War Museum side.
The overall site is something of the order of 200 acres but no visible signs of development has started outside the main phase 1 area currently. No doubt this will depend on discussions with other media companies being persuaded to join the MediaCity:UK estate.
For a photographic timeline for November / December and beyond (and pictures back to June of this year), go to Google and search on 'media city uk salford quays timeline q4'.
Judging be the pace of the development, there is a big push on to meet the 2010/11 date for the first phase completion.
Those currently thinking about a career in the media by way of a chosen degree (media studies, photography etc.) might be one of the 15,500 new jobs to be created between now and 2011 in the first phase of this build. Also, the price of properties (and especially flats) in the area will almost certainly rise as a result of the considerable development occuring in this location with new flats being built currently.
I have worked as an IT Manager in Salford Quays for 12 years and live in North Bolton. When I first came here, the skyline of the Quays area was relatively flat but now houses such buildings as The Designer Outlet (80 outlet stores), The iconic Lowry and Imperial War Museum Buildings and new flat developments which continue to be built in anticipation of the BBC move and general growth in this area.
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