MediaCityUK weekly round-up: Big money grants and more…
posted Fri 19th Jun, 2009 - 12:06 PM
The cash has been flowing freely to some of MediaCityUK's major partners recently, with both Salford University and Northwest Vision and Media receiving multi-million pound grants. All things considered, MediaCityUK is on a bit of a roll at the moment;
- Salford Uni has received £8m from the Higher Education Funding Council to help fund their new facilities at MediaCityUK. £6m of the grant money will be used to assist in funding the construction and IT costs and the remaining £2m will contribute to the purchase of specialist and technical equipment. (via Crain's)
- Northwest Vision and Media, who support and promote the creative and digital industries in the Northwest, announced over £2.7m from the Northwest European Regional Development Fund, and are relocating to MediaCityUK this autumn (opposite The Pie Factory on Broadway)
- Peel are in contract talks with US-owned international film and television giant Ascent Media, who could be responsible for the state-of-the-art studio and distribution facilities at MediaCity. The deal could be wrapped up by the summer. (More details at the MEN)
- As part of the Digital Britain report, the government revealed plans for a "Usability Centre for Video Games" to offer training and resources for the gaming industry, based at MediaCityUK. Nothing in the way of concrete plans - the government will "examine the options arising from a feasibility study". (via Eurogamer)
And finally....BBC staff can look forward to some even nicer views from their MediaCity offices as new exterior plans have been announced for the Imperial War Museum North (opposite MediaCity). The plans include a new landscaped garden, children’s play area and a water sculpture, with the first stage completed to coincide with the opening of MediaCityUK in 2011.
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The Promise of MediaCity
posted Tue 16th Jun, 2009 - 03:21 PM | 4 comments
This is a guest post from journalism student Rose Brooke.
If you cast your eyes away from the cash, celebrity and pomposity of Fleet Street for a moment, there is another hotbed of media activity brewing in the North.
The reason I chose to train to be a journalist in Manchester rather than London in these times of recession and employment drought is because the media in the UK is changing. The internet has exploded the field of conventional print and broadcast and everyman journalism is rife in blogs, on YouTube and is being incorporated into news websites across the world.
London’s streets are no longer paved with gold and the modern day Dick Whittington digs out his Young Person’s Railcard and hops on a Virgin Cross Country to find his fortunes elsewhere in the UK. Manchester, the birthplace of the Guardian and home to Granada TV seems a worthy spawning ground for young journalists.
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First look inside MediaCityUK: BBC buildings and studio interiors
posted Wed 27th May, 2009 - 12:02 PM | 1 comment
Photographer John Linwood recently visited MediaCityUK and took some photos from inside the construction site.
The images show how quickly work is progressing, especially inside the BBC buildings ("C" in particular). There are some great shots of the studio block, including Europe's largest studio under construction, and some of the views BBC staff can expect to see from their cubicle windows...
A few selected shots can be viewed below, or you can check out all of the images on John's Flickr page.
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MediaCityUK essays from the BBC: Salmon describes move as ‘part of the rebirth of the BBC’
posted Mon 25th May, 2009 - 11:24 PM
BBC North Director Peter Salmon has said the move to MediaCityUK represents "an entire new way of rewiring the BBC"..."designed to bring about a shift in the gene-pool of broadcasting" in an essay published today.
There are also new essays from Ten Alps Chief executive Alex Connock on BBC North's relationship with the wider media scene in Manchester, and from Prof. Ron Cook (University of Salford) on collaborative opportunities between MediaCityUK and the education and training sector.
Salmon's essay is the most interesting and encouraging, as it outlines an ambitious vision to "revitalise and invigorate the creative industries in the region". Salmon exhibits a promising commitment to the future of the north-west's media sector, and to the MediaCityUK project in particular - which he describes as "radical and exciting...[I am personally] committed to its success."
Alex Connock describes himself in his essay as a 'fanatical proponent' of MediaCityUK, and complains again about moaning BBC staff (although he does later admit he 'loves the BBC'). Connock is equally committed to the cause, and wants to personally help attract more venture capital to make Manchester "a finance hub for people who want to invest in the media and tech industries."
Here are the direct links to all 3 essays (pdf), to read at your leisure;
- Peter Salmon - The Northern Renaissance: a Personal View
- Alex Connock - Manchester Media Scene.
- Ron Cook - MediaCityUK
There are a number of further articles about the BBC's plans to grow production across the 'nations and regions' on the Made in the UK page.
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MediaCityUK decision time for senior BBC staff - Update: Half agree to move
posted Fri 01st May, 2009 - 04:25 PM | 2 comments
Update: 15 out of the 32 BBC controllers and senior managers in the affected departments (Sport, Children's, Learning, Future Media and Technology and Radio 5 Live) have agreed to make the move to MediaCityUK, Salford Quays in 2011.
Those who have decided not to go to Salford now face being redeployed within other departments or made redundant. (You can read more details at the Guardian.) Lower level staff will have to make a decision later in the year.
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Next Thursday is the deadline for senior BBC staff to decide whether or not to make the move to MediaCityUK, and some aren't waiting until then...
BBC Learning Controller Liz Cleaver has decided to step down later this year and not to make the move to Salford - she joins 5 Live presenter Simon Mayo on the 'thanks-but-no-thanks' list.
On the opposite side of the fence we have 5 Live drive time presenter Peter Allen, who sounds very optimistic about the MediaCity move; - "This is now and this is happening, and there's no stopping it. When you see it you realise this is how it's going to be. And it's impressive."
Allen joins fellow 5 Live-er Nicky Campbell - who was the first 'big name' to make his intentions known.
This week the director of BBC North Peter Salmon described the move to Salford Quays as a 'new adventure', and does not want staff to see it as a 'forced march'. In what is most likely an attempt to encourage staff about the move, Salmon also said he wants the BBC at MediaCity to be "more fluid" than in London, helping staff to move between departments more easily. (more details at Broadcastnow).
At a time when media companies across the North West are scaling back, commitments to the move from BBC staff could be a timely boost for the MediaCityUK project - which has yet to secure any big name tenants other than the BBC and Salford Uni. Even the BBC itself is asking if MediaCityUK will work.
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I've just fixed the commenting system on the blog, which appears to have been malfunctioning for the past month or so. Apologies to anyone who has posted recently without any success, please do post again if you can be bothered! Jun 08, 2009 - 10:16 PM
CBBC are looking for new drama writers - if you fancy a future job at MediaCityUK check it out - http://bit.ly/10wvA0 May 20, 2009 - 07:14 PM
Not a lot of MediaCityUK news to report since the ITV bombshell, except perhaps this article from the FT about the positive impact MediaCityUK is likely to have on Salford and the surrounding areas. The article also provides a quick introduction to the local housing market - useful if you're looking at relocating to Salford. Mar 26, 2009 - 06:04 PM
Debate about the BBC's staff relocation packages continues to rumble on and on - Liz Hunt at the Telegraph says, "I can't be the only taxpayer with northern credentials who feels insulted by the implication that having to up sticks from the South East is akin to an enforced relocation to Mogadishu or Harare." (full article here). Meanwhile, Andy Spinoza at How-Do offers some relocation advice to BBC staff - "Some media people will find the value, community, and friendliness on offer in the likes of Monton and Eccles more appealing than the fancy nick-nack shops of Didsbury..." (full article here). Mar 12, 2009 - 07:22 PM
The Manyoo apartment towers in Salford Quays will be built, despite one of the developers behind it going into administration, reports the MEN. Manyoo will have 1,036 apartments over four towers that will `quite literally change the skyline of Salford Quays'. Mar 04, 2009 - 01:04 AM
Interesting article over at The Life of Wylie about the problems piling up for ITV; chief amongst them the need to make a decision about selling the Manchester site in Quay Street and moving to MediaCityUK, Salford. (via SalfordQuays.org) Feb 18, 2009 - 08:54 PM
Former journalist Aziz Rashid has been announced as the new head of BBC North West - "we have an exciting future ahead with our move to Salford Quays in 2011." (full article at the MEN) Feb 17, 2009 - 05:09 PM
The Guardian has a short article about some of the problems facing HBOS, one of which (according to the Guardian) is their £350m backing of MediaCityUK. (via SalfordQuays.org) Feb 17, 2009 - 05:00 PM
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