News
City Life goes online
Published 01.09.08
As the Manchester Evening News (MEN) prepares to revitalise the City Life brand with a new website, CREATIVE Times caught up with Product Manager, Matt Davies, for his insight on re-creating the legendary publication.
For the best part of three decades City Life was the bible for budding urbanites in Manchester, so, when the magazine folded in December 2005 there was much talk in the city about ‘what next?’ for ‘what’s on’. Its closure undoubtedly left a gaping hole in the market for a regular listings publication.
“CityLife.co.uk will plug this gap,” ensured Matt, “There’s a lot going on in the city, but so far this hasn’t been reflected in the media available.”
Since the original magazine ceased production, City Life has lived on as a supplement within each Friday’s edition of the MEN. The new website will look to plug the gaps between, as Matt explained: “By it’s nature [the supplement] works within a print production cycle, necessitating the addition of bespoke content to meet the audience demands of a website offering a guide to going out seven days a week.”
Multimedia content will be on the menu for the website, via its sister TV station Channel M. The channel is already home to City Life Social, the only programme in the city regularly showcasing new music and entertainment; which, as Matt explained, “…share a similar focus to the site and can also contribute great content to it, for example The Ting Tings were filmed pre-fame.”
As ever, City Life will continue to feature new talent in the arts, music and comedy, as well showcasing the writers and photographers working directly on the website. In addition, the new site will give users the chance to promote their own events and venues. As Matt concludes: “You can’t underestimate the importance of having platforms in the city which allow new bands, artists or even restaurants and bars to gain exposure and find an audience.”
Citylife.co.uk will be coming to a monitor near you in the Autumn.
