Manchester Confidential outflanks Evening News as voice of Manchester
‘The Manchester Confidential Future of Castlefield debate will deliver an organising body for the area. Castlefield will have its partnership just as Piccadilly has, of council, residents, businesses and developers.’
– Manchester Confidential
Back in 1996 I had finally got myself into a position to buy a home, city centre living was an attractive prospect and Castlefield beckoned, but Chorlton-cum-Hardy won in the end. I doubt we’d have regretted the move had we made it, but there is little doubt that the birthplace of Manchester and, even more importantly the industrial revolution, has fallen behind.
Perhaps it was the bomb that set Castlefield back by taking attention away. Today I know we’d pass Castlefield over for the Northern Quarter without hesitation. Castlefield still has much to offer, but has failed to continue its forward march, failing to make up for the loss of Granada Studios Tour and seeing bars and restaurants come and go.
Now action is promised and the catalyst is new media upstart Manchester Confidential, the entertainment website with a dash of news whose detractors claim is little more than advertorial.
Manchester Confidential has long been developing into a medium that genuinely champions Manchester and is clearly in tune with the destination regeneration is leading it to. While it is a long way away from achieving the kind of reach enjoyed by the Manchester Evening News, which to be fair remains the UK’s largest regional paper, it leaves the MEN looking very old media in every sense.
Manchester Confidential is able to outflank the MEN as a voice of the city because it has tapped into a rich seam of readers who are never curmudgeonly, are proud of Manchester and are driving the city forward to ever greater things. MEN editor Paul Horrocks, who’s been baited by Manchester Confidential from day one, should take note.
Comments (7 comments)
Stephen,
not sure about this
Manchester Confidential is advertorial. Try getting an editorial piece in it or even a competition or giveaway without advertising.
I think the Manchester Evening News has reach and has visibilitz it can change editorial direction quickly.
I only read Manchester Confidential for teh competitions, which I never win.
If editorial was accepted I think it would be a stronger publication.
Rob
Rob Artisan / August 6th, 2007, 12:17 pm / #
There is very little editorial, but to argue that it is entirely advertorial is misleading. The Castlefield campaign, the congestion charge and a previous campaign against increased parking charges show this. More importantly, given that it’s an ents mag, Jonathan Schofield’s reviews can be trusted.
You’re right that the opportunities for PRs are very limited indeed. That they expect you to advertise in support of any competitions / give aways you offer them is a cost issue not an integrity issue. A competition prize should be worth at least as much as the advertising space it takes up, which is why you should always offer ‘money can’t buy’ prizes whose value you can inflate.
Stephen Newton / August 6th, 2007, 12:42 pm / #
Hello, I’m the editor of Manchester Confidential. I was away on holiday when these were posted so missed them. We are not an advertorial website, we are a magazine which is strongly commercially. Like all magazines, certainly print magazines, we have advertising and offers, create microsites for people and so on because that’s how we make money. And we do make money, a clear profit.
Yet on average, per week, we post between 15 to 25 home page features, three-quarters of which are editorial without any link to advertising, offers and competitions. This gives, per calendar month, more than eighty stories on the site – much more than most comparable print magazines. This week was very food based but we broke stories too such as The Modern Restaurant and Bar opening in Urbis, did a listing for Pride and previewed the Take That musical, the previous week we wrote about gun crime, Cube Gallery, The Bourne Ultimatum and so on.
We have variety and that will increase, for Rob to say ‘Manchester Confidential is advertorial’ is plain wrong. Even in the food reviews I’ve banned anything but impartiality. Still even if Rob comes on the site for the offers and competitions that’s fine with us.
And from a commercial point of view check out our media information – a exact set of stats not figures guestimated from a supposed ‘readership’.
Jonathan Schofield / August 26th, 2007, 10:00 am / #
Manchester Confidential is getting better all the time. It is witty and very direct and covers a huge range of topics.Not even sure about the advertorial thing at the moment either. Loved the way they treated the Rangers situation this week.
Jacob McCarthy / May 18th, 2008, 7:48 pm / #
I love Manchester Confidential. Certain writers are the best on their subject in Manchester and I’d include Nicola Mostyn, Phil Griffin, Jonathan Schofield, Gordo, Laura Whitworth, Daz Mossop and various others. If you’re intelligent enough it’s easy to spot the dividing line between advertorial and editorial. The former doesn’t have a rant facility.
Karen Handlen / November 16th, 2008, 3:57 pm / #
The Castlefield debate just shows ManCon for what they are – cashing in on a debate to try and generate more business – I thin they only got Alberts Shed signed up off the back of it as other Castlefield businesses didn’t want to get into bed with certain members of their team from what I hear.
They were quick to claim victory in the Jacksons Wharf debate despite not even doing about the protest, lead by the likes of Pride Of Manchester, James Hickman, Anthony McCaul and Marc Ramsbottom.
I have to give them full credit for their self-PR, (presumably some of the replies below are from their office). Speak to anybody who has worked for them or advertised with them in the past and you’ll get a different answer as to whether or not they are an editorial or advertorial website.
Patric / February 17th, 2009, 1:32 pm / #
Listen you like what you like and Confidential is funny and informed. Nuff said
cheeseman / November 17th, 2009, 2:36 pm / #
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