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Review of the MediaCity:UK party, by Richard Bowen | Print |  Email to a friend
Wednesday, 25 June 2008
A lavish media bash awaited those who were lucky enough to be amongst the 300 guests as MediaCity:UK opened its doors for the first time on Friday 20 June.

Intended to wow those present with a glimpse of what the future portends, MediaCity’s top dog Brian Greasley held the floor with a well-judged 20 minute speech that sold a vision that compared the Salford-based scheme with California’s Silicon Valley.

Promising an explosion of British-made screen productions that will herald a dawn of jobs and prosperity for Salford and the surrounding regions, Greasley told his audience that MediaCity:UK will be the setting for not just the BBC, but a myriad of media production houses that will benefit from close locational proximity and complimentary expertise that will act as the catalyst for the growth and success of MediaCity.

A lavish media bash awaited those who were lucky enough to be amongst the 300 guests as MediaCity:UK opened its doors for the first time on Friday 20 June.
Greasley entertains the crowds
A quick check of the plans suggests that MediaCity will be home to some 15,000 people working across some 1,150 creative and media related businesses.

Located on 200 acres of the Salford Quays waterfront, Greasley portrayed MediaCity as a 24 hour metropolis where thousands of media professionals will live, work and play alongside one another in a conurbation made up of boulevards, piazzas and fountains.

There’s a little bit of work still to be done on the architectural front judging from the rather barren landscape that exists currently about the MediaCity construction site.

But if the planners can emulate some of the striking architecture that acts as a more distant backdrop to MediaCity in the form of the Lowry Theatre and Imperial War Museum North, buying an off-plan apartment might not be the worst investment for those looking to cash in on MediaCity.    

How-Do’ers present were then treated to a bit of stand-up by Scouse comedian John Bishop who chose the subject of Salford as the main focus of his attention.

Perhaps the underlying message was that Salford’s future won’t be ignoring some of the grittier realities of the present.

Manchester’s own Clint Boon then rounded off a lively evening with an hour or so at the record decks that enabled those assembled to discuss the prospects for MediaCity, network with a wide variety of like-minded souls or simply quaff drinks and take in a MediaCity atmosphere.

Richard Bowen is a researcher with Sector Publishing in Manchester

www.sectorpublishing.co.uk

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  Comments (11)
RSS comments
 1 By M1 man, on 26-06-2008 08:32
You are darned right Tod. Some of the rough pubs around Lower Broughton are a lot more fun than this. If this is the best they can do, then they might as well pack in. I remember the old days when Brian Redhead and Peter Wheeler used to broadcast from a small studio in Picadilly. Civilised programes by civilised people. Happy days.
 2 By mediacityphobe, on 26-06-2008 09:13
"will benefit from close locational proximity" ..... says Mr Bowen. 
 
Let's hope the super talented media guys can avoid such verbosity. The last time I heard such crap was when Sir Howard Bernstein delivered a Dalek-like srone on GMR about rebuilding the Arndale. "We're addressing the functionality," he kept saying.
 3 By Amazed, on 26-06-2008 12:21
This event was utter crap.  
Short on substance - just like the food. 
Nothing about the relationship with the BBC. Nothing about what will make MediaCity distinctive - apart from a place to have a conversation with other creatives. Well I for one can suggest a few pubs, bars and restaurants which would make a better venue for a creative conversation. 
 
The people of Salford deserve better than this. 

 4 By Ho hum, on 26-06-2008 11:20
Whenever I read about piazzas and fountains and 24-hour utopias I think of Wythenshawe shopping centre. Or, worse, the concrete fiasco at the lower end of Deansgate below St Mary's Gate. A nice expanse of city centre greenery was erased for this monstrous carbuncle with its promise of 21st century walkways in the sky. It ended up being a hideaway for sleeping tramps and druggies. And who remembers the plans 40 years ago for riverboat excursions from the jetty next to Exchange Station? And, let's face it, the renovation around the Cathedral is thanks to the IRA bom -- certainly not any prime initiative from the council or local businesses. Still, this report shows what fine crap the lads from Sector Publishing churn out.
 5 By Can I have my petrol money bac, on 26-06-2008 14:00
Comedian was ok, beer was cold - but apart from that this was pretentious rubbish at it's best. Old hacks desperate to cash in air kissing other old hacks always leave me a bit cold. 
 
The food was revolting, and the bar staff were rude.
 6 By M1 man, on 26-06-2008 13:43
What happened to Tod's original report? Is someone a bit oversensitive?
 7 By MediaCityUK Supporter (there i, on 26-06-2008 14:00
Lovely to see such strong support and positive comments for an initiative that has such amazing potential.  
 
Well done to all you positive folk!
 8 By sub, on 26-06-2008 14:37
did you not know that comments are censored on here? so if you had anything not-exactly-positive- to say about Mr Greasley's speechmaking, it would be subbed out. other comments which are not liked would not even appear, or would be removed if they had somehow slipped though first.  
i don't know what the justification is. It isn't exactly libellous to call someone's speech pointless, boring and rambling is it?  
I though that was fair comment?
 9 By Petrol shortage, on 27-06-2008 07:16
Ha - oh yes, my comments were removed.  
 
My comments were fair. 
 
Mr Greasley might be licking his wounds, but he seriously needs some training about public speaking.
 10 By Oi..., on 27-06-2008 07:14
Supporter - no one is being rude about 'Meeja' City. Just the event. Pay more attention please.
 11 By Disappointed, on 27-06-2008 07:52
I went to the event and was very disappointed to be honest. It was just a big piss up with free drink, food, a DJ, a comic and a poor short talk by your man.  
I was expecting new information, renders, brochure, flythroughs/videos and up to date information about construction and what the future holds for Mediacity.  
If I was representing Peel or came up from London from the BBC I woild not be impressed at all.  
The event was a PR disaster in my eyes. Hopefully the next one, if there is one, will be done properly.

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