Media, that all encompassing term that covers press, television, the internet and virtually everything else that involves getting things out there to the public. For decades now the media centre of the UK has been London, which is a perfectly obvious choice seeing as it is the capital and essential hub of the country. Times they are a-changing however, and Manchester has become one of the fastest growing media centres in the UK.

When the BBC announced that they were moving some of their top shows to the new MediaCityUK complex in Salford, reactions were mixed. Many of their top stars and presenters refused to make the move north, and there were also a lot of murmurs about the potential demise due to the travel involved and the fact that the clarity of their guests would drop with having to travel to Manchester for a 5 minute slot.

Whilst MediaCityUK is still in its infancy, the fact that the BBC and ITV both now see this as home has given it a credibility that was lacking when its inception was first announced. Nobody should really be surprised that Manchester’s media culture has taken such a huge step forward, especially when you consider that Granada studios was one of the biggest in country and the where such classics as Coronation Street were filmed.

The press attention that MediaCityUK has received has made many sit up and take notice. In its prime location at Salford Quays, right on the banks of the historic shipping canal, this complex houses studios, retail space, news facilities, apartments, numerous feet of office space and the University of Salford’s digital learning, research and teaching centre.

This coming together of all things media related has had far reaching effects across the city, and employment in the sector is booming. Training and development courses for fields such as TV and film production have also flourished in  recent years as to ensure the right skills are there to meet the growing demand. Companies in the field of media are coming into the city from all over the country, only recently it was reported that a top visual effects company from Yorkshire had made the journey across the Pennines to set up an office in the city centre.

Overall, as far as the media sector goes, Manchester is definitely the place to be. It is no longer just a northern city but a media hub with its finger on the pulse of everything that is going on in this complex and often misconstrued sector. Anybody who is involved in media will be looking to make their presence felt, and currently there is no better place to do that than Manchester.

Eric Cantona in 'Looking for Eric' beside classic poster

Looking for Eric is one of those special films that perfectly captures modern working life in Manchester and the magic of Manchester United for its fans

Films based around football have never had the best reputation within the world of cinema. However, this is not so much film about football. It is more a film about how football represents an arena of joy, sorrow and comfort for fans.Particularly how Eric Cantona, even though he retired in 1997 still hold a special place in the hearts of Manchester United fans old and new.

‘Looking For Eric‘ revolves around the imaginary relationship between a postman going through a very difficult time in his life and ex-Manchester United player Eric Cantona. The film brought a real smile to my face and contained some great footage of Eric Cantona’s goals and the magic that he helped create on the field

It was indeed very nostalgic to see this film as I could really relate to the magic of Manchester United in the 90′s and the special atmosphere it created for fans. The film also captures the politics involved in Manchester United today and the corporate greed that consumes the club and excludes ‘the working man’. The postman uses Eric Cantona as a source of inspiration to find himself and win back his life that is spiraling out of control.

I won’t spoil how the film finishes for those that have not seen it yet, but I would definitely recommend it. Particularly for those people that don’t watch football as I believe it would help them understand what football means for so many people in Manchester.