Piccadilly Pulse: Would you watch a television channel dedicated to Manchester?
The closure of Manchester’s long-standing TV station Channel M has created a gap in the market.
Manchester.tv was launched this week, despite an uncertainty of demand for a channel dedicated to one city.
Founder James Black told MM: “I’m gambling that by the time the budget runs out people will be interested.
“Even if we went bust though, I would want to keep it going.”
The channel has been born with an ethos of focusing on the positive stories that come out of Manchester, instead of focusing on the doom and gloom.
MM took to the streets of Manchester to ask their opinion:
Would you watch a television channel dedicated to Manchester?
Yes – 53 %
No – 9 %
Maybe - 38%
Stephen Preston, marketing, 25, Stockport
“I would if it had varied Manchester related programmes on, like comedy and music, but Channel M was mostly irrelevant community stuff which you can’t really watch too much of.”
Annabel Richards, translator, 30, Fallowfield
“If it was about interesting stuff that happened here I’d watch those sorts of things when they were on.”
Ste Ruddick, student, 22, Manchester
“I didn’t even know Channel M existed.”
Gerry Sanders, teacher, 44, Timperly
“I might be interested but it depends what it’s like.”
Helena Pullman, 23, events organiser, Hulme
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“I’d always turn on to see what it was like, and if whatever was on caught my attention I may keep watching it as a daytime TV thing.”
Anne Murray, researcher, 48, Denton
“If I wanted specific news about Manchester and if I would get up-to-date info then yeah.”
Ashley Sayer, student, 19, Fallowfield
“I didn’t watch Channel M because it was really bad quality.”
Nick Billington, shop assistant, 27, Bury
“It depends if it’s got stuff about gigs and clubs because that’s what I want to know about.”
Ella Coxe, P.A, 21, Eccles
“Yeah I’d be really interested!”
Jamil Khan, business owner, 35, Stockport
“Yeah I might, with a business it’s useful to know what’s going on in the area.”
Got to say the 90 seconds
Got to say the 90 seconds news is NOT 90 seconds.
I normally wouln;t care but I
I normally wouln;t care but I did like the comment that they would carry on even if they went bust!
I watched Manchester.tv and you can really tell it is early days - but the idea is great and I and wish them all the best. I think they will find it hard going though as I'm sure the MEN / Granada won't just stand there without taking it on and running their own service.
The daily news presenter is quite nice and even though I don't think I would ever go there for 'hard' news I did find at least one of the stories amusing (the lose a phone story).
There is a local tv station near my old home in Helensburgh which has done really well. Whether Manchester is too big and urban to want 'local' TV is another matter.
If I were them I would start adding extra features as quick as possible. The sport was an old story and I would like a little more up to date sports news. I think that if they went filming all the events that are happening they would get a great audience.
I spoke to a couple of my mates and NONE had heard of Manchester.tv - although they had heard of Channel M but thought it had disappeared a few years ago.
Would I watch every day or make it a part of my daily routine? Hmmm! I watched it on my iPhone so I might give it my 90 seconds every day when on the bus.
Yes I would watch this. What
Yes I would watch this. What the hell are the 'related' stories about though - nothing to do with this!
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