Online news service to launch in Manchester

The city is shortly to have a new news provider, it was revealed at last night’s Social Media Cafe.

Inside the M60 will be soon be covering local news from across the city by linking up on the ground community reporters and bloggers in the latest hyperlocal project to move into the space left by traditional media’s retreating presence.

The journalists behind it, Nigel Barlow and Louise Bolotin, are well-known in the city’s social media scene and presented their plans at the meeting last night.

Nigel pointed to the low turn out for the last election in Manchester as a illustration of how a proportion of the city had become disenfranchised. Louise added that the move to the Deansgate HQ of the MEN Media weekly titles had led to a reduced local news service.

This morning they’ve posted a full manifesto for the site here which includes the statement:

“In Manchester, the poorest communities live almost within shouting distance of the bright lights and investment of the city centre and yet have little or nothing in common with it. At the same time, technology has become alien to them and they are in danger of being on the wrong side of an increasing digital divide.”

The pair have already signed up some people to blog about the news in their communities and would now like to hear from people in the areas below who are interested in getting involved:

Crumpsall,Harpurhay,Cheetham Hill,Lighbourne,Moston,Newton, Longsight,Central and Hulme, Heath,Failsworth, Ancoats, Beswick, Bradford, Ardwick, Gorton, Levenshulme.

The timing of this project is interesting too- it will be live in time for the expected May election – and volunteers are needed to help cover across the city’s constituencies.

The blog is being created on a WordPress platform and a business model based around local advertising and other revenue sources has been drawn up.

Until the live launch, news of the project and coverage of the city council, is being tweeted @InsidetheM60.

To join in or find out more contact nigelbarlow22ATgmail.com or louisebolotinATgmail.com.