MEN launches online portal to attract younger market

by Andrew McCormick, Media Week 23-Oct-07

MEN Media, publisher of the Manchester Evening News, is to launch an entertainment portal with a focus on "breakthrough bands" in an attempt to tap into the area's youth audience.

The portal will attempt to become a hub for young people throughout
Greater Manchester by offering a range of audio and video
entertainment.

The plan is part of a renewed investment in online for the Guardian

Media Group-owned title, which relaunched its main MEN site in

February.

Ruth Spratt, digital and broadcast director for GMG Regional Media, said
entertainment is a priority and that it will be watching how other media
owners commercialise entertainment online.

"Entertainment is a big area for us and we're going to launch a
comprehensive site for Greater Manchester to attract the elusive 18 to
24-year-olds," said Spratt.

"It will be interesting to watch the development of ITV.com. This is one
of the ways media companies are stemming their losses in traditional
areas."

MEN Media will launch a dedicated jobs site - The Jobsmine - in January
2008. The publisher is busy courting recruitment agencies in a bid to
become the biggest jobs portal in the North West.

Part of MEN Media's investment in online video will see estate agents
and other property firms create promotional videos to be hosted on MEN
Media's sites.

MEN Media restructured its senior management team in September,
appointing Mark Rix to the top job.

The paper went partially free last year and has extended the number of
free copies distributed from 50,000 to 90,000.

In May, the MEN announced 40 redundancies, including nine compulsory
redundancies.