Manchester Evening News

I used to read it when it was free. It’s still free on Thursday and Friday which is good because you can still have a look through their jobs. But as a paper, I never liked it. I don’t like their news. But you know, free paper, being bored on a bus or tram, you might as well kill your time for a bit. But now that you need to pay for it, I will always rather a different one. Like The independent, the guardian or a normal magazine that will teach me stupid things that I already know.
I mean, I respect that people are trying to keep us informed with everything is going on in our lovely city, but I think they should put a bit more effort in it, and surely they should leave it free so that everyone will access the news no matter what.

When in Rome…
Or in this case, Manchester.
Manchester Evening News, that is!
I don’t really know where that introduction is heading, but suffice to say the MEN is a little institution of this fair city, providing the citizens with their daily fix of news and entertainment, and all for free if you’re in the city! Helpfully handed out by those raggedy men you’d normally cross the street to avoid, it’s difficult to move through the centre without winding up with a copy, and why would you?
It covers the major news of the day as well as the more niche regional stuff, which can be a little jarring at times when you turn the page from learning about a natural disaster half the world away to read a story about Dave-from-the-down-the-road’s dog that gave birth to kittens. Still, Manchester wouldn’t feel the same without it.

The MEN is a great regional paper for Manchester, and the fact that it’s free is even better. Think, if you were in London you’d have to pay for the Evening Standard. And that’s why the ES can’t compete with the Metro and Lite papers that are being given away for free.
The MEN is available on practically every street corner in Manchester, meaning that there is absolutely no need to pick up a wishy-​washy Metros. You can get a great local paper with a bit of substance instead.
The jobs section out on a Thursday is a valuable resource for any job-​hinters out there, being jam packed with high flying office jobs as well all the bar and restaurant jobs that are going at the moment.
There’s a good mix of regional and local reporting at a good quality in the MEN. If you’re a fan of either Manchester United or Manchester City, then this paper is amazing for you. They have pages and pages of sports coverage on the city’s two teams every day.

The MEN is a great regional newspaper.
It’s not perfect but it’s ours and I personally love it.
It’s hard to see why they give it away for free in the city centre. But it does mean that EVERYONE in the city centre reads it! You can’t get away from it, the only way to fend off the enthusiastic street vendors is to walk down the street holding a copy!
But when you haven’t got a copy, you do miss it. Bus journeys seem twice as long! Plus you’ll end up being left out once you actually get to work! There’s always at least one article that everyone is either outraged or hugely amused by!
I really do generally enjoy reading it, sure there are mistakes but it’s a regional newspaper so they have the bare minimum staff! Sure there are a lot of adverts but they give it away for free so they have to raise revenue somehow!
The charity campaigns, as Emma-​Louise has mentioned, are really well done. The ‘Cash Back’ campaign for Christies charity to reclaim £6.5 million from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme really captured the heart of Manchester and it was a huge success too!
I love to see the paper doing well and I love to see Manchester getting behind it. Long live the MEN!