MAGAZINE SHOW LAUNCH FOR CHANNEL M
Channel m has launched a brand new early evening magazine show entitled "Channel m Today" which incorporates the best of the day’s news, sport and entertainment headlines together with interviews and features relevant to the region.
The show airs Monday to Friday from 4pm-7pm on Sky channel 203, Virgin 878, Free to Air 39 and online and on Freeview following digital switchover. The move onto Freeview will extend the footprint of the station’s reach making it accessible to 2.5 million homes, reaching beyond Greater Manchester into Warrington, Runcorn, Macclesfield, North Cheshire and parts of Merseyside. IPSOS Research, recognised by the IPA, indicates current viewing figures of 135,000 with access to 550,000 homes.
Andy Crane anchors the new show which reports on all the major news stories from across Greater Manchester as they break to give that recognised Channel m treatment to national and international stories.
Air time is also devoted to entertainment, lifestyle and sport in the magazine style show which features its news headlines on the hour. The 4-5pm slot has lighter news stories and features while the 5-7pm slot concentrates on hard hitting news stories, interviews, sport and business strands.
The fleet of Channel m jeeps ferry reporters and camera operators across the region to capture news and the best of what's going on for Channel m Today. With a remit to represent the voices of Greater Manchester, the Channel m team will continue to bring community, entertainment and music news - building on the strong relationships with all of the local venues and community groups. The new show focuses on interactivity – encouraging viewers to engage with the station via phone-ins, sending in pictures to accompany weather forecasts and building conversations on the website.
Says Ruth Spratt, managing director of MEN Media, which runs Channel m, "This new three hour magazine style format show allows the team to share our passion for the Greater Manchester people even further and we look forward to the move to Freeview which provides us with massive potential for audience growth."
Channel m is wholly dedicated to promoting the interests of the city, its ten boroughs and its people and is an award winning local channel.
Andy Crane
Andy Crane's broadcasting career spans more than twenty five years! Beginning at Piccadilly Radio in 1983 - in 1986 he joined Children's BBC, the job that would make him a household name. Andy has also presented "Top of the Pops", "The Travel Show", "Bad Influence!", and appeared on others including "The Big Breakfast", "This Morning" and "Noel's House Party" receiving a "Gotcha Oscar".