Thursday, July 26, 2007

Clarification on eligibility for Manchester Blog Awards

After getting a raft of nominations in already from far and wide, I feel like I should clarify the issue of what a Manchester blog is.

The blog awards are meant to recognise great online writing in the Manchester area. In the past "the Manchester area" has been described as anywhere within reasonable commuting distance of the city. But with high speed rail and all that this area could conceivably cover most of England. So I'll clarify further: You're eligible if you live in a place where Manchester is considered the nearest big city. The place that you mean when you say "should we drive into town or take the train?" The place you go when you need to do school shopping, see a concert, or do something annoying involving government offices and forms in triplicate.

In other words, if you live much closer to another fairly big city (like Liverpool, Stoke, Nottingham, Leeds...) than you do to Manchester, you won't qualify unless you work in Manchester, or go to school there, and/or you blog mainly about the city. Yes, I know that's horribly unfair. But it would be great if some of these other places started their own blog awards, wouldn't it? Then bloggers could take over the world.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'd just like to make things complicated then!

How does the new blog a little more fit in - currently they are sailing through the manchester area and blogging about the delights of the area but by the time the awards come out they will be in Wales?

ok, i'm not entirely serious about this...

Kate Feld said...

Hmmm... that's a cool blog Toast, thanks for sharing. But they wouldn't be eligible because they're not from Manchester. Plus they said the canals in Rochdale smelt bad.

Actually, they probably do.

Tim said...

Perhaps potential nominees could be set a little Manchester Orienteering Challenge to prove their eligibility.

Stand them outside the front of the GMEX (or whatever it's called today) and tell them to fetch back a postcard from the Cornerhouse, a timetable from Piccadilly Station, an old man from the Hare and Hounds, a goth from Afflecks Palace, and so on. All on foot and no looking at maps.

Anybody who makes it back the same day wins the right to proceed to the nomination stage.

Hope that helps.

Kate Feld said...

I love it, Tim! But I think it's too easy.

Maybe we could add a small cavorting wet scally from Piccadilly Gardens, a hen party from Canal Street and the Sabi Rock man, just to make it a little more challenging.

Tim said...

Too easy? I can't find my way to the front of the GMEX without a map. And that's if I'm already standing at the side of the GMEX.

Jon M said...

Can't say I'm not disappointed, presuming I'm barred from your comp being from the wrong end of the M56.
It might be wise to be more specific about 'eligibility' next time.
According to your exacting criteria, I'm 'closer' to a 'fairly' large city called Liverpool which I haven't visited for years.
Ho Hum. Think it through next time.

James said...

Throw in a "young, creative type" from the Northern Quarter and the Chinese Elvis impersonator from behind the bar at Charlie's and I'll give it a go.

Kate Feld said...

Hey Jon, I'm really sorry you feel that way, but this is only the second year of the blog awards, and I think it's fairly reasonable to expect the awards to try and focus on Manchester.

It was my mistake for not spelling it out more in this year's blog post, though I assure you this is the same criteria we used last year, and there were no complaints.

Why not get together with some of the other folks on Liverpool Blogs and organise your own awards, in conjunction with one of the Merseyside festivals? There are lots of bloggers out there.

Jon M said...

No problem,Y. Just that I don't have much affiliation with Liverpool. I don't live in Merseyside either so any geographical criteria would be a bit contrived.

I was just making the point that you need to ensure that your entry criteria is decided before you announce a competition or you could leave yourself open to accusations of changing the rules as you go along. Which I'm sure ISN'T the case.
Anyway, good luck, I'm looking forward to getting along to hear Caroline read!

Kate Feld said...

Sorry Jon, I think I was trying to make clear that all the entry criteria had been decided last year, before the first blog awards.

I'm glad you understand, though - and I'll look forward to seeing you at the blog awards.

Unknown said...

I guess that means my blogs are ineligible too - technically I live closer to Liverpool but have family in Manchester and visit Manchester far more often. But because it's 15 miles further away, I'm ruled out. Ho hum...

Anonymous said...

Simple solution: everyone move to Manchester!