http://chris.horkan.co.uk Portfolio site for a Manchester-based journalist and web developer Thu, 19 Feb 2009 09:59:10 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Through my association with Sound Communication, the ethically minded community interest company, I have created a campaign website for the North West Trade Union Congress (TUC). It highlights issues facing some 250,000 agency and temporary workers in the region - particularly working conditions and pay. The website, FairToAgencyWorkers.org, features news stories, ... http://chris.horkan.co.uk/2009/02/19/fairtoagencyworkersorg As an independent music promoter in Manchester, I've built up considerable knowledge of the city's music community, including bands, labels, promoters, venues, festivals, websites and blogs. I'm also in touch with many of the artists, plus those visiting the city to play here. I therefore feel I'm in a good position ... http://chris.horkan.co.uk/2009/02/07/hey-manchester-music-blog As part of 2008's Manchester Literature Festival, fellow journalist Kate Feld and I presented three blogging workshops on Saturdays in November. These followed similar sessions in October 2007 and January 2008, though this time we also ventured out into the sticks: namely Gorton and Crumpsall libraries. The first session, at Manchester Digital ... http://chris.horkan.co.uk/2008/12/02/blogging-workshops Besides sub-editing, proofreading, and organising contributors for Muso, a cutting-edge classical music magazine for young people (18-30), I also write news, reviews and features for both the bi-monthly UK and quarterly US/Canadian editions. I'm a musician, but not classically trained, so hardly a day goes by when I don't discover something ... http://chris.horkan.co.uk/2008/10/20/muso-magazine GoGreaterManchester.org.uk is the homepage of a coalition of Manchester residents campaigning for a 'yes' vote in the city's referendum on public transport. It is 'the voice of 9 out of 10 residents who will not pay the congestion charge', with its members wanting more trams, trains, buses and cycle routes ... http://chris.horkan.co.uk/2008/10/19/gogreatermanchesterorguk RainyCityStories.com launched in October 2008 as part of Manchester Literature Festival. Kate Feld, a North West-based freelance writer, received funding from Arts Council England for an innovative literature project for Greater Manchester. She asked me to build a website that would allow stories and poems by both commissioned writers and ... http://chris.horkan.co.uk/2008/10/16/rainycitystoriescom How-Do.co.uk launched in March 2007 to serve the media industry in the North West of England. It was conceived by Nick Jaspan, co-founder in 1992 of Newsco Publications and publisher of the short-lived North West Enquirer newspaper. The website - which offers news, opinion, features and resources - attracts tens of ... http://chris.horkan.co.uk/2008/10/16/how-docouk Launched in April 2007, TheDailyMash.co.uk is a satirical website covering the worlds of politics, media, culture and sport with spoof news stories, commentary and opinion. The site is edited by 'two of Britain's least respected journalists': Neil Rafferty (ex-Sunday Times and Press Association) and Paul Stokes (ex-Scotland on Sunday and ... http://chris.horkan.co.uk/2008/10/16/thedailymashcouk I launched Mancubist.co.uk in May 2006. It was originally intended as a place for me to try out blogging tools and new web developments, but I soon refocussed its content around Manchester's burgeoning arts and culture scenes. Listings magazine CityLife had folded the previous year, shortly after I started writing ... http://chris.horkan.co.uk/2008/10/15/mancubistcouk Jonathan Schofield, editor of Manchester Confidential, one of the city's most popular culture and lifestyle websites, commissioned me to write a couple of short features about Manchester's online communities: Virtually here Chris Horkan describes how Manchester has gained a second life Bloggers aren’t anal, are they? Chris Horkan checks out the city’s blogging ... http://chris.horkan.co.uk/2008/10/15/manchester-confidential