From “Creative Cities” to “Media Cities”

In this chapter, I analyze the paradigm shift from creative cities to media cities in Manchester (UK) and Shanghai (China) with a focus on media clusters. Both cities are not traditionally known as global centers for media production. Creative city and media city models in both cases are about the redevelopment of de-industrialized areas in cities. I will argue that the gradual replacement of the creative city vision by the media city illuminates some of the challenges of culture-led urban regeneration policy. The displacement of the creative city and the rise of the media city in both Manchester and Shanghai allow us to understand some of the dynamics underpinning those media city strategies that are now a rising global trend.