h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Let’s not forget that Manchester gave us one of the UK’s best national newspapers.

The Manchester Guardian was founded in 1821 by John Edward Taylor, as a liberal weekly newspaper. When Stamp Duty was abolished in 1855, it became a daily newspaper, on sale for 2d – equivalent to less than a one pence coin today.

In 1959, it changed its name to The Guardian, due to its high level of national and international journalism. Two years later, it began printing in London as well as Manchester. The Guardian moved to its current London Headquarters in Farringdon Road in 1976, where the main editorial department is still based. Having visited there quite recently, I can tell you that this is not a suite of plush offices, but an exciting, journalistic environment.

The mast-head as we know it today was part of a major redesign of the newspaper in 1988. At the time, it was considered very controversial and innovative, but it has certainly stood the test of time.

In 1994, The Guardian became the first national newspaper to devote a whole section to IT, Science and Technology – “Online” the weekly supplement. It always seemed, to me, to champion the Internet, and last year launched the Guardian Unlimited network of websites.

Despite the IRA bomb attack on Docklands in 1996, in which The Guardian’s Isle of Dogs print works was severely damaged, a full edition of the newspaper was still produced for distribution the following morning.

It has also run several award-winning TV Commercials: my personal favourite is the one that used photo-journalism cropping techniques to show that a skin-head-type bloke was not resorting to senseless violence but actually trying to save someone’s life – an idea that really challenged personal prejudice.

Last year, The Guardian won Newspaper of the Year – as well as Scoop of the Year, for exposing the fake documentary The Connection. It has also won The Freedom of the Press Award, for the investigation into Jonathan Aitken. Put that together with its very innovative ways of imparting information – The Editor, a weekly round-up of news; Notes and Queries; Pass Notes; The Guide; cartoonist Steve Bell – and The Guardian is a national institution, of which Manchester can justifiably be very proud.

The Guardian is still printed in Manchester and London. Due to the high level of literals (misspellings and/or mistypings), it is affectionately known as The Grauniad.

Best bloody newspaper in the country!!

Too right, mate.

Long live the Gruniad!