Brighton - The Second Home of British Media

When people consider British media, London is the first place that springs to mind. After all, the capital is where the vast majority of popular television show studios, news programme producers, newspaper and magazine publishers and other major media outlets are headquartered. No discussion of the British media would be complete, though, without the inclusion of Brighton. Nicknamed "Silicon Beach," this popular seaside resort town is also a force to be reckoned with in the media world.

The 1990s: Silicon Beach is Born

Digital media really started picking up with the skyrocketing popularity of the Internet during the 1990s. This coincides with the approximate time when "new media" firms began flocking to Brighton. Similar to California's Silicon Valley, Brighton became the digital media hotbed of Britain during those exciting years. Some of the hippest and most promising Internet upstarts set up shop in Brighton, and the annual Brighton and Hove Virtual Festival helped cement its reputation.

A Rich Digital Media Tradition

As more and more new media agencies headquartered themselves in Brighton, the city made a smart move by encouraging the phenomenon. The Brighton Media Centre is one exceptional example of the accommodations that were made to make room for creative, cutting-edge digital media firms in Brighton. With its prime location just a few blocks from the beach - and within walking distance to many of the city's very best amenities - the Brighton Media Centre is proof positive that the city embraces its newfound reputation as a new media mecca.

Major New Media Players Move In

Fledgling technology firms are what prompted the influx of new media companies into Brighton, but bigger names eventually swooped in to snap up some of the limelight. Linden Lab, the company responsible for the popular virtual world known as "Second Life," built a second office in Brighton in 2007; their headquarters are in San Francisco. Near the end of that same year, media giant Disney decided to headquarter the branch responsible for the British version of its online game, Club Penguin, in Brighton. These relatively new arrivals prove once again that Brighton is still Silicon-by-the-Sea.

Planning a Business Trip to Brighton?

With so many new media and digital technology firms headquartered in Brighton, it's not unusual for business professionals to require occasional trips there. Fortunately, there are a number of splendid hotels in Brighton that can accommodate business travellers with ease. Many Brighton hotels are geared especially toward businessmen, with affordable rates and central locations. If you end up in Brighton on business, don't forget to squeeze in a little bit of fun, too. Even if you just include a stroll along the beach, you'll easily see why Brighton has enamoured so many people through the years.