About

What is Urban Ghosts Media?

Urban Ghosts Media is best described as a slightly bizarre online magazine about abandoned places, hidden history and alternative travel.

Why abandoned places?

Ever wandered through your home town and noticed an abandoned theatre, bricked-up church, or crumbling mansion, and wondered what’s inside?  Ever given a thought to its history, or what it was like back in the day?  We take you beyond those locked doors.

Why hidden history?

History is all around us, on every street corner.  Almost every place has a story to tell, but so much goes unnoticed, or simply pales into insignificance alongside heavy-hitting giants like the pyramids.  Urban Ghosts Media aims to highlight those lesser known fascinations – and sometimes the popular ones too.

Why alternative travel?

Each article transports you somewhere, be it a mysterious island or the humble birth place of the Titanic, but it wouldn’t necessarily be your primary holiday destination!  We love mainstream places but prefer to highlight ones that are less likely to be stumbled upon.

Do you cover anything else?

There’s always room for additional topics, but these broad areas offer limitless options.  We’re fond of a good bit of mystery and legend, and also have a geeky appreciation of planes, so love to sqeeze them in from time to time.

How often are new articles published?

There’s no fixed timetable, but as often as possible.  We publish something most days, and eventually hope to present one in-depth article on a daily basis.

When was Urban Ghosts Media first launched?

Our first ever article, Famous Landmark: The Angel of the North, hit the internet on 20 August, 2009.

What is your style?

Article style has evolved since August 2009, and Urban Ghosts Media is very much a work in progress.  While UGM is more e-magazine than photo blog, we’ve settled on a high-impact visual style that is image-heavy and garnished with a concise, punchy narrative.

How many contributors do you have?

At the moment just me (Tom), but I say “we” and “our” because I have grand plans for the future – I just need your help!

Your name has “Ghosts” in it.  Is this a Paranormal website?

No, but that doesn’t mean we’re not fascinated by the paranormal!  “Urban Ghosts” stands for places that have passed into obscurity, lesser known subjects of historical interest, and the more shadowy corners of the world.

Why “Urban Ghosts Media” and not just “Urban Ghosts”?

After deciding on a name, I learned that there is an established Canadian street photography blog called Urban Ghost.  It’s a fantastic blog but the name was just too similar, so I decided to add “Media” to the title, and here we are today!  If you came here looking for Urban Ghost, you can find it here.

How can I get involved?

Numerous ways!  Most importantly, stop by when you fancy a five minute escape from it all and enjoy our latest content.  If you really like it, which we hope you do, sign up for email updates, connect with us via Twitter or join the conversation on Facebook (Follow Me buttons in right sidebar).

Most importantly?

Comment on our articles (we love getting comments, just not spam), tell your friends about us, and send us some feedback to let us know what you like and what you think can be improved.  Finally, if you have any fantastic images and great ideas for content we’d absolutely love to hear from you!

Where is Urban Ghosts Media based?

Urban Ghosts Media is the main website of Urban Ghosts Media Ltd, a British-based company with a global audience.

Who is Tom?

I’m a journalist from Sheffield, UK.  My slightly bizarre interest in all of the above probably stems from my roots in a northern city steeped in industrial history, where the contrast between bleak factories and elegant grandeur is stark.  Not surprisingly then, I love to get away from it all and travel – and have done so all across the world.

About Images

All images are either public domain, Creative Commons licensed and sourced properly, or posted with permission.  In each case, our policy is to do everything we can to ensure the original photographer is credited in full.  If we have inadvertently used an image without the appropriate permissions which you would like removed, or if we have credited you incorrectly, please send us a message via the contact form (or urbanghosts AT gmail.com) and we will deal with it immediately as per your wishes.  Similarly, if you notice a mistake in the attribution of any images on the site, please let us know so we can correct it as soon as possible.

Header Image features Lenin Square in the abandoned city of Pripyat, Ukraine.  The image (here) is by Timm Suess and licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic.

Disclaimer

All information and images on this website are for educational purposes only, to be enjoyed from the comfort and safety of an arm chair, office chair, blackberry, tropical beach, or wherever else you happen to be.  They are in no way meant to encourage trespassing on private property or entering dangerous locations where there could be a multitude of hazards – including but not limited to asbestos, needles, structurally unsound buildings and so on.  If that is your intention, seek proper permission and take the appropriate precautions.  Finally, never forget that real urban explorers love and respect the places they visit, and always leave them in the same condition that they found them in.