ðə mˈæntʃɛstɚɹ ɛkspɹˈɛs wʌz ˈoʊnd baɪ kwˈɔlᵻɾi ʌv lˈaɪf pˌʌblɪkˈeɪʃənz, ðə pˈɛɹənt kˈʌmpəni ʌv hˈɪpoʊ pɹˈɛs, wˌɪtʃ ˈɔːlsoʊ pɹədˈuːsᵻz ðə fɹˈiː ˈɑːɹts ænd ˌɛntɚtˈeɪnmənt wˈiːkli pˈeɪpɚ, ðə hˈɪpoʊ, ænd ˈʌðɚ lˈoʊkəl pˌʌblɪkˈeɪʃənz.
The Manchester Express was owned by Quality of Life Publications, the parent company of Hippo Press, which also produces the free arts and entertainment weekly paper, The Hippo, and other local publications.