Shiny Trends/Shiny Digital/Shiny Media hits ultimate level of ridicule
If before we weren’t interested at all by Shiny Media things have changed over the last weeks. Let’s be honest, why would us cowboys and muppets have bothered to follow a bunch of (not so) hot geek chicks and gadget bloggers who brought nothing to the party but occasionally were quoted in teh local UK press? Indeed, I couldn’t think of any reason to read those sites either.
But life changes and Shiny Media went in administration. Less than 2 months after new blogger gigs were available and only weeks after new editors were announced. Ever since then the blogosphere has been following Chris Price and his team. Much has been written since then and the network made a return as Shiny Trends.
Leaving aside the whole debacle with no communication with former freelancers and editors, certainly no form of financial remuneration for ex-staffers, Shiny Trends in itself is an interesting engine. Mainly operated from its Twitter account which reads as a perfect comedy show.
Today alone we had the pleasure to read following tweets with A-class comedy value.
Obviously the rumour mill is turning on full speed and a little, trust worthy birdies told us that there has been an operation of around £50,000 to reboot the network in a so-called Phoenix pre-package. Here at JOAB we will not bother investigating all these rumours because they certainly are funnier when launched by other people and there is absolutely no truth about them. But our colleague and former JOAB author, Franky was in touch with Chris Price for another tweet.
When following the bit.ly shorturl http://bit.ly/f6aeg we are greeted with a story from 09 July 2009 at the Shiny Media site.
This post (click the image for full size screencap) was written less than 2 weeks before Shiny Media went in to administration. Money quote:
They would also need to commit to paying ex-Shiny Media staff and freelancers what they’re owed until the debt is fully paid off. Don’t worry you’ll get it back, honest guv (that’s what we told them).
One can only think this post has been backdated today by Chris and the boys Price and (Ashley) Norris are having lots of fun. But who would want to work/write for them? I certainly wouldn’t. Even not if they would actually pay.
Update: The pi$$ take level becomes apparent when checking Google’s cache for said ‘Finance blogger’ entry (again click for larger version of screencap).
Another Twitter account, @Shinydigital is also maintained and communicates regularly with @shinytrends. Interesting fact here is that Shiny Digital Ltd. was registered with Companies House on 16.07.2009, one day before Shiny Media went administration.
What do you think?