Shiny Media

Wanted: Personal Finance Writer for Shiny Media

2009-07-03T14:55:04Z

Shiny Media is looking for a Personal Finance writer to contribute to Walletpop, a blog which we produce in conjunction with AOL. The writer must have a solid personal finance background and be able to cover general finance stories, ideally at least a story a day four days a week. They would also need to commit to one propery piece a week and one 'freebies' post a week. Anyone interested in this FREELANCE position should supply a brief CV comprising links to online personal finance articles they have written and their contact details including phone number. If interested, please email chris@shinymedia.com.

Shiny Media hits 25 million views on YouTube

2009-07-02T13:44:02Z

Here at Shiny towers we like milestones. So here's another one we're very excited about. Latest stats from the YouTube folks reveal there have now been 25 million views across our various video channels including our tech and fashion video channels. We've also accumulated a large library close to 2000 videos (1986 at the time of writing to be precise) and we have over 8000 subscribers to them (8,283). So all in all very good news for video indeed.

Shiny Media welcomes new editors

2009-06-23T09:22:49Z

Shiny Media is pleased to welcome onboard new editors for three of its websites. Following the recent departure of Zara Rabinowicz, Anna Leach - who was recently deputy editor of Time Out's travel website - takes over flagship gadget and lifestyle site, ShinyShiny.tv while Anushka Fernando joins us as editor of leading beauty site, KissandMakeUp.tv. Anushka has worked for BBC Girl Talk as well as Look and Closer magazines. Last but by no means least is Craig Laurenson who is the new editor of Corrieblog.tv. We wish them all luck!

Shiny Media announces tech partnership with Pro IT

2009-06-16T15:46:48Z

Shiny Media is pleased to announce a partnership with IT experts, Pro IT Service S.R.L, to provide support for its network of websites. The Romanian based firm, which specialises in the Movable Type content management system (CMS), recently migrated all of the Shiny sites to new Pair servers in the US and is currently working closely with Shiny's head of in-house development, Sheldon Daniels, to add increased functionality and improved SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) to the network.

Says Mihai Bocsaru, Managing Director of Pro IT: "Although we have worked with Shiny on various projects in the past, I am pleased that Shiny has decided to cement the relationship by announcing us as their preferred IT supplier. We have recently upgraded the sites to the latest Movable Type platform as well as moved the sites to a new server to cope with growing traffic."

]]> He adds: "We are looking forward to working on even more projects to help the well established and reputable Shiny Media network grow even more in the following months and years."

Following Tech Digest's successful re-launch earlier in the year, Catwalk Queen is to undergo a facelift this month with a fresh new design and improved features including enhanced image galleries and better site navigation.

As previously announced, Shiny Media has also appointed Mike Poole, formerly Creative Director of contract publishing company Publicis Blueprint, as a freelance consultant to oversee the redesign of the websites. Wedding website Bridalwave and lifestyle gadget site Shiny Shiny are next up to receive a design makeover.

Zara checks out - Shiny Shiny Editor and writers wanted

2009-06-04T10:37:44Z

After over two years of life in Shiny Towers Shiny Shiny Ed Zara is off for pastures new. Over the years she has written for just about every Shiny title, but has recently made both Shiny Shiny and Kissandmakeup her own. She has also become one of the faces of Shiny video and has built a cult audience across the globe. We are gutted to see her go. You can keep up with on Twitter

However Shiny Shiny is moving on and entering a new phase in its life. So we need an editor and writers to take it into a new era.

We need tech writers who can deliver intelligent, creative copy about gadgets, the web and all the other esoteric stuff Shiny covers. They also need to be able to review gadgets and talk about them in an engaging way in front of a camera. The writers can be female or male, what matters most is the brilliant copy and video they produce.

They don't have to be Zara - she is, after all, a real one off. Here's how I will remember her...

The UK's top Twitterers - the ones who really put the hours in

2009-05-08T10:43:29Z

I finally got round to doing something I have been threatening to do for ages and that is produce a list of the UK's top Twitterers (or is it Tweeters?).

Except that this list takes no account of number of followers, influence or retweeting power. It is purely based on the number of tweets a person has made.

Here's the ramble - you can read the rest of the post and see the list here

Alright so we all know that Jonathan Ross is the UK's most influential Twitterer and that Mashable's Pete Cashmore has the biggest number of followers for a Brit (though we know he spends lot of time in San Francisco these days), but the question that I really wanted to know the answer to is who in the UK tweets the most?

Is it a very bored person in a dull job whose boss hasn't yet got round to mastering email let alone micro blogging or a social media advocate who has to spend days following everyone and retweeting influentials cos that's the main part of their job description?

So, some time in April, I started a on a mission to find out who the UK's top twitterers are.
I guess I was just intrigued by how often people use Twitter and why they use it. Perhaps, most importantly, what kind of people are posting 20 plus tweets a day.

The full list is on TechDigest here

Shiny Media sells Pies, relaunches WiiWii and Dollymix

2009-05-01T12:34:44Z

It's another bank holiday weekend, the sun is shining (don't worry it won't be by tomorrow) summer is nearly here and Shiny Media has more good news. After a prolonged injury Who Ate All the Pies is off the bench and match fit. Yes, Shiny has struck a deal with the guys behind Anorak to re-launch the site with cap'n Olly Irish back at the helm as editor.

In other news, Shiny has relaunched WiiWii.tv due to popular demand - again with editor Chris Schilling back in place. Finally, if you've been missing Dollymix recently you'll be pleased to hear that it's back after a short absence with two new editors - Shiny Media veteran freelancers, Sian Meades and Robyn Wilder - providing 'thought candy for your lady brains'.

Shiny Media sells Pies, relaunches WiiWii and Dollymix

2009-05-01T11:05:06Z

It's the Friday before a Bank Holiday, the sun is shining (don't worry it won't be by tomorrow) and we've got good news here at Shiny Towers. After a prolonged spell on the bench, Who Ate All The Pies is back to match fitness with Olly Irish making a return as team captain.

Shiny Media has done a deal with the guys behind Anorak.co.uk to take over the site as of today. Also we're pleased to announce that WiiWii is back by popular demand too. Chris Schilling continues to helm the site. And finally....Followers of Dollymix may have noticed that there hasn't been much content up there for the last few weeks. Well that's about to change from today too. Veteran shiny freelancers Sian Meades and Robyn Wilder are joint editors of the site, providing 'thought candy for your lady brains'.

Tech Digest storms the Gadget Show

2009-04-22T11:10:00Z

Last weekend saw Shiny Media shoot up to Birmingham en masse for The Gadget Show where the Tech Digest and Shiny Shiny editorial guys were giving talks on everything from how to take better pictures to how to download music free and legally. It was a storming success. Talks were absolutely mobbed with people taking notes, asking questions and generally being wonderful. But don't worry if you couldn't make it up to see us, you can always get the talks here (video to follow). Special thanks go to Dan, Duncan and Zara for standing up in front of all those people and sounding knowledgeable, Jamie the sound man for working miracles at what was an amazingly loud show, Helen Marriot for giving us the opportunity to sponsor the How To Theatre and the Bar Jee restaurant for providing great food on Friday night!! A good time was had by all.

Shiny's Gemma and Iso named in Indie's Fashion 100

2009-04-09T16:14:44Z

It's Gemma's last day today. And we're all very sad. She has been here a long time (I think she was still at school when she started here or it certainly seemed that way) and she has helped shape Shiny to become the company that it is today. Catwalk Queen, one of the UK's biggest fashion sites - bigger than Vogue.co.uk - was her baby. And it is now Shiny's second biggest site and continues to grow apace. So it is fitting that the Independent has recognised her in its poll of fashion's online movers and shakers. See here. Gemma and Isabelle, who will be taking over from Gemma as Editor of Catwalk Queen from Tuesday, were placed at number 31 in the poll. You can see the entry here.

Mike Poole joins Shiny as creative consultant

2009-03-27T13:58:40Z

I am very pleased to announce that Mike Poole has joined Shiny as a creative consultant . Over the next few months he will be overseeing a significant revamp of several of our key websites, advising the company on branding issues and probably boring us rigid about fonts.

Mike is a complete design/branding genius who worked with a huge number of companies while Creative Director at Publicis Blueprint including Debenhams, Toni&Guy and Asda.

I am very excited he has joined us.

Ashley

Bye bye Gemma...

2009-03-27T13:25:59Z

In spite of tempting her with piles of Owen Wilson DVDs, ASOS vouchers and front row seats at the Kidderminster and district fashion show Shiny's own Anna Wintour (though much nicer) Gemma Cartwright has decided the time is right to move on.

What can I say other than I am very sad she is going and that I wish her very well in her future role, which she'll tell you all about very soon if you follow her at Twitter @GemmaCartwright

Gemma played a massive role in the development of Shiny and is directly responsible for some of our most successful blogs. We will miss her like hell.

Good luck Gemma

Ashley

Shiny Media servers back up and running

2009-03-10T12:10:18Z

Those we regularly read our blogs may have noticed an interruption to their usual Shiny service on Thursday/Friday last week. That's because the servers finally collapsed under the weight of too much traffic. They've been running at peak capacity for some time now and finally decided they'd had enough of the stress and strain and downed tools - I know how they feel sometimes.

Thankfully the guys at Headshift were around to sort things out for us and we were back up and running Friday night, around 7.30pm GMT. Unfortunately while we get the new kit sorted out - hopefully in the next couple of weeks - some of the sites' functionality, such as commenting, is restricted. But we are working closely with Headshift to get it all sorted. Ironically, they had just installed MT 4.2 across the sites for us, and it was working pretty darned fine, but we have known we have needed to upgrade the remaining tech infrastructure for some time now. Now we just need to make the necessary investment!

Moving Shiny forward

2009-02-06T20:19:08Z

You don't need me to tell you that that we are in the midst of some very tough times and sadly they affect new media networks like Shiny too.

We have held on as long as we could without restructuring the business but we now have to make those changes to secure the long-term stability of Shiny.

It is with huge regret that we are having to part company with several members of our team . They are very talented and extremely likable individuals, however ultimately in the current climate we are faced with no choice but to let them go.

We also announce today the departure of our editorial director and co-founder Katie Lee from Shiny. Katie played a massive role in developing Shiny and in particular several of its hero blogs. She has now decided that the time is right to leave the business. She does however remain a significant shareholder in Shiny and we are very grateful for all she has done over the years.

Shiny is a British new media success story. We have built a stable of great media brands that between them attract over three million readers each month. Times maybe tough now, but we are confident that this move, though painful in the short term, will leave us well placed to thrive and prosper in the future.

Shiny Media's 20 million YouTube views

2009-02-06T10:47:49Z

Just checking the YouTube stats the other day, when I realised we have reached something of a milestone. Yes earlier in the week we hit 20 million video views from our growing library of 1668 tech and fashion videos. Check out the most popular videos below. Perhaps somewhat surprisingly number 1 is Alex's review of an LG Viewty phone which has received well over one million views, while less of a surprise is that Dan's interview with 'Lara Croft' is in the number 2 spot.

Top 10 most popular live videos:
1. Shiny Video Review: Hands on with the... Views: 1146629
2. Shiny Interview: Alison Carroll aka L... Views: 373591
3. Wii fit Views: 360329
4. Shiny Video Review: The Shocking Tase... Views: 343601
5. Shiny at 3GSM: NVIDIA next-generation... Views: 311705
6. Shiny Review: LG Shine phone Views: 263275
7. Shiny One Minute Preview: Nokia N95 Views: 248253
8. Shiny Preview: Samsung Armani Luxury ... Views: 223970
9. Shiny Media One Minute Preview: The U... Views: 218008
10 Zara looks at the SuperSmoker Views: 214460