BBC i - Celebdaq
In my humble opinion as a "techno-geek", the BBC have done it again. Aunty has evolved from Cath O'Deray, the luminescent entertaining relative in the corner of the room to a multi media experience touching the UK and the rest of the World through innovation. She's not only embraced the internet but started to move the goal-posts for us.
Why am I waxing on?....just take a look at Celebdaq , and the work behind one of BBCi's latest ventures. While the FTSE took decades to evolve, Celebdaq has been around for less than 12 months yet has created an entertaining web community populated by several hundred thousand traders.
Celebdaq is a celebrity share-trading game. When you sign up to this free to play game you receive a virtual ten thousand pounds (Celebdaq pounds - not real cash).
By using this money, your skill and judgement, you buy and sell "shares" in listed celebrities. Each week, the shares you own will pay out a dividend, depending on how much press coverage those celebrities received. There is a real science behind the measurement of press column inches and the celebrities are also keeping an eye on their share value, with players such as Ant and Dec, Richard Bacon and Anthea Turner!
It is also the first web based entertainment format supported by a TV show. The Celebdaq Update, broadcast on BBC3 Fridays, was devised by reality TV guru Conrad Green, who was one of the key TV executives behind the launch of Big Brother and has since left the corporation to join Simon Fuller's 19TV, the company behind Pop Idol.
The website has been developed by the team behind Popex - a popular music share trading game that has been running for the last two years - who were poached by the BBC to build the Celebdaq site.
Celebdaq award £100 to the top trader each week and as this is based on % increase over the week a new player you can stand as much chance as the old hands who've been playing since the launch. I vote Celebdaq a winner, it certainly fills a gap while I ponder my next Times premiership fantasy football team. If you do take a look at Celebdaq and wish to participate in a league let us know by e-mailing Join a league .
"thinking differently and delivering results"