Amanda splits with ABC — does anyone care?
I remember not so long ago, the news that Amanda Congdon was splitting from Rocketboom — the video blog she either co-created and co-owned or was hired to front, depending on whom you believe — was the biggest news in the blogosphere. It was all over Techmeme for days, as everyone pored over her blog posts and comments by Rocketboom founder Andrew Baron (which I wrote about here after he responded to an email).
Now, there are reports that she has parted company with ABC — where she was doing occasional video reports — and there has been barely a peep. Why? Hard to say, really. I think that the attention she got when she left had a lot to do with Rocketboom, and what her acrimonious departure said about it as a new media venture (hint: don’t give the talent 49 per cent of the venture unless you really mean it). And the fact that she could go from a video-blog to a major TV network also said something about old media turning to new media for talent, which is something everyone loves.
So why the lack of interest now? I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that one of the reasons is that she just isn’t very good. She was quirky and refreshing in a way when she was on a show filmed in some guy’s basement (and yes, she has a couple of prominent assets as a video-blogger), but on TV she is just… well, irritating. That hasn’t stopped other people from a successful TV career, but most of them have had actual talent to fall back on.
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(On Sep 21st, 2007 at 9:02 pm)
Based on her wardrobe, I suggest perhaps she might get picked up by one of the Playboy interactive media properties.