After splitting with ABCNews.com, can Amanda Congdon find another audience?
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Let me be honest. I don’t watch Rocketboom and I haven’t stomached more than a few of Amanda Congdon’s former show at ABCNews.com.
I can’t. I get a canny, tinny feeling. Tastes like metal and makes my browser hiccup.
Apparently a lot of people can’t stomach it.
ABCNews.com separated from the former darling of the vlogging world today after a year-long experiment that tested whether bloggers/vloggers could make the transition to mainstream media and turn a profit for the establishment media.
Congdon created a buzz around video blogging as host of Rocketboom, a sort of daily news variety show that led her to a contract with ABC.
While host of Rocketboom, Congdon had me hooked. I even read the Amanda Unboomed blog. She had a great personality and an interesting take on news. But as soon as she split, I did too. Rocketboom just wasn’t the same.
But I didn’t follow her to ABCNews.com. And judging from the ABCNews.com-Congdon divorce, I imagine few people clicked after her.
Now, where does that leave her, and where does it leave other blog/vlog personalities who flirt with leaping between MSM and the blogosphere? Is the blogosphere forgiving enough to welcome her back to her rightful side of the fence?
The question is, once you spurn your local community theater group for a shot at acting in a bad movie, will your former troup let you back on the small stage?
Members of mediabistro are already calling for Micki Krimmel to replace Congdon in the vlog limelight. I’ve yet to watch Krimmel, but I don’t know if ABCNews.com needs a replacement. Maybe mainstream media isn’t the place for creatives that depend on organic audiences.
I wish Congdon luck, but for now, I’m not holding my breath for her next endeavor. I’ll stick with Morgan Webb at WebbAlert, which isn’t as funny as Rocketboom once was, and not as entertaining as Congdon. But it is genuine, I think (for now)
What do you think?
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October 8th, 2007 at 1:36 pm
Congdon was the first out of the gates w/ rocketboom. I remember trading links with you when she first appeared. I’ve seen her around at a number of the various video-blogging conferences out here, but i don’t think she really carries the same energy she did in her past.
I know Micki through a few groups out here. Her vlog is awesome, although i don’t a partnership with her and ABC would benefit either. Micki is a little too progressive for ABC.