She’s back

December 14, 2006 by Jeff Jarvis

So Amanda Congdon has her videoblog up on ABCNews.com and I like it. It’s impressive that they let her be her without trying to transform Amanda into an anchor or overproduce her. It’s also impressive that she gets a rave review in The New York Times. I’ll be eager to see how the big tube uses her. Maybe she can replace Rosie on The View, eh?

  • Joe O

    Check out Adam Baron’s review:

    After seeing what she has done with Amanda Across America (no spirit or production value) and now ABC News which is a carbon copy of what I hired her to do for Rocketboom, I give her an F for creativity and originality and a D- for effort. Seeing her take a “turn to camera 2″, just as we do in today’s episode of Rocketboom is just embarrassing.

    Rocketboom’s current host Joanne now also hosts some travel show. The name and channel escape me. Adam can’t be happy. Sour grapes or is he geniunely getting stiffed?

  • Pingback: RegioBlogs » Archivo » Se acuerdan de Amanda Congdon

  • http://spaceygreview.blogspot.com/2006/12/future-of-news-coverage.html Grayson

    Oh dear, please don’t even think about dumping precious, smart, techy Amanda into the s-heap of daytime TV. Although if you must, All My Kids would be better.

  • Chris Rooney

    I have never understood the widespread popularity of Amanda Congdon. Would she showing up on “CSI,” HBO and ABCNews.com if she looked like…we…me?

  • http://www.lostremote.com Safran

    Respectfully agree to disagree, Prof. Jarvis. Amanda’s appeal on R’Boom was the DIY-ness, not necessarily her delivery. In the new context, it’s less charming. I know I sound a bit like one of those music fans who goes bitter the moment his favorite band “sells out” by actually getting popular – and maybe I actually am. I found the appeal of R’Boom in the whole treat, the sum of its parts. Separate, neither Miss Amanda nor R’Boom are nearly as good.

  • http://quietkid.net Steve Clancy

    I kind of stopped watching Rocketboom after Amanda left, but this seems like a refreshing twist on her old gig. It seems like ABC News allows her to focus a little more on hard news, rather than just random web things (although there’s plenty of that). I also like how she treats her “anchor desk” like a real desk, it makes the thing seem more natural. I think this is an interesting venture for both parties, I just wonder why I can’t download this through iTunes yet.

  • ronbo

    One of the things I’ve learned over years of brand consulting is never to substitute one’s own opinion for those of actual consumers. So I think Amanda is likely to be very successful despite finding her self-absorbed, self-important and precious. And, um, hot.

  • Paw

    Agree with Mr. Rooney and Safran. Mainstream media attempts at DIY-ness always look phony and forced and this is no exception. And while I certainly celebrate the fact that Amanda is a good looking blonde with big boobs and a tight T shirt, it doesn’t make her blog any more interesting. Bring back Linda Ellerbee and Lloyd Dobbins!

  • http://amandacongdon.com/ Amanda Congdon

    Steve Clancy,

    As far as infrastructure goes, ABC is listening to the blogosphere. And it’s helping that I’m being a bit of a pain in the ass about all the javascript crap. It’s pretty exciting for me to be in the middle of these two worlds. They are both desperately trying to understand each other. Sometimes I feel like a foreign language translator, especially for the old media folks. I couldn’t have a better time doing anything else.

    The iTunes feed will be up next week, making the show an official videoblog (links, comments, subscription) rather than just a webcast. I am tackling the embedded player and pre-rolls next.

    Your observations are quite astute regarding the show’s content. Of course I love the wacky website and tech stuff, but there will be more of a mix of mainstream and science-related stories than anything I’ve done previously. The news convention of the desk feels good, and won’t be going anywhere. I’m glad you like it.

    Thanks for the post, Jeff.

  • http://jonnygoldstein.com Jonny Goldstein

    As Amanda says, she’s in between two worlds. It’s going to be a little messy being at that intersection, but I think it’s pretty exciting place to be. I’m looking forward to seeing what she’s able to do there.

  • Pingback: amandacongdon.com » Changes Already Happening at ABCNews.com

  • http://www.brooklynkitchen.net Brooklyn Kitchen

    Despite all the bad blood between Ms. Congdon and Mr. Baron, Rocketboom was still a partnership. I would guess that the conventions that emerged from R’boom came from the two of them, so Ms. Congdon’s claim on her blog that “you are witnessing 100% of my authentic voice” rings somewhat untrue. Also on her blog Ms. Congdon brags how she “never had more control when it comes to writing and designing the show,” a statement that shores up Mr. Baron’s claim that he was the prime mover behind R’Boom.

    That said, the new “vlog” is pretty bad with jarring transitions between making a online snowflake and playing a contextless clip of seeming police brutality. I don’t think this one can last as whatever feeble charm the show previously had has been sapped by the new corporate environment and Ms. Congdon’s own uber-perky delivery, which has indeed become a parody of itself.

  • Michie

    Give me a break. I was a huge fan of Rocketboom from the beginning…it was number one on my list of view it everyday sites…and then….the day after day flipping of the hair began to wear thin…the final straw came for me when Amanda decided to show us all she could ACT with her inconceivable one act play about the plight of a Katrina victim. It was … well just plain awful. And transparent. I was looking to Rocketboom to highlight potentially “real” stories of survivors, but instead I got a segment of the worst demo reel ever made.

    And as for the View, they already have a bubble headed blonde to do hair flipping over there. Rosie isn’t cute but at least she has a specific perspective. I am enjoying her tremendously. It is fabulous what being independently wealthy has done for her…she says what she thinks and makes no apologies – Love it!