Comments on: Amanda Congdon and ABC News: Disappointing and a disgrace to women

By: Amanda Congdon

Amanda Congdon — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Hi Allen,

Since, as you mention in your post, you don’t know me… I thought I’d introduce myself.

I too am disappointed by the news coverage that revolves around women’s looks. I feel similarly to the Heretik: http://theheretik.us/2006/12/13/damned-media/

I am a casual person and I like to wear t-shirts… I’m not sure why that’s a big deal and I don’t think the steely dan shirt is particularly revealing in any way. I got it at one of their concerts this summer. Big fan.

As for the design and interface issues, I am totally with you. I’m actively working on these things with ABC. The good news is that we are making progress! Improvements will be made, hopefully, each week starting with an iTunes subscription feed next week. I write about my experiences here: http://amandacongdon.com/. The full blog will be up in the next couple days.

Best wishes.

By: centernetworks

centernetworks — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I can assure you that this post (and this site) is not run by Amanda, NBC, or ABC. And yes, I do get it. I am not a grandpa either!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Don’t listen to this tool. He’s just a sorry wannabe web 2.0 blogger.

If you think ABCNews is somehow “above” this you haven’t been watching Good Morning America…or hell, the news in general.

By: Manuel

Manuel — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Jump to another channel!

By: Steve M

Steve M — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Watching Rocketboom episodes one after the other is not the way they were delivered, nor the way they were meant to be consumed. Quality of the episodes varied dramatically, as did topic, plot, effects, demeanor, dress, agenda, etc. Many worked, many didn’t, some hit it outta the park.

RB was the daily cuppa joe that got your day started, a grand experiment in a new format using developing technologies and new forms of social interaction.

My first ep. was the one where Amanda was interviewing people in Central Park, asking whether they used Internet Explorer or Firefox. No agenda, no leading questions… just the one question asked and then Amanda stopped talking. And we got to listen to our fellow human beings talking about something we could relate to, (relatively) unfiltered.

I was hooked.

Perhaps rather than complaining about how Amanda doesn’t fit your mold, you should see what shape this new venture will evolve into and what new ideas might spring from it. ABC almost certainly understands what its doing. Your gripes seem to stem from your own pre-conceptions of What This Show Should (and Should Not) Be.

Anything prurient perceived in the show stems from the watcher not the broadcaster, IMO.

Amanda – keep doin’ your thing and we’ll keep watching.

And no, not because of the T-shirts.

By: Anderton Gary

Anderton Gary — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Someone pay this blog writer some mind! She’s clearly suffering from Attention Defecit Disorder – which chronically strikes dumpy unattractive women when hot, smart girls appear on the scene.

The only way for dumpy chicks to even the score, of course – is not to get “better” (smarter, more eloquent, funnier, thinner, etc)…but to trash the competition. Sure, it works when we have to live with you everyday..but this is the internet. So on behalf of all men who have to pretend to tolerate you on a daily basis, blog writer: go to hell! Amanda rocks!

xoxoxo,

Anderton Gary

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

This blog post is just an obvious “troll” post by either ‘Amanda, or NBC dudes’ to get reaction from people-or to get this topic out of the way.
If it is not, then it must be said:

Dude who posted this blog. You obviously don’t get it. Don’t try to take something fun, and twist it into a serious topic, move on gandpa.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

This blog post is just an obvious “troll” post by either ‘Amanda, or
— NBC dudes—(*correction ABC dudes)’ to get reaction from people-or to get this topic out of the way.
If it is not, then it must be said:

Dude who posted this blog. You obviously don’t get it. Don’t try to take something fun, and twist it into a serious topic, move on gandpa.

By: Dave R

Dave R — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Get over yourself – it’s a T shirt.
And she’s reporting on the internet, not nuclear physics.
If you don’t like her unorthodox delivery and energetic style, don’t watch.

You obviously never checked out Rocketboom. It was awesome. For its content.

You sound like cranky old man standing on his porch yelling at the traffic to slow down.

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Uh, Dave, Rocketboom was NEVER awesome. It sucked. Hard. BECAUSE Amanda was there, not since she left. She’s a talentless, unfunny hack who has been blessed with good looks and a fair drive to become famous. Her recent trip across America was one long “look at me!” fest that was both boring and obvious. Sorry Amanda, but its true. If you had one TENTH of the talent in Ze’s pinky, I’d feel different, but you don’t.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

For a comparison, here is Amber Mac’s new videoblog with CityNews (Canadian News Channel). Like Amanda, she was (and still is!) videoblogging and was hired by a news channel. Her gig at CityNews fits her perfectly:

http://www.citynews.ca/international/

It’s sort of unfair because Amber’s already familar with TV (Call For Help, The Screen Savers) but regardless, she’s doing a fantastic job.

By: Allen

Allen — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

FYI, I posted about Amber yesterday. I would not put Amber and Amanda in the same category. Not even close, not by a mile (or km in Canada LOL)

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Hehe, well, as you can probably tell I’m a new (subscribed) reader to this website :)

By: centernetworks

centernetworks — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Welcome Anonymous :) I hope you will stay. Most of my posts are not as controversial as this one and I am disappointed that most people followed only my one sentence about her tshirt. There are bigger issues. I still would love to chat with her at some point (and it would NOT be a bash session) - and the more I have read, the more I agree that it came off as a SNL skit rather than a news show. See if she moved it to some entertainment network, I think it would be fine. Anyway, pull up a chair, we have about 300 pages of content so far, and more on the way!

Oh yea, and if you register you can set a link and some other information about yourself, plus then you wouldnt be Anonymous on the comments :)

By: John

John — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

And you also won’t catch a young person watching CNBC or anything like it on youtube. One of the goals (I’m sure, obviously, I don’t represent ABC) is to get young (Internet-connected) people interested in checking out a news site by and giving a show and creative control to a young, already famous (in that demographic) person.

Katie Couric doesn’t have the gravitas of Dan Rather, but then, news outlets aren’t going for that, because…. wait for it… that’s not what people want!

While I personally prefer a more serious tone in news reporting, I also understand that most people my age (20something) find it stodgy and boring. I’m interested and excited to see news networks reaching out to people that otherwise might not care to learn anything about current events.