Woo hoo! I am now officially videoblogging again. For 60 hours or so, my videoblog on ABCNews.com was actually a webcast. Weird. NOT cool. 
Anyway, now you can subscribe through iTunes.
There are also new links available on the the ABCNews “Amanda” page to my Myspace and this here blog.
I told them we’d get ridiculed because of their website issues, but they needed to hear it from the blogosphere, not just me alone. So thanks guys, for chiming in. It’s really pushing these changes.
Next I tackle prerolls and javascript. Although those with iTunes won’t have to worry ’bout either of those… however, for some reason, the iTunes video from last week’s show has my name appear over and over again in the bottom left hand corner. ABC I see you are up to your tv-i-fying antics! We gotta ditch that next week.
Hey, if the NYT and Jeff Jarvis like it, I’m headed in the right direction. And I disagree with Jeff about Rosie. I like Rosie.
Lastly, I object to the tight t-shirt comments. It’s size M!
Hey, you looked just fine here in Ohio !
Amanda, keep the lefty politcs but dump the t-shirts. You are much to attractive to dress down. Take a fashion tip from that Republican bimbo Elizabeth Hassellback from the view.
Amanda — how do you reply to the 1000s of people who have commented on your first show, not on the quality ofyour content, but on your looks and the camera swings for effect? I mean wouldnt you rather have comments about how good people thought the show was based on your writing and reporting?
Sure would, Elizabeth. Great point to bring up.
The question I have is how can I get those without changing who I am? I am not ever planning on being a traditional journalist. I’m just pointing out things that interest me in the news and being myself at this point. It’s more fun for me.
A lot of people have camera 2 and turn to it. I happen to have long hair so it swings. Can’t really help that…. thanks for chiming in! Really breaking in this blog today.
The Heretik pretty much sums up how I feel.
Amanda, I respect you and what you’ve done for videoblogging. You’re bright and talented. But seriously, take a look at your ABC News site: http://abcnews.go.com/Amanda/.
Of all the stills they could’ve chosen, they picked that one. Or maybe its just my male chauvinistic side. The picture in the top right is much better and professional.
As far as the content goes, I was sorta insulted by your tone at the beginning but then it got better. As a geek, the content is okay. Could be more interesting – you’re just scrapping the headlines. Maybe less stories and more content is the way to go. For example, for the Nintendo Wii story, you could have talked about what his routine is and how it’s progressing.
More importantly, as a regular viewer (think mom & dad) of ABC news, none of your stories would have made sense to me, except for the snowflake one. For example, you could’ve at least mentioned that the Nintendo Wii is a gaming system with a motion-sensor remote and why it could be used for exercise. Yeah, it’s common knowledge to us techies, but not necessarily, to your new audience. And the exercise website? I think I heard wefanboy or something or other. I guarantee there’s no my mom or dad would’ve thought to spell that as “wii”.
Speaking of a new audience, what exactly is the target demographic for your show?
Wouldn’t have been my choice of stills, but I don’t see what’s wrong with it. This project with ABC is a collaborative effort… we are working together. It really is the joining of two radically different worlds. So where I may have done some things differently if I produced this show independently, I feel the chance to innovate with a network of ABC’s stature will advance things more in the long run. Plus, I am launching StarringAmandaCongdon… a Friday show that’s a completely independent project, so I’ll have plenties of outlets to express myself.
ABCNews.com’s demo is generally 40 somethings ( approx. 60/40% — female/male ). My demo, and this is only based on what I have come to learn through emails, comments and blogposts is generally 20-40 yr olds– (65/35%– male / female).
Amanda – don’t you think your demographic changes when you change your environment? For example, you go into a place where these 40somethings might not know you, your style, etc. Why not start with something about who you are, what the show is about, etc. And don’t you agree that the mass has no idea what JavaScript is?
I still am unclear about the focus of the show… is it an entertainment report? Is it a tech review? Is it a news show?
As for the image that Anonymous mentions, since you note all over that you have control and so forth of the show, why not get them to change it if you don’t agree with it? I know that of all the celebs (and frankly any personal photo/still) I have worked with since 1995 including my own, the person(s) in the picture have control over it. Changing it might help stop the “looks” comments in the future from new viewers. Remember you are now (I think) reaching a much larger audience and have a chance to make an impression on so many new people. Make sure it is the impression you want.
BTW – I could be wrong, but your form for uploading video still does not seem to work.
I don’t see how the shirt being an M means it fits comfortably.
Ummm. I’m not a large. 5′8, 120 lbs is definitely medium or small.
[...] UPDATE: Amanda leaves a comment and I respond. In her comment, she leaves a link to her own blog. I left my comment before following the link. A small mistake. She addresses my issues and she’s actually encourage the blogosphere to post criticism about ABCNews.com UI and interaction issues so that ABCNews.com gets the message. So I guess I did a useful thing with this post. Share and Enjoy:These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. [...]
Dear Amanda,
The political implications of your shirt size are not an issue to me, although I find myself mesmerized……In any case, my bigger issue is that you are on ABC (whose video popup doesn’t load on firefox, ie7, or opera for me), which brought us the heinous “Path to 9/11″ fantasy, about which I am still irked enough to make an issue. Granted you are the tech geek designed to lure people into the Disney empire, but how besides buckets of money and fame can you defend that network and its willingness to just lie for Bush?
Amanda – I used you as an example in making a point on my own blog today. So, I felt obligated to check out your vlog at ABC. You’re doing a good job.
We’re obviously in the process of integrating new technologies and media into the overall entertainment landscape. You’re one of the leaders out there trying new stuff and narrowing the gap between the old and new media. It’s important work, my friend. Keep it up and thanks.
I just subscribed, the iTunes version rocks. I’ll still check the ABC News site for the related links, can’t wait for this weeks Video Blog.
Amanda,
Congratulations. I am very eager to see how this develops. I love that you had William Hung on.
Good luck getting used to a large network – you’re breaking ground here, so you can call the shots (probably just about your own show; although Biff may think otherwise).
I’m proud of and excited for you. As Roger mentions, you are doing very important work.
Thanks for not dropping off the face of the vlog-o-wub.
Amanda,
You hot. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. And dressing down keeps the casual feel of videoblogging alive within the corporate mediaspace. I felt comfortable since I was wearing a t-shirt too while watching. Had I been wearing a suit, I would have moved up to the next demographic since I’m on the bubble anyway.
Later!
Props for wearing the Steely Dan shirt, they are defintely one of the more underrated bands of Rock’s history. But hopefully you know that they named themselves after a popular sex toy, right?
Mr. C
Welcome back! What a joy to pull up the podcast directory on iTunes and see you there.
All the fuss over the first episode — these things take time to shake out. Heck, even Grey’s Anatomy took a few episodes to catch on, and now look at them. Give it time — we’ll stick with you.
Not trying to pick on RB or get in the middle of the fight — personal advice, I’d take the whole thing off-line, and better yet, leave it to the lawyers — but it hasn’t been the same without you. The fun and the charm are gone. I unsubscribed today, actually before I saw the link to your new podcast. So, your timing is perfect…
Again, welcome back!
Jeff
It appears that the comments apparatus on the ABC vlog stoped working yesterday. Last night I wrote up several comments for ABC and your unindoctrinated viewers but when published they don’t show up. The last comments for both shows is yesterday afternoon. Aside from the “obvious to vloggers” problems. It a great show, and thanks.
Have a Holiday,
FluxRostrum
You know… in the ‘new media’ telling someone they need to dress differently… is just more of the ‘old media’. The gist of this all is that Amanda dresses in what Amanda the real-live-person wears, not what TV’s Amanda Congdon The Personality is ‘dressed’ in backstage. We need to stop trying to shoe-horn everything back into the old model if we want the new model to thrive. This. Is. Not. A. TV. Show.
I’ve had more than a couple of “that’s a bit tight…” moments myself (sweety, darling, 5′8″ is never ’small’, I’m afraid…), but who am I to tell a person, not a ‘personality’, what to wear when they’re being themselves? Amanda is being Amanda and that’s the whole point.
[...] We had previously reviewed Congdon’s ABC News videoblogging debut. Afterwards, Congdon promised to clean up the pre-roll ads, and apologized for the video not being available as a podcast until a few days later. (Hey Amanda, could you also do something about the pop-ups? They’re getting through even in Firefox.) Share/Send Topic: Online Video, The Stars Tags: Amanda Congdon, blip.tv [...]
I think the people who comment about your presentation style is unfamiliar with RB. I like the first vid however the ads are annoying and the video size is too small. Also the links to the stuff you were talking about should be listed. Is that a RX350h and were your Volvo go ???
[...] 4We had previously reviewed5 Congdon’s ABC News6 videoblogging debut. Afterwards, Congdon promised7 to clean up the pre-roll ads, and apologized for the video not being available as a podcast until a few days later. (Hey Amanda, could you also do something about the pop-ups? They’re getting through even in Firefox.) [...]
E evidente che il luogo e stato fatto dalla persona che realmente conosce il mestiere!
um… buoni, realmente buoni luogo e molto utile;)