The NYTimes, of all places, is covering Amanda Congdon's departure from Rocketboom:
Rocketboom was an icon, the poster child for successful video blogs, the shining proof that Internet opens the power of the broadcast press up to anyone.
But in the last two days, Rocketboom has fallen apart.
Its Web site says: “Amanda Congdon has decided to move to L.A. to pursue opportunities that have arisen for her in Hollywood…[She has] quit and left Rocketboom.”
Amanda Congdon quitting Rocketboom? How could she? The quirkily funny, attractive 25-year-old had become practically a fantasy figure for thousands of fans.
Ms. Congdon herself, however, tells quite a different story. “I am disheartened by Andrew Baron’s decision to spread misinformation,” she says on her blog. “I did not walk away…Andrew, you fired me.”
I've heard lots of folks in the video blog space (from YouTube addicts to venture capitalists to folks with projects in those spaces - like our own Guillaume) talke about Rocketboom's success. What's interesting is how completely entwined that success is with the host and personality behind the project.
There's an important lesson here - blogs with "hired help" run risks and have detriments that self-run blogs don't face. I know that many great blogs (most notably those in portfolio's like Weblogs, Inc.) have authors who don't own the blog, but that doesn't detract from the potential for loss should management feud with staff.
From Amanda herself (in a post with over 150 comments):
Andrew, I've said repeatedly that I think you are a genius. Still, there have been problems. Recently, you have treated me as an employee rather than a partner. That may explain your feelings about the 49%.
Business and production can and should be done from both coasts, as we have both acknowledged. To dictate where I live is unnecessary and outrageous and has resulted in the present situation.And Andrew, our agreement stands. I do own 49% of Rocketboom.
With respect to our show, I suggest we delve into the archives and do a "best of" week. This will allow us some time to work things through.
We had an agreement, Andrew. You should honor it.
Be wary, fellow bloggers... Public airing of dirty laundry is no fun for anyone.
Amanda was Rocketboom and Andrew now needs rebrand something that may be quite impossible. Aside from letting her slip away, his biggest error was not having more than one host.
This feud made me look up rocketboom to see what all the fuss was about.
I'd still rather watch zefrank
Call me cynical, but nothing gets publicity like a fued.
Should these two "patch things up" I'd expect to see Rocketboom's audience grow substantially from all the press they've recieved the past few days.