Teaching a Gen. Y Blogger Old Tricks

Amanda Congdon's professional ventures make a great case study for the various issues that Generation Yers are facing as they enter the working world.

At least that's what it seems like in this recent New York Times article examining her transition from video blogging to main stream media and back again.

Here's a tidbit from the article:

Ms. Congdon, 26, became the closest thing to an Internet sensation by hosting “Rocketboom,” one of the first Web video series to become a breakout hit. But since she departed the show in 2006, her attempts to go mainstream have largely fallen flat.

She signed a development deal with HBO, but nothing came of it. She joined ABC News to produce eccentric newscasts, but she clashed with the culture there and exited quietly last fall. And she established a production company but remained largely offline for months.

Now Ms. Congdon, feeling a little burned by big media, is back blogging and hosting and producing.

I interviewed Amanda over e-mail to get her take on her experience and what this might mean for Gen. Yers who transition from new media to traditional media jobs. Her responses to my questions appear below.
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Schiff Report: Were you satisfied with the way the NYT article characterized you? The reporter wrote, "her attempts to go mainstream have largely fallen flat." Do you agree with this, why?

Amanda Congdon: Actually a good percentage of my videos made it to ABCNews's Top 5 videos of the day... and a bunch more were in the the top 10.

I have to say it was frustrating to have promotional materials pushing AC on ABC as "the most innovative online show ever", only to have a barely functional website. It was like they wanted the new media sparkle without putting in the effort necessary to actually innovative.
That said, a clip of AC on ABC did make it on to The Daily Show last year... and that certainly has never happened in my history as a videoblogger before. That was fun.

To answer your question, while I wouldn't categorize it as a home-run, no, I wouldn't say AC on ABC "fell flat".

SR: According to the article, you "clashed with the culture" at ABC. Do you think this is a failure on the part of "old media types" to adapt to "new media types"?

AC: I don't think a culture clash can be anyone's fault. It just happens when two totally separate worlds collide.

SR: Are new media skills transferable to traditional media environments?

AC: Some new media skills are transferable to traditional media environments. On-cam skills are transferable, certainly.

SR: In what ways do Gen. Y journalists need to adapt to the journalism industry?

AC: I don't identify with the term "journalist". It's too rigid to describe what I do.... so I'm not sure I'm the right person to answer this question. After all, I've never pursued a career as a journalist.

I think if someone wants "to adapt to the journalism industry" they should work to make a name for themselves as a blogger who upholds journalistic standards and create a brand with a unique voice. They should act as a reporter rather than an artist and never ever appear in any commercials.

SR:...and what do companies need to do to adapt to them?

AC: Big media needs to learn to incorporate less baggage in their work flow in every way, from beta cams to bureaucracy. I suppose new media just needs to be patient and understanding while big media gets it together. New media can always use the extra time to fact-check... or design new business models.

SR: Your freelance work caused some tension while you were at ABC. Why did you chose to do freelance projects while you were employed by ABC? A lot of young journalists elect to do side projects. Please elaborate on the circumstances in your case.

AC: Again, I don't identify with the term "journalist". I think my placement on the abcnews.com website, however, was unsettling to people, especially journalists.

My involvement in freelance projects was always stated clearly on my blog before it was "uncovered" anywhere else. That's a key fact. I was a contributor at ABC, never a correspondent. There's a huge difference. A correspondent is a journalist, a contributor doesn't have to be.

ABC was comfortable with me doing outside projects due to my status as a contributor. Additionally, all outside projects were vetted by ABC first. The fact that DuPont became a "scandal" is a bit silly to me considering these facts. It seems people had more problem with the brand (DuPont) than my actual involvement in the project, considering I also did commercials for Dove and American Express during that time and there was no uproar about those ventures.
As for the circumstance, a mentor of mine from the new media world brought the DuPont project to me and I thought it was a really innovative advertising concept... and I wanted to be a part of it.

SR: You've gone back to creating online content. Do you think you'd work with mainstream media in the future?

AC: I'm always going to create online content. I did that for ABC, and now I'll do it for MRC.

Will I create online content for the mainstream media again? I wouldn't rule it out. But the situation would have to be right. There's too much draw to just distribute content independently otherwise.

If I wanted to just leverage my career as a videoblogger into a TV hosting role or network news anchor role, I've had the opportunities. But really, to do all this innovation only to land somewhere traditional? Not my style. I'd rather spend my time mapping out the wild wild west.. and taking my chances.