I started watching Rocketboom a few months after they started. It tended to be fun and often informative. Eventually I gave up on watching each of the episodes though. I haven’t watched Rocketboom regularly for almost a year, only checking it out when others specifically point out really interesting episodes (like network neutrality).
Today Rocketboom itself made news, with the announcement that Amanda is no longer part of Rocketboom. Turns out that Amanda had a 49% share and Andrew Baron has 51% ownership. In her unboomed announcement Amanda indicated that Andrew was no longer interested in working with her. Since she held minority ownership, out she went.
I haven’t seen anything indicating what Andrew’s side of the story is, so there may be more details that come out later.
In the mean time, what does this mean for Rocketboom?
UPDATE Wed 5 Jul 2006 @ 12:35pm : More info has started to come out. There are reports that Andrew found out Amanda was leaving by watching the unboomed video. This may have started because Amanda wanted to move Rocketboom to L.A., but that Andrew and company weren’t up for that yet. Then of course there are the rumors and Amanda and Andrew were dating and that things started coming undone when they broke up.
UPDATE Wed 5 Jul 2006 @ 3:40pm : There is a statement on rocketboom.com verifying that Amanda left for L.A.. New episodes and an interim host are scheduled to start on Monday, July 10th:
ROCKETBOOM ANNOUNCEMENT:
Amanda Congdon has decided to move to L.A. to pursue opportunities that have arisen for her in Hollywood.
We wanted to meet her demands to move production out to L.A., however, we are a small company and have not been able to figure out a way to make it work, financially and in many other ways at this time. While we continue to remain with open arms, Amanda has in fact quit and left Rocketboom. So sadly, we bid Amanda adieu and wish her all the best.
Rocketboom goes on.
Andrew Baron, the founder and creator of Rocketboom, will stay with the company in New York and will continue to produce and direct the show. We are in the daunting process of recruiting a replacement for Amanda.
While Amanda will be sorely missed, we have big plans for Rocketboom and are determined to make the show better than ever.
After Field Week and a week on hiatus, we know that you are hungry for the news! Rocketboom will be back with a news episode and an interim host this MONDAY, JULY 10.
UPDATE Wed 5 Jul 2006 @ 8:40pm : Wow, the drama continues with Amanda responding in a “for the record” post. Perhaps she should just take Jason’s offer to work at Netscape.