Blogger Congdon slams critics in quirky video

Amanda Congdon, a well-known video blogger, answers her critics in a rambling video posted on her site that can only be described as odd.

The hard-to-follow satire appears meant to poke fun at the growing number of detractors who accused Congdon of crossing the line as a journalist when she agreed to appear in an online infomercial for DuPont. Congdon insists that although she works as a contractor for ABCNews.com, she is not a journalist.

Her video, called "Journalism Wars," opens with Congdon walking out of a shower fully clothed and expressing that her only regret about making the infomercial was not asking for the expensive teleprompter.

"I'm a moron," she said.

She then debates an alter ego she calls Erin Burroughs, who chastises Congdon for not being "newsy" enough.

She tells the camera that the real question is not whether she should have done the DuPont infomercial. The real question is whether "I belong on a news site."

Although her critics say "no," her bosses at ABC News are backing the former host of online news show Rocketboom. Congdon had their permission to do the DuPont ad.

"Amanda Congdon is a contributor with us. She has a unique arrangement," said Natalia Labenskyj, a spokeswoman for the network. "She's not reporting the news of the day. She's offering her own opinion."

Lebenskyj said ABC had no comment about Congdon's latest video.

While most of the criticism has come from traditional news outlets, Congdon has also taken heat from the blogosphere.

"I'll be the first blogger and vlogger to say she's smoking crack," wrote Violet Blue in her blog on SFgate.com, the Web site of the San Francisco Chronicle. Blue, who writes a column called "Open Source Sex," argues that mainstream journalists and bloggers must avoid conflicts.

"It's about steering clear of misrepresentation and not shilling for corporations while you're reporting news."