Category: Technology Author : Duncan Riley Posted: March 6, 2009
Tags : fast company, robert scoble, scoble
Robert Scoble has announced that he is leaving his role as the head of online video for Fast Company.
Scoble started the job in January 2008 after a long stint at the now defunct podcasting company Podtech. His role at Fast Company included running FastCompany.tv, the video portion of the site, and hosting his own show. According to a report at The Next Web, Scoble’s hand was forced after his prime sponsor Seagate pulled the plug. Other reports put that sponsorship at $1 million a year.
Scoble and I haven’t always been the best of friends over the years, but more recently I’ve come to appreciate him as one of the few people in this space who isn’t afraid to go deep on a story. Yes, some of his video interviews are dry, but this depth of reporting has more often than not resulted in information and news that would have never been obtained any other way. Scoble offers a real service to the tech community, and I hope that his next step is to go independent, giving him the ability to really leverage his influence and skills to provide news that is far beyond what we get from the mainstream media.
I can’t contribute much to a Scoble fund, but where I can let me be on the record that I’m in. Scoble’s only response on FriendFeed so far:
Duncan: I learned a lot this past year. Turns out even if you work for a big(ger) company you really are an entrepreneur anyway. I’m thinking a lot about this and the role of new work in the future. On the other hand, some things require teams and capital and infrastructure. Those will be tough to get access to this year if you’re starting from scratch.
Still, surely someone out there with money might fund him well. Ceiling cat speed to you, Robert Scoble.
![[Pic] Gay Pride Month Sales](http://www.inquisitr.com/wp-content/2011/06/gay-pride-month-zima-100x100.jpg)
Mar 6, 2009
Thanks Duncan, that's very kind!
Mar 6, 2009
Let's see how far the influence gets Scoble . An interesting exercise in the true value of social media is how you can leverage it to what YOU want to do.
*sits back and observes*
Mar 6, 2009
Well, the Web 2.0 startup scene is really going to suffer now. What will they do without the jolly Scoble showing up to point his camera at some computer screen that no one else can see while pitching softball questions and gushing over their products? Perhaps this approach was unique a few years ago. But there is no shortage of cheerleaders today for all the dopey web apps that are popping up daily. So the service that Scoble provides just isn't as valuable as it used to be. Maybe they should've stuck with that photography show they produced one episode of and then abandoned.
Mar 6, 2009
Robert's great value to me (and I imagine many others) was when he operated inside a large opaque organization (Microsoft), putting faces to previously anonymous technology. His transition to “startup gadfly” reduced his value to me and perhaps others simply because most startups are not important. I regret that he has become collateral damage in this horrid recession, but hope this propels him back into an established company where he can again do what he does best.
Mar 6, 2009
Robert: get an agent to book you on speaking tours, especially at colleges. You can live-cast your presentations and interviews.
Mar 6, 2009
I would take issue with the statement that Mr. Scoble provides a real service to the tech community. He provides a service to the fellow marketeers. The technical people I know gather their information from much more accurate, reliable, and concise sources.