Interview: Former CNET hostess Ella Morton lands Rocketboom job

You'll recognise her from Planet CNET, from her videos on CNET Australia, and from our own CNET UK Podcast. Now our good friend Ella Morton has taken up one of the two new roles on the popular daily video podcast Rocketboom, as New York correspondent, alongside NYC anchor Molly, aka mememolly.

Ella, 25, deserted the pristine beaches of her home in Australia earlier this year to move to NYC, to pursue the next chapter of her career. And after beating a legion of candidates, she landed one of the much sought-after Rocketboom roles.

Rocketboom covers subjects from technology to digital culture, from eccentric film-makers to conflicts in the developing world, and it does so with a unique, quirky voice. Ask us who is a perfect host for Rocketboom, and the answer is absolutely obvious: it's Stephen Fry. But ask us again, and we'd confidently attest it's Ella.

So we decided to have a chat with her. Of course, interviewing one of your friends is weird, but we wanted to know what she's going to thrust into the show's eccentric midst.

Hey, Ella, congratumalations! How'd you get the gig?
"I noticed people chattering on Twitter about Rocketboom looking for new anchors, so I followed the crowds to the showreel submission page and added my name to the formidable list of wannabe hosts. Given the big-name Internet celebs who were in the mix, I didn't expect much. But a few weeks later, just when I had decided it was time to give up hope, I got offered the role of NYC correspondent."

What are you going to be doing for the show?
"As the New York correspondent I'll be filing weekly videos on some of the striking people and events that make this mad city so interesting. I'll also be popping up occasionally as part of Molly's news reports."

What encouraged you to put yourself forward for the job?
"I really like the way they do things at Rocketboom -- the show is clever, funny and never talks down to its audience. It covers such a broad range of topics -- from desk-bound lolz to Somalian peacekeeping. You never know what the show will be about each day, and I dig that unpredictability."

Is there anything in particular you’re going to focus your videos on?
"It's going to be an eclectic mix that reflects our RSS-loving, cool-link-sharing, aggregator mentality.

"A less-than-cogent analogy: when I was about 8, I was given Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego for the Apple IIc, and in the box was a free desk encyclopaedia. Every night I would open a random page and read all about some historical figure or momentous occasion. Each entry was unrelated to the next, but all were fascinating.

"With Rocketboom I'm hoping to replicate that experience of delving into the unknown and discovering amazing things. (Hopefully in a manner that's more entertaining than reading alone in the dark.)"

If you could tell any potential critics one thing before they watch you, what would it be?
"Keep a sense of humour! Molly and I are both rather quirky. And please don't judge my wardrobe -- I haven't been shopping in six months. That will be remedied shortly."

Finally, if there’s one thing you hope to bring to the show in terms of style or character, what would it be?
"I'm a relentlessly optimistic person, so I expect that will come through. I also have a penchant for urban mischief, and can't wait to use New York as a giant set for staging antics."

Thanks Ella!

You can catch the show daily at Rocketboom.com, or subscribe to the podcast over at iTunes. You can also follow Ella on Twitter -- @ellamorton -- and read her blog, at Sprinkle of Ginger. Her first episode on Rocketboom will appear later this week.

Oh, and below is a video of Ella you won't see on Rocketboom, because we filmed it last year in a bar in Las Vegas. It's about her footware, and its suitability for perambulation.