Amanda Across Madison

Amanda Congdon was one of the first minor celebrities of vlogging (video blogging). According to wikipedia, in 2004 she launched Rocketboom with Andrew Baron, a three-minute daily "newscast" reporting on everything from "emerging social movements" to "digital delights." She has since left Rocketboom and is now out on the road driving across country from Connecticut to Los Angeles. Sponsored by Ford and Environmental Countdown she is documenting her journey on a blog, in a wiki, and via video. Dane101 found out Congdon was planning to visit Madison because someone had linked to us in an entry on her Madison wiki page.

Congdon is utilizing her direct line to the viewers and seeking advice on what to do in each city and who she should meet. On October 5, she blew into Madison. While we didn't have the opportunity to sit down with her she did answer the questions we sent to her blackberry. Below is what Congdon had to say about Madison and what she did here (you can also follow her adventures and see her video from Madison on the Amanda Across America website).

What is your objective?

1) To get to Los Angeles
2) To videoblog Mon-Saturday along the way
3) To raise awareness about two issues: the environment and citizen journalism (the idea that anyone can make media independently)

Why did you decide to come through Madison?

A few reasons:
1) Half of my family lives in Madison
2) Madison is an extremely progressive city...so we wanted to learn about what the people of Madison were doing to protect the environment. We met up with the good people of Prairie Biodiesel and the Hybridfest peeps. We also talked to Mayor Dave about your new environmentally friendly buses.
3) We were contacted by two of the friendly citizens of your city. They urged us to come and helped us to plan our time in Madison.

What did you do while you were here?

Interviewed Mayor Dave!, Interviewed the Prairie Biodiesel people and the Hybridfest people, drove an EV1 car and met with some UW students who build alternative cars, Did a second radio interview for WORT (we did one last week from the road), saw my family.

What kind of impression did you leave our city with?

I've been to Madison before... so I didn't form a different impression. It always strikes me as a fun, progressive college town. "The Austin of the North" in a lot of ways....

You are utilizing a great deal of user-based media tools - a wiki, google maps, a blog, embedded video - what type of experience have you had with all of this before your trip?

Well I've been blogging and videoblogging since 2004... so all these tools are things I've been using on a daily basis for about two years.

Tell us more about the concept behind "the Force."

"The Force" is the AAA community. So, we take their suggestions, listen to their criticism, they are coming on the trip with us virtually! So it's their trip too! We have a very close relationship with our community.

What happens once you reach LA?

You'll have to wait and see! We'll be announcing my plans along the trip. I'll be working in TV and also in videoblogs.

Shoot any video while in Madison?

Yup! Lots! Of all this (cut and pasted from above):
Interviewed Mayor Dave!, Interviewed the Prairie Biodiesel people and the Hybridfest people, drove an EV1 car and met with some UW students who build alternative cars, Did a second radio interview for WORT (we did one last week from the road), saw my family.