We thought our readers/viewers might like to learn about some of the folks who work at IdahoPTV. Because there are so many people who work behind the scenes, you may have seen some of them, or maybe only heard about them. Today we would like to introduce Digital Media Coordinator Jenessa Carson.
When new episodes of Idaho Experience or Outdoor Idaho air, Jenessa converts the video for online viewing, gathers all the information about the show and uploads it so viewers can watch it on YouTube, their TV, computer or other devices.
“If I had to put a name to what I do, I would call myself a ‘media wrangler,’” Jenessa says. “If you’ve ever watched our local shows on our website, our On Demand player or on the PBS Video app then you’ve probably seen what I do. I make sure all the different formats of all the files go to all the right places. And I also have some promotional responsibilities.”
Born in Nampa, Jenessa grew up all over Idaho. One of those places was Lenore, a small town that had a one-lane bridge across the Clearwater River. Her sister and brother went to school in the town’s one-room schoolhouse; however, the school didn’t have a kindergarten, so Jenessa was bussed, with all the high school kids, to Lapwai.
After graduating from Sandpoint High School, Jenessa went to North Idaho College on an academic scholarship. “Two years full ride,” she says. She eventually made her way to the Treasure Valley and earned her bachelor’s degree in communications at Boise State.
During her time at BSU, Jenessa was in classes with Troy Shreve and Eric Westrom, two other members of our production crew. After graduating, all three of them were hired by KTVB, Jenessa and Troy in commercial production and Eric in promotions.
Jenessa likes that when she came to IdahoPTV she used her production experience, but also learned new skills and expanded her sphere into the digital realm.
Jenessa lives in the Treasure Valley, but her favorite part of Idaho is up north. “Even though I was born in southern Idaho, I’m a north Idaho girl at heart,” she says. “And I claim Sandpoint as my hometown. It’s my favorite place to be. Ask me where my happy place is, it’s going to be the lake … we [Jenessa and her daughter, Evie] just love to go swimming. It’s our favorite thing. My mom and my stepdad still live there, so every year I get to go home and visit them and it’s like a vacation and visiting family, all in one. I told them they can never leave. I remember when Evie was little, and we went to the lake. She ran around with her arms out wide, saying ‘I love it! I love it so much!’”
Even when she worked in commercial television, Jenessa wanted to work for Idaho Public Television. “I love that they have quality programming. And that it’s more than just a sound bite. I grew up with it. When I was staying at my grandparents’ house, they didn’t have the TV on very often, but when they did it was either the evening news or channel 4.”
She still has ties to PBS Kids’ programs. Her daughter, Evie, would watch it when she was younger. “She really loved Odd Squad,” Jenessa says. “And I remember times when she was sick, and she’d lie on the couch, and I’d have Sesame Street on, and she was watching it. If I changed the channel to something else she’d say, ‘No, Mom, turn it back. I’m learning.’” Her daughter still has the PBS Kids’ games on her tablet. “They’re really cool apps. She’s into the Scratch Jr. one now. And she tells detailed stories that are really long with the Odd Squad kids.”
When it comes to hobbies, they’re taking a back seat for now. But Jenessa remembers volunteering at the Flicks movie theater, and she used to belly dance. She was on the board of TVTV, which is the public access station in Boise (now TVCTV). She was also a part of the film community in town. But she has more important priorities now, namely Evie.
One hobby she does make time for is movies. “One of the reasons I love movies so much is that growing up, a lot of times we didn’t have TV, especially in the boonies in north Idaho. So Grandpa, who lived down here with a satellite dish, would record movies and then mail them up to us. We would watch those movies over and over and over again. I don’t know how many kids in grade school would willingly watch movies like Gone With the Wind and Yentl all the way through, but we were just starved for entertainment.”
Her favorite PBS Kids character is Snuffleupagus. “Every time he showed up, it was kind of special,” Jenessa says. “I didn’t even know that he was an imaginary friend to Big Bird until I was older. Maybe there was something about that that I liked.” When the urge to snack hits her, she reaches for popcorn. “And I like nuts. But popcorn is my favorite.”