Skip to main content
Donate Now
Behind the Screen with PBS39

Welcome to the PBS39 Virtual Tour!! 

Click on the video intro below to get started. If you would prefer to read-along with the script the text is available below. 

OPENING SCRIPT: 

Welcome to Lehigh Valley Public Media, the home of PBS39, NPR News, and 91.3 WLVR Radio.

Today we are going to go Behind the Screen with the PBS39 Team to see how we make the magic happen to transport our programming from here in the station to your TV screens at home.

We work towards our vision of a community that is inspired, engaged, and vibrant every single day.

How? With our dynamic communication platforms, like TV, which is managed right here in Master Control.

PBS39 offers local, national, and international programming that informs, educates, and entertains while serving as a catalyst for civic engagement. This means that is our job to not only work for the community but with the community when we create our programs.

Our main PBS39 channel is a great example, it gives you a little of everything including morning educational kids programming, documentaries, and local shows. This channel is the place to go to see your favorite PBSKids characters, local stars, and binge worthy British Television series. This is the channel where you will find local programming created by our station!

PBS39 Extra includes some of the most popular shows from PBS39, plus, you guessed it, a little extra, themed prime time content like…..

In addition to our local programming on the PBS39 channel, we also have national and even international programming on our other channels.

Create TV comes to our station from PBS National, it has instructional programs providing expert advice on cooking, arts & crafts, gardening, home improvement, and travel. Sometimes our local shows are on this schedule too. It's a great station to watch if you want trysomething new!

France 24, the international news channel, broadcasts 24/7 from its newsroom in Paris to 355 million households around the world.  France 24 gives a French perspective on global affairs through a network of 430 journalists, representing 35 nationalities. Our station helps get there programming to your TV screens here in the Lehigh Valley. This would be a great station to watch if you want a broader view!

WORLD Channel, is where you can experience the personal stories behind the headlines. It's devoted to telling stories that humanize complex issues, WORLD shares the best of public media in news, documentaries, and fact-based informational programming that helps us understand conflicts, movements, and cultures that may be different from our own. This would be a great station to check out if you want to learn more!

And it's all controlled right here in Master Control by my friend Carlin, she is watching all five channels to make sure they travel safely from our station to your TV screen. She has an incredibly important job but it's one of many career paths on the PBS39 Team.

My name is Amber and I am the Education Outreach Specialist on the PBS39 Team. I will be guiding you through this virtual tour. Below you will get the chance to meet some of my colleagues, showing you a day in the life of their career in 60 second or less Tik-Tok style. They will be showing you the tools, skills, and station spaces they use to do their job. After you’ve learned about our team you will find a closing video with me at the bottom where I will announce the TikTok challenge. This will be a chance for you to try out your very own production skills!

Jess Lee- Director, Multimedia Design

"I'm always learning new things."- Jess Lee

What are the top 3 skills or traits used for your job?

A background in art, graphic design, architecture, and knowledge of Adobe Suite

Are there interests, hobbies, or training that helped prepare you for your job?

Yes, I started out as an artist with a photography background with architectural skills.

What is your favorite part about working in your job at LVPM?

The diversity in projects has kept my interest plus always learning new things.

Do you have any additional thoughts or recommendations for someone who was interested in your job? 

Need to be willing to learn and take criticism.

Can you think of an area in school where you get criticism? Are there ways you can improve the way you take critiism to help you grow and get better?

Jeff Frederick- Senior Videographer

"Live your dreams"- Jeff Frederick

What are the top 3 skills or traits used for your job?

  1. Creativity - you need to be able to visualize and execute stories and concepts to completion.
  2. Flexibility - things change all the time
  3. Diligence - this job involves a good amount of physicality.......you need to be able to get out of your head and push through things

Are there interests, hobbies, or training that helped prepare you for your job?

  1. A love of film/television/ art/music - all help
  2. Still photography.... will help with developing composition skills
  3. I had access to an early camcorder.....and the most basic "video class" imaginable.....but it helped spark my interest in the craft. - take whatever video classes you possibly can

What is your favorite part about working in your job at LVPM?

 I like the creative process......and my favorite part is seeing how "video projects" come together in the end......seeing the end product.

Do you have any additional thoughts or recommendations for someone who was interested in your job?

It's a harder job than most young people think - it's not all "play-time"........do an internship.....or volunteer.......and see what's involved.  Also, it's not impossible to work in Television/film if you really want it.... but it takes real commitment...live your dreams

What projects have your created? What was your process of creating them from start to finish? How did it feel to see the finished product?

Lisa Moy- Video Editor

"Just get in there and do it!" - Lisa Moy 

What are the top 3 skills or traits used for your job?

Creativity, technical skills, problem solving skills

Were there interests, hobbies, or training that helped prepare you for your job?

An interest in all forms of art (print and multimedia)

While formal education like college does help, it's not necessary. The key to this type of work is to never stop learning your craft and always keep up to date with what others in the field are doing.

What is your favorite part about working in your job at LVPM?

My favorite thing about being at LVPM is the freedom we have to be creative and work on lots of different projects. 

Do you have any additional thoughts or recommendations for someone who was interested in your job?

Just get in there and do it! You can edit on anything these days. No excuses.

Are there mentors or leaders that have inspired you? What have you learned from them? How have you applied that new knowledge?

More videos COMING SOON! Check back each month to see more of the PBS39 Team in action. 

September 2021 FULL virtual tour available with the launch of the PBS39 TikTok Challenge!!