by Makayla Secrist Staff Writer
From film creation and radio to journalism and graphic design, students in the Digital, Social, and Broadcast Productions (often shortened to “Broadcasting”) program have more than likely met Jason White. An adjunct instructor in charge of video editing classes and giving students hands on experience livestreaming local games held by the school.
White first discovered his interest for film as a frustrated musician, “Myself wasn’t that good of a musician… but I was able to get in with bands with guys who we better musicians than me because I seemed to have a knack for aranging things.”
He would help the band record their songs so they could see how they sounded which eventually lead him into making music videos. One of the drummers from the bands he had been a part of rented a VHS Camcorder, “We all [the band members] took turns shooting and joking around. And when it was all done, everyone was like ‘How come yours actually looks kinda like a movie?'” said White, “I didn’t realize it at the time it was because I knew how to frame.”
After that, White was hooked. He dived deeper into the hobby and eventually landed his first “gig” as he called it in the early 90s. “I mean I got paid,” said White reminiscing.
White made it at last to Iowa Lakes in 1997 and graduated in 2000 and has been working in the industry ever since. Some of his earliest work after college can be found here.
Right now White is constantly working to better the Northwest division of MC22 owned currently by Mediacom and seems happy with his work, “We produce television content that is broadcasted in six states and including sporting events,” said White.
In regards to landing his job with Iowa Lakes Community College, White had this to say, “They [the school board] were reimagining what had been called the Broadcast Media Specialist program… Media has combined into so many different jobs, especially in smaller markets, that they [the school board] thought that that would be a better direction to go in rather than teach people just radio or just TV or just print.”
Iowa Lakes asked White to become part of the advisory committee in changing up how the program worked for future students, “In it we brought up the idea of ‘what if instead of one instructor, what if we had several instructors who had real life day jobs in their particular medium?'”
Unsure if he would enjoy it, White took the job offered him to teach a small video editing class at the school part time, “I was very surprised how much I enjoyed the interactions with the students and their hunger to learn more,” said White.
Pleased with the students eagerness to learn more with what he had a passion for himself, White took on more roles at the school to help quench the students thirst for knowledge as well as give them real experience with some of the equipment and programs they would need out in the job market.
“When it comes to video and audio production,” said White, “to me it’s an art form… I’ve always looked at is as an art form.”
White remains avidly passionate about his work at Mediacom as well as at the college with no plans for change. For last parting advice to current and future student in the Broadcasting program, he had this to offer,
“Wear their mask,” he joked. After growing serious again, he added, “Make sure they attend the classes that aren’t their passion… you’ve gotta show up to those classes and learn… They will teach you things that more than likely, if you get hired into a small market, you’re gonna need to have. It will expand your resume on the things that make you more attractive, I think, to potential employers and most importantly really to pass the program, you have to do them all… Try to go into whichever class it is that’s your least favorite with the same passion as when going into your class that’s your favorite.”
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