Our Community Producers


Our community producers are the heart and soul of CMC's Channel 19. These producers often volunteer their skills on important CMC productions crewing as technical directors, floor managers, and camera operators. Our Community producers take the time and dedication to attend CMC Certification courses so they can be trained and have access to CMC's great, high-end video production equipment.

But what our CMC Producers are best known for is producing original TV programming that airs on Channel 19, TV that Matters!

Jo Israelson
Who are you? In 2-3 sentences, describe your connection to Carroll County, your education background and profession. In 1989 I re-dedicated the old Union Bridge fire house as Firehouse Studio and began my life as an artist and filmmaker in Carroll County.

How did you become interested in television production, particularly public access? Because there was no written history of the fire house and many of the older fire fighters were aging, I decided to create my first documentary. My first production, "Brick by Brick", told the story of the firehouse through the eyes of local residents and volunteer firefighters. I was hooked.

Name a program that has aired on Channel 19 and briefly describe your experience producing it. Any recognition or awards for programming? In 1994, I began a year long project called "Seeds of Change". I received a grant to document the project that would be sent to all the libraries in Maryland. On the first day of shooting there were floods and it never got any easier. However, my all volunteer CCTV crew never complained (as long as I fed them) and stuck with the project to the very end. I returned to school for an MFA in Imaging and Digital arts and won the Rosebud Festival award for two of my works.

Future plans for productions? For the 20th anniversary of my father's death, I am completing a native plant garden and memorial bench on an island in Maine where we spread his ashes. I am documenting the process and will create a piece on memory/memorials.


Pat Patten
Pat Patten Who are you? In 2-3 sentences, describe your connection to Carroll County, your education background and profession. I am a veteran of the US Navy with a BSc in Business Management from the University of Maryland. In 2002, I went back to school and got an MFA in Creative Writing and Publishing Arts at the University of Baltimore. Currently, I am self-employed as a Maryland Licensed Settlement Agent and Notary Public doing real estate loan closings.

How did you become interested in television production, particularly public access? I worked for many years in video and film production beginning as an actress and worked my way up to writing, producing and directing. Discovering the CMC by chance helped me find a way to get back into the work of my dreams – making programming that is meaningful to me and has a positive impact on the community.

Name a program that has aired on Channel 19 and briefly describe your experience producing it. Any recognition or awards for programming? My show is called "Ideas In Writing". Working as Adjunct Faculty at the University of Baltimore teaching writing, I realized a way to help people to write would be to hear about the writing process from accomplished writers. That is what the show is about. I interview writers from a variety of genres. To date we have taped nearly 40 writers and continue to add more interviews regularly. The in-studio production team of volunteers performed like seasoned professionals under direction of the CMC staff. My dream of becoming a producer has finally become a reality.

Future plans for productions? I have several more programs in the works: an episodic comedy, an environmentally based film, and a reality show.