Member Profile:
Pat Jehlen

Written by Lisa Smith

It's 6:30 on a Monday night, do you know where your state representative is? If you live in Somerville and tune into SCAT Channel 3, you’ll see MA state rep and SCAT producer, Pat Jehlen on one of her two shows, The Pat Jehlen Report and The Progressive Pot Luck, The shows alternate in the time slot monthly and “examine political issues that are hot and on the agenda.”

Pat first joined SCAT in the early 1980's when her son Peter was about 10 years old. He wanted to document the clean up of Perry Park and the mural painting by B. Sergeant. Her membership lapses after the project is completed. Fast-forward ten years: Pat's children are grown, she's been elected state representative and wants her constituents to know what she does at the State House. First she goes to City Cable and asks them to help her with a show. They are too busy. So Pat decided to do it herself and returns to SCAT.

Hence, Beacon Hill comes to Union Square in the form of The Pat Jehlen Report. Produced in the SCAT studio, Pat presents a topic that is up for debate at the State House, such as clean elections or insurance reform. She conducts discussions about the issue with her well-informed guests. Every once in a while Pat likes to break out of the studio and take to the streets of Somerville to get the local resident's opinion about an issue. It's the voice of the people that Pat represents, handing her their opinions on important questions. Sometimes a shoot can get lively, especially if the issue is a political hot potato. Pat remembers having good time on a shoot in Davis Square last year, when people had a lot to say about building a new Fenway Park.

It may not take a village to produce a television show, but you do need a few helping hands. Pat is the first one to admit that she is not very good at editing and some other technical aspects of production, and she is grateful for the help from other members who volunteer to help her produce her show. Her aides at the State House organize the guests who appear on The Pat Jehlen Report. And then there is the physical aspect of producing the show; lights, camera, sound and directing. David Lott was the first SCAT member to help her with her show, and other SCAT members have helped her over the years. Pat is thankful to Somerville documentary maker, Abby Freedman, who has helped her produce her shows and SCAT staff member, Rich Howley, who currently volunteers his time by assisting with her productions.

Pat's other show is The Progressive Pot Luck, featuring coverage of the potluck meetings held monthly at the College Avenue United Methodist Church, which she and her husband founded. However, this time she is behind the scenes as a camera person, taping the discussions, which are politically progressive ideas and have ranged from the drug war in Colombia and the prison system to healthcare and the tax questions on last year's ballot. She started cablecasting The Progressive Pot Luck on SCAT a year ago when people wanted a taped copy of the meeting addressing the issues surrounding the MCAS. A recent two-part show on global warming was very popular. “A lot of people taped the shows from television,” Pat says.

Pat remembers once reading about a Peruvian dictator. He censored the media by only allowing entertainment programming. Any mention of policy and politics was not allowed, helping him to keep control of the nation. What Pat likes most about SCAT is how it is a true democratic venue for the community. “It gives the community a place to air their views, who would otherwise not have a voice,” Pat says. One of her favorite shows featured interviews with Tufts University custodians who were upset when the school administration wanted to privatize their jobs, resulting in pay cuts and a loss of benefits. Through SCAT, Pat gave them a forum to air their views. She says by giving regular people a place to speak openly about issues, SCAT encourages democracy and freedom.

Somerville Community Access Television
90 Union Square, Somerville, MA 02143
Phone: 617-628-8826 | Fax: 617-628-1811
Email: info@access-scat.org
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