James Morelock celebrating one-year anniversary as program director for Telecommunications Board

By Andy Furman
NKyTribune reporter

James Morelock is celebrating his one-year anniversary as the Program Director for the Telecommunications Board of Northern Kentucky.

“It seems longer than that,” the 28-year-old Morelock told the Northern Kentucky Tribune, while nursing a bad back at work. “I feel like I’ve been in this building all my life.”

Morelock grew up on West 41st Street in Latonia – just two blocks from the TBNK offices on Decoursey Avenue.

“I toured the building in both elementary and high school. I knew I would work there some day.”

He took those student tours while attending Latonia Elementary and Holmes High School – and his career in media launched as a Northern Kentucky University student.

“Actually,” he said, while preparing for a camera-shoot as Devou Park concert later in the day, “I have been in media since I was about 16. I did my own videos when I was 12 and 13.”

When he turned 18, Morelock took his camera and followed local and area bands.

So, when the Program Director’s position opened-up last year, he said, “Well, it just made sense.”

And for those not quite familiar with the Telecommunications Board of Northern Kentucky, well they video tape and broadcast all participating Kenton County government monthly meetings.

Whew, sounds like a lot. But for James Moreland, it is all in a day’s work – which he loves.

“The hardest part is keeping up to date in the field of broadcasting. Being a government entity,” he says, “we’re actually a branch of the Kenton County government.”

He says his budget –unlike other broadcast entities – does not fluctuate. “We need purchase orders, approvals and quotes to get new equipment, and to stay current,” he said.

But Morelock has already put his stamp on the cable company since his arrival 12 months ago.

“The biggest thing is what I learned in 10-years doing freelance,” he said, “and that simply is – to speed up production.”

He has updated the computer system with a new brand of software, he says, and added new and more portable equipment.

“We get videos that would take six hours on the computer now take just about 35 minutes,” he proudly states, “And people don’t want to be held up to see results.”

As for programming, Kenton County government meetings are a year-round staple on TBNK, but Morelock says they also broadcast high school sports — football and basketball.

The Behringer-Crawford Museum in Covington concerts will be telecast, along with the Crestview Hills concerts staged at Thomas More University as well as city festival coverage.

“We also have an in-house studio for talk shows,” he said, “and we’ve just completed the eight-episode series – The Reel Side of Music.”

The Telecommunications Board of Northern Kentucky is where local volunteers, interns majoring in communications, and local community organizations come together to create and air Northern Kentucky focused programming.

Free classes are available (859-261-1300) for learning how to use the camera and accessories, editing, and graphics.

When James Morelock toured that Decoursey Avenue building as a Latonia Elementary School student – he knew that would someday be his home.

Happy Anniversary.