Biography
Programming Director
Karen Tolson

Karen Tolson is the Director of Television Programming for the Office of Cable Television, (OCT). As such, Karen is responsible for the production of all programming on the District of Columbia municipal channels TV-13 and DCN pursuant to assignments, policy guidelines, priorities and objectives developed by the Director.

An employee of OCT since 1987, Karen began her tenure as a Television Equipment Operator, which duties included camera, character generator, and teleprompter operation, master control and off-line editing during studio and field productions.

From 1990 until 2002, Karen served as an Audio Visual Production Specialist, expanding her production capabilities to on line editing, directing and technical directing, and producing. As Senior Coordinator of Operations, Tolson was responsible for the assembly, production, scripting and cable casting of programs on TV-13 and DCN, setting deadlines for program completion, making recommendations for the procurement of production equipment, devising production schedules for editors and producers, and keeping logs of equipment malfunctions, service requests, maintenance, and repairs. Karen served as director for live and taped studio and field productions as well as editing long and short form programs on linear and non-linear editing systems.

For the past 12 years Karen has obtained additional experience in various areas of production through other venues as a freelancer. She has served as an editor for news packages at WRC-TV NBC 4, performed technical directing and directing, editing, and camera operation for the International Telecommunications Services company, and character generator services for live national teleconferences at Atlantic Video.

In 2010, under the leadership of Ms. Tolson, the Videography unit of the OCT received six (6) Videographer Awards in an international awards competition that recognizes outstanding achievement in video productions. OCT collected two (2) Awards of Excellence, two (2) Awards of Distinction and two (2) Honorable Mentions from the Videographer Awards (TVA) at the conclusion of TVA's most-recent annual international programming competition. The awards were given to acknowledge OCT's exceptional television programming, Further, Tolson has generated over $100,000 through Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with various DC Government agencies to produce public service announcements and to provide other production services.

Additionally, Karen has served as coordinator and point person for all electronic field productions with OCTs mobile production vehicle including all Citizen Summits, State of the District Addresses, Inaugural events, live events, and the 2010 DC Interscholastic Athletic Associations (DCIAA) Turkey Bowl. A native of Washington, DC, Ms. Tolson received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcast Production from Howard University and currently resides in Ward 6.

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