Broadcasting locally, reporting intelligently

The video camera’s red light goes on, the microphone is pointed toward the interview subject and 9-year-old Atlantic Beach resident Carson Libbey says, “ Hello, I’m Carson Libbey and welcome to Youth View.”

For nearly a year, Libbey, a fourth-grade student at the Number Two School in Inwood in the Lawrence School District, has been a reporter and host of his own cable access television show that airs on channel 18 on Cablevision.

Libbey has done shows on such varied topics as sleep apnea, endangered species and alternative energy, along with interviewing County Executive Ed Mangano, County Legislator Denise Ford (R-Long Beach) and Johnny O., co-founder of Rescue Ink and his school’s principal, Cindy Lee, and librarian Jillian Abbatangelo.

“When they asked me to do this, I said, ‘sure who wouldn’t want to be on TV,” said Carson as he was being interviewed before interviewing the editor of the Nassau Herald for a future show.

Performing as all children do for their parents, Carson created what he called the “Carson Libbey News Network. He put the letters “CLNN” on a computer tower, wrote scripts and read news reports. Visiting the Long Island Children’s Museum media area many times has helped him grasp the rudiments of broadcasting. Last year, he dressed up as a reporter for Halloween.

“Youth View” is done through the African American Media Network, a not-for-profit organization. One of its founding members is Andre Guilty, a.k.a. Andreaus 13 of the rap group Public Enemy. Carson’s mother, Pam Makea, is the executive program director and his father, Richard Libbey, or student volunteers operate the camera.

“It’s a really good learning experience, he’s really into it and gains self-confidence, observation and other life skills,” said Pam, who holds Carson’s cue cards with his questions during tapings.

During the interviews Carson is focused on his subject and asks questions in a forthright and earnest manner that would be the envy of most professionals. He also answered an interviewer’s questions and follow ups without hesitation.

“He’s good at transitioning,” Richard said, “he could be playing around, then he focuses in on the interview.”