History Channel taps ISU professors for Idaho segment

Cable television's History Channel was on the Idaho State University campus Thursday, Sept. 14, to interview two ISU history professors for a program on the Gem State's past that will likely be aired in spring 2007.

ISU history department associate professor Dr. Laura Woodworth-Ney and assistant professor Dr. Kevin Marsh were interviewed for about an hour each by Nicola Farris, producer for the History Channel's 10-part series "The States." The series is scheduled to be aired in April. The series will have information on the history of all 50 of the United States. The segment on Idaho will appear in the seventh episode of the series.

"I think this is a great opportunity to say something unique and interesting about the history of Idaho," Woodworth-Ney said. "A lot of people outside of the region don't know anything about the state, except for its potatoes. This is a chance to show Idaho as a more diverse, complex state than what is widely known."

Farris said the segment would try to give a broad overview of Idaho history and then focus on the history of the Nez Perce tribe, the Lewis and Clark expedition, mining and industry, and agriculture in the state, including how the potato became a dominate feature of the state's agriculture.

"It was interesting to receive an inside view on how a program like this gets put together, at least the interviewing part," Marsh said. "It was fun and engaging, and I think ISU will get good representation in the program by the two of us."

A temporary studio was set up in a room of the Pond Student Union Building. The professors sat in front of a green screen while being interviewed by Farris, and were filmed by two cameramen. The green background will be changed when the segment is broadcast.

Woodworth-Ney is the editor of the Idaho Historical Society's "Idaho Yesterdays" journal. She and Marsh specialize in studying Idaho History.