WWest CEO features local counties in travel show

Before becoming CEO of the local communications company Wahkiakum West (WWest), Ken Johnson spent five years in the Las Vegas area working in professional video production "among other things." About three years ago, Johnson brought one of his Vegas "collaborators" to the Pacific Northwest and began finding a way to tell localized stories. Before long, the two "dabbled a little bit more," seeking the interest of a large national cable network.

"[We] wanted to see if the network agreed with us that this area is beautiful," said Johnson. "It wasn't really exploited yet in a big way for entertainment value like a travel show, so last summer, we did a pilot episode, edited that together, sent it off to the network, and asked them if they agreed with us whether or not this would be a show that could hold its water. They came back and said, 'Absolutely.' I was very excited."

According to Johnson, the show, "Columbia Coast" will look to encompass stories from Wahkiakum and Pacific Counties on the Washington side of the Columbia River and Clatsup County on the Oregon Side as a way to "promote the region with a little more muscle."

The first episode of "Columbia Coast" was filmed in Pacific County's Tokeland, roughly 87 miles northwest of Cathlamet. The episode features such local haunts as the Tokeland Hotel, the Pacific County Historical Society, and the Goose Point Oystery. "Every episode is designed to focus on a place," said Johnson. "All of this is through the lens of experiences a tourist could recreate after they watch the show. We're not going to go somewhere and cover a store that isn't open to the public, or if somebody's got their own boat and they go out but they won't take tourists, then that's not of value to us. It really needs to be a repeatable tourist experience."

With a plan to have the show go national, as well as in Canada and the Caribbean, Johnson has been "doing the groundwork to build the sponsors and the revenue side of it" in the hopes of having a 13-episode season finished by October.

"We have figured out what the stories are and are working with the local tourism pros to help us figure out what's the best way to frame the region," said Johnson. "We wanted to go basically where we expect to be offering services down the road, and we wanted a large enough bucket that we could do multiple seasons."

Collaborating with "the tourism folks" in the region, Johnson's "big objective" for "Columbia Coast" is to call attention to what the area has to offer in the offseason and to "get revenue into the business development supporting the community at times other than the peak times of summer." According to Johnson, every episode features "a place that tourists can stay; something of historical, artistic or cultural value that a tourist could explore; some culinary aspects of the region; and some outdoor adventure," which are acted out by cast members Mark Justice, Robert Stuart, and Heather Johnson.

"The big thing for us is we're trying to make sure it's not a boring, talking-head, hour-long show," said Johnson. "We want it to be hands-on, active, interesting and entertaining. That's part of it with the personalities. A little mix of a local plus two out of towners. They are realistically learning and exploring and doing things differently that they've never done before because it's unique to the Pacific Northwest, so that makes it a lot of fun."

To learn how to help become a sponsor of "Columbia Coast," email kjohnson@wwest.net or visit Columbia Coast TV on Facebook.