Miami-Dade TV Showcase the 'Dirty Jobs' of Some County Workers

Erika Benitez-Gill had no idea she would have to fill potholes as a producer and host for Miami-Dade (Fla.) TV, but that's exactly what she does - and more - on the Inside County Jobs TV show. She also repairs cracks in sidewalks, unplugs storm drains and fixes stop signs.

Inside County Jobs is a local equivalent of the Discovery Channel's popular show Dirty Jobs. Like Dirty Jobs, the local Inside County Jobs details often-unseen, gritty tasks, but with a focus on Miami-Dade County workers. With slick production and editing, Benitez-Gill learns about and participates in the jobs of some of the county's 28,000 workers.

The TV show is part of a larger effort by county officials to use social- networking trends and strategies to educate citizens about and increase their participation in local government.

"We know, working in the county, that there are so many things county employees do that the public is unaware of," said Judi Zito, director of the county's Government Information Center. "The idea of the show is to raise awareness of county services, but then also feature county employees, because we're like any other organization - we have our own characters and people. It's a way to showcase employees from a more internal point of view, but also to showcase some of the services that go unnoticed by the public."

Firefighting Blazes the Way

In 2006, Miami-Dade TV merged with the Government Information Center, which handles the county's 311 online services, print graphics, translations, marketing and advertising. Soon after the merger, Miami-Dade TV committed to Internet programming by making its shows available on demand from the county's Web portal. Previously government meetings were aired exclusively on the government cable TV channel.

The proverbial light bulb illuminated when Miami-Dade TV host Benitez-Gill produced a seven-minute show detailing training exercises with county firefighters. With 45 pounds of firefighting bunker gear strapped to her petite frame, the show revealed just how rigorous fire rescue training can be.

"When Benitez-Gill and her crew returned from the shoot, we realized there was much more to this than a one-minute news story," said Donn Patchen, Miami-Dade TV's station manager. "We were in awe of what firefighters need to do regarding their constant level of training." The idea for Inside County Jobs developed from there.

"I had no idea what type of things firefighters do, and with the new team I'm working with, I'm learning a lot as I go," Benitez-Gill said. "It's really interesting to see how much pride employees have with their jobs - even if it's filling up potholes, they have a great sense of pride. They're not just doing their job but helping the community."