Opinion
No more excuses; get station on air
Our opinion
We’re not surprised by Friday’s announcement of yet another delay in Iowa Public Radio launching KDWI 89.1 in Ottumwa. Disappointed, but not surprised.
What else should we really expect at this point, 14 months after IPR was supposed to launch both KDWI and KUNZ 91.1? The former will, eventually, supposedly, broadcast the network’s primary programming, including much of National Public Radio’s work. The latter already broadcasts the classical programming.
The first set of excuses was that there were technical issues. The station, we were told, could not broadcast with the strength required by the federal license.
That explanation gave way to a mountain of federal paperwork. It seems the revised application was last in line behind scores of others, and the feds couldn’t keep up.
Those are the plausible reasons IPR has given for failing. And let’s not mince words. They have failed to deliver on their promises.
The later excuses have centered on the company that IPR says it contracted to do the work on the Ottumwa tower, the weather, and similarly vague, “we’re not really at fault” explanations.
Frankly, there’s more than a little bit of skepticism on our end. Those excuses have lasted too long, and they’re too easy. They attempt to shirk responsibility, push it off on anything, anyone other than Iowa Public Radio.
We have been given targets that were not met, and we question whether they were ever intended to be met.
We have watched as weeks of pleasant weather went by, even as that was among IPR’s excuses for not getting the job done.
Does anyone believe IPR would have let the situation drag on this long if the tower and station in question served Des Moines? What about the Quad Cities? Or, realistically, anywhere other than in southeast Iowa?
Iowa Public Radio’s credibility in this area is shattered. Their claim to service for the whole state lies in ruins.
And we’re sick of being the ones left out. It’s time to push back and demand IPR fulfill its promises.
Enough excuses.
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