Iowa Broadcasters to the US Congress-Screw You!

Iowa television stations have decided that regardless of the delay Congress imposed on the switch to digital signals they are turning off the analog system on Feb 17 as planned. Good for them.

This event has been well publicised, free boxes have been supplied, and there is no way to know exactly how many sets are not digital ready.

It also costs the stations $30K a month to run parallel systems, a cost they should not have to bear. Only Iowa Public Television thinks its Ok to spend that money on a problem that may not even exist.

""Running digital only would save about $30,000 a month, Jennifer Konfrst, communications manager of Iowa Public Television, said. "But, as a public service industry, we think it's our role to help local Iowans make the switch.""

Those people that are not ready will get off the couch as soon as Judge Judy goes dark on the 17th. Robin Williams once pointed out there will always be a segment of the population that doesn't quite keep up. He noted that in the push across America when your wagon broke down somewhere in Oklahoma and you were to stupid or lazy to fix it that is where you stayed." Those in the 21 century too stupid or lazy to upgrade their TV will just have to listen to NPR.