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By JEFF BURNHAM Courier staff writerA dispute between two television stations over which one has the right to broadcast certain programs within Wapello County may end up in court.But station managers at KOIA-TV in Ottumwa and KDSM-TV in Des Moines hope the battle over local airwaves can be decided out of court.The dispute stems from a recent FCC decision giving KDSM the go-ahead to place a translator antenna onto a tower a few miles south of Ottumwa.The tower already translates Des Moines stations WHO and KCCI; KDSM officials said they want the same opportunity to broadcast to local viewers.Tommy Thompson, KDSM general manager, said the new antenna should be installed this week and possibly as early as tonight.With the antenna, viewers will be able totune in to KDSM on channel 25. The station normally broadcasts on channel 17, but the translator changes that.Thompson sees the move as a plus for local viewers and for KDSM, which currently broadcasts to 33 Iowa counties.But KOIA general manager Dirk Engstrom sees it as an unfair and possibly illegal way for KDSM to pick up some extra viewers.The two independent stations offer “a huge amount of duplicated programming” that would only serve to take away viewers fromKOIA, he said.Examples of duplicated programming include Iowa Hawkeye sports and Fox Network shows.Engstrom said he’s contacting the companies that syndicate those programs to find out if KOIA can prevent KDSM from airing duplicated shows.“When we sign a contract for a particular program, we are given the rights to show that programming within Ottumwa,” he said.But with KDSM moving into the market,“all of a sudden our contract ceases to be worth anything,” Engstrom added.KDSM’s Thompson counters that there is “duplicative programming on all the channels coming into Ottumwa already.”He points out that WOI-TV of Ames carries “Win, Lose or Draw,” a game show' also appearing on KOIA.“We’re not trying to keep anybody else's programming off of the air but we feel we have that right too,” Thompson said.He added that KDSM might be forced to black out some programs in the Ottumwa area — but only if “they convince us and our attorneys that legally we can’t televise something.”Thompson and Engstrom agree on one thing — the decision on the matter should be made by each syndicator of duplicated programming.But one syndicator contacted by The Courier said his company doesn't want to get involved.Jim Duncan, area account representativefor Raycom of Raleigh, N.C., said, “We’re not going to get into the decision-making process on this matter.”Raycom beams Iowa Hawkeye sports programming into the state; both KDSM and KOIA hold a contract with Raycom.Duncan said two marketing firms — Arbi-tron and Nielson — are at the heart of the issue.According to Arbitron, Wapello County is in the Des Moines television market — meaning KDSM would have the right to broadcast in the area.But according to Nielson, the county is in the Ottumwa-Kirksville market — meaning KOIA would have exclusive rights to programming in the area.Duncan said “both stations are right” and predicted that the matter might have to be decided in court.“All I know is I'm going to abide by the contracts I have with those stations,” he said, “I’m not going to be on anybody's side about whether it’s right or wrong.”
Newspaper Details
Ottumwa Courier
Ottumwa, Iowa, US
Wed, Jan 04, 1989
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Sammi B.
NA 17 Jun 2023
Other Publications Near Ottumwa, Iowa
Ottumwa Daily Review
Ottumwa Courier
Ottumwa Tri Weekly Courier
Baptismal Register Sacred Heart
Standard Atlas of Wapello County Iowa
