ROGER MONROE

WTVP public television has been an asset in local communications. Unfortunately, it has been beset by major financial problems compounded by the suicide of its key executive and the wholesale resignation of a majority of its board of directors. Several law enforcement agencies are investigating to determine if any laws were broken while the board is in some sort of moral reorganization. It’s disappointing to learn that 11 of its 17 board members decided to quit as a way of appeasing critics. They are no more responsible for possible misdeeds than trustees at Bradley University are responsible for the budget shortfall of $13 million under President Stephen Standiford.

Reading that people like Chairman Andrew Rand and Vice Chairman Sid Ruckriegel stepped down to “save” the television station, in my opinion, accomplished nothing. Both men have outstanding reputations. Andrew Rand has built Advanced Medical Transport into one of the best emergency medical service companies in the nation and Sid Ruckriegel is well-known as a successful once owner of a chain of restaurants. Simply put, while company board members have a fiduciary duty to oversee administration, “the buck stops” with the administrator, executive leader, president/CEO.

If critics are eager to blame directors, blame them for appointing someone as CEO of the station who had absolutely no experience in broadcasting management. Blame them for approving the purchase of a monthly magazine in an industry that has been on the decline for the past 30 years. Blame them for approving expansion of channels 47.1 through 47.5, adding PBS Kids, World, Create TV, and Remote. All it did was add additional programming and costs to an already crowded schedule of choices.

So what’s next? WTVP is governed by the board of Illinois Valley Public Telecommunications Corporation, a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation. As stated, the chairman was Rand, who’s been replaced by John Wieland. The board now has eight new directors with more to be appointed. That’s not a solution, but is designed to make Friends of Channel 47 happy and make supporters of the station feel like something positive is taking place. Those feelings will disappear if indictments are announced, as some expect following the investigations.

Years ago when I was working in public relations at Methodist Hospital, I was approached by Gene O’Connor, co-owner of Ace Ambulance, who asked if my father, Zack Monroe, would be interested in purchasing the company. Dad owned the Peoria Barber College and was Supervisor of General Assistance for Peoria Township. I called my father and he said, “No.”

Since Methodist was in competition with St. Francis and Proctor for emergency patients, I thought ownership of Ace would be good marketing. With that in mind, I immediately went up to the office of Methodist President and CEO Jim Knoble with the idea. He liked it and dismissed me (as he always did). However, he shared the suggestion with Mayor Dick Carver who was on the hospital’s board of directors.

The deal with Ace was made. St. Francis learned of the arrangement and then bought Green Cross. Someone with a vision and a brain decided to merge the two ambulance services under joint hospital ownership. Proctor’s Norm LaConte agreed, but Ed McGrath at St. Francis allegedly said no. Eventually, an agreement was reached and a joint news conference was held celebrating the new ambulance service known as Mobile Medic. It has grown over the years thanks to the cooperation of the city’s “three fine hospitals.”

I share this heart-warming story because it offers an example of how to restore and renew WTVP. The local public television station is non-commercial. It’s not looking to make a profit. Well, enough revenue to maintain and buy new equipment and pay decent salaries. It is not competing with the commercial stations, WEEK, WHOI, and WMBD. Why not ask the management of the three stations to serve on the management team as the hospitals did for AMT? The broadcasting executives have the knowledge, expertise and experience to provide wisdom and good judgment.

The board of local business people would have greater confidence in the operation of Channel 47. If that suggestion is too dramatic, consider asking one of the stations to loan an administrator to be an interim CEO for one year. If that’s too exciting for the new chairman, consider appointing one person from each of the three stations to serve on the board. At least get someone on the board and in administration with successful experience.

CIVIC CENTER FAILURE: Another year has come and gone at the Peoria Civic Center and the management team of ASM Global, headed by Rik Edgar, was rewarded with another five-year contract. Pardon me, if I don’t do cartwheels, for two reasons. One, I can’t do them at age 89, and secondly, Edgar and his marketing team have again failed to sign anyone with a naming- rights contract. Apparently, they came close in 2023, but “no cigar.” They announced, for some reason, they were close, but it didn’t happen. It’s a head scratcher since Bloomington and Moline have naming rights and have for years. It’s the Vibrant Arena in the Quad Cities and Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington and CEFCU Arena on the campus of Illinois State University in Normal.

It just isn’t normal for the Civic Center and Bradley to be unable to sell themselves to anyone. Anyone. Even the Chiefs have gotten the job with Dozer Park and O’Brien Field previously. Since CEFCU dumped on Bradley with its endorsement of ISU, maybe Busey Bank could be persuaded to make a bid. Probably not, since they’re based in Champaign. How about John Deere coming into Peoria, one-time home of Caterpillar? How about ASM Global getting the job done?

Failure is not acceptable, especially since they’ve been the management party since 1990. ASM is 0-for-33 years in the naming rights game.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH: “Don’t fear failure — not failure, but low aim is the crime.” — Unknown