Iowa History Daily: April 21 - Broadcaster Dean Borg

Iowa History Daily: On April 21, 1938, notable journalist Dean Borg was born in Forest City. Known for his long run as the host of ‘Iowa Press’ on Iowa PBS, Borg left a legacy as one of Iowa’s most respected journalists.

After graduating from Forest City High School, Borg headed down Highway 69 to enroll at Iowa State University. Named ‘Outstanding Broadcast Journalist’ while working at WOI radio, Borg went on to later study at the University of Iowa to obtain a Masters of Public Administration.

Finished with school, Borg went on to serve as a public information officer in the Air Force. On active duty during the early 1960s, Borg went on to serve in the reserves until 1995. Back in Iowa after active service in the Panama Canal Zone, Borg took a job at WMT in Cedar Rapids. Borg oversaw both television and radio operations while occasionally working as a correspondent, notably in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War.

In 1971, Borg left WMT to take a job as the head of public information for the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. The following year, in 1972, Borg started as the host of ‘Iowa Press,’ a role he held through his retirement in 2017. Borg passed away in 2020. #IowaOTD #IowaHistoryDaily #IowaHistoryCalendar