ADULT RADIO LISTENING PATTERNS AND
EXTENT OF LISTENING TO EXTENSION
BBOADGASTS IN LANCASTER COUNTY,

PENNSYLVANIA

THESIS FOR THE DEGREE OF IN. A.
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

NORMAN E. ENSLE
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ABSTRACT

ADULT RADIO LISTnNING PATTNMNS AND EXTENT
OF LISTENING TO EXTENSION BROADCASTS
IN LANCASTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

by Norman E. Engle

For many years the Cooperative Extension Service has
utilized radio as a medium to convey information to people to affect
its goal of informal education. Insufficient knowledge of the aud-
ience available at the time of these broadcasts has reduced its
effectiveness.

This study was an attempt to acquire information about
adult radio listening habits and to determine how many people were
listening to Extension radio programs.

'Two samples in the county were selected for study -—
one for the farm and one for the general population. The unit of
study was the adult male and female in each sample. The farm sample

was Obtained by random selection of names from a list of farmers

maintained by the County Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation.

.Service. The general sample was obtained from names in the telephone-
directory, so it represented all homes in the county with telephones.
Interviews were conducted by telephone over a three-day“ \‘
period of one week by.a team of 23 persons comprised of university
staff and faculty, graduate students and local adult leaders. Com-
pleted interviews were obtained from 105 adults in the farm sample

and h25 in the general sample.

Norman E. Engle

Data were obtained on when people listen to radio, where
thuy uru whhn IIuLnninm, nhntInns Iistennfl to, knowieflge of Extension
NH'I ummml. HI' IIHImHImI. In; IIJN.mmIma Iu'mu'lumflm mu’I ('Ihlhhfil'HpIaI/J
IHI'nrmnva om rungmmlnulm. AmIIanH Iuwxlvm‘l Isrunplu'hmn of" PULIhpI’WI
and mules ~an I’mnnIun Icahwmwn suinwnn. IIWHILF: 9mm ImeIthII 11,an
analyzna using the Cumpubnr and chi-square was run on comparisons.

Farm and nonfarm adults follow the same pattern of listen-

aing, but a larger percentage of the farm sample listen at most hours

during the day. Peak listening times for both samples occur at meal-
times. The largest number of adults listen from 7-8 a.m. when h6.7
per cent of the farm and 31.6 per cent of the general population are
listening. The noon hour is the second most popular time when
NO per cent of the farm and 27.5 per cent of the general adults
listen. ~

Demographic characteristics of age, occupation, education
and residence were not significant factors in relation to whether
or not adults listened to the radio.

Over 75 per cent of all those interviewed listened to five «

\ \

local stations. A majority restricted their listening to one or two

. local stations. . . ~ g;

When sexes were compared on the basis of listening to
Extension broadcasts, several factors became significant. It was

statistically significant that regular listeners to one type of

-Extension program listen at proportionate degrees to other Extension

programs. A similar pattern was established for occasional listeners,

who tended to be occasional listeners of other Extension programs.

~ .; .. a. 3‘-» ,1 ,_,_ - ..-- ..- .__ 1“

 

Norman E. Engle

Occupation was a factor for males in relation to frequency
of listening to Extension broadcasts. Whether or not general females
were gardeners was statistically significant.

Some 28 per cent of the farm and NB per cent of the general
sample indicated they had no knowledge of the Extension Service.

Over 61 per cent of the general population know none of the county
personnel. Forty-five per cent of the farm and 68 per cent of the‘
general audience never listen to the Extension radio programs.

Data on selected radio stations indicate younger adults

.with blue collar occupations tend to listen to those stations which
program a contemporary format. Stations with a more traditional
approach attract an older audience which has a somewhat higher educaf

tion level and a white collar occupation.

##.n—. A“ “.4. 5— ...._A‘_

ADULT RADIO LISTENING PATTERNS AND EXTENT
OF LISTENING TO EXTENSION BROADCASTS
IN LANCASTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
by f('

T: $/
+4"

Norman ijEngle

A THESIS

I Submitted to
Michigan State University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of

MASTER OF ARTS

Department of Television and Radio

1968

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

It would.be impossible to acknowledge everyone who contri-
buted to this work, but special appreciation must be extended to the
following:

To Dr. Thomas Baldwin, thesis advisor, for his counsel,

'Tdirection and advice in conducting the work;

To Professor Leo Martin, department head, for his consid—i
eration of the circumstances under which this study was conducted
Iand allowing sufficient time for its completion; ‘ T\\‘

To Dr. Emory Brown and his invaluable service in structure.
/ ing the study, its analysis and helping with the many logistics
involved;‘ -
To Karen Hugh, Judy Brown, Naomi Gallagher, Bob Wicks,
M. R. Dynch, Marion Deppen and leaders in Lancaster County for
their assistance in conducting the survey;
To M. M. Smith and the county staff for their c00peration;
Jack Schinagl and T. H. Eatton for their support and consideration;
To Mary Lee Youtzy and others in the statistical laboratory
'for the outstanding contribution in compiling and tabulating data;
And last, to my wife, Doris, for her faith, encouragement

and support in seeing this project to completion.

iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS-

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . .

TABLE OF CONTENTS. . . . . . . . . . . .

LI ST OF TABLES O O O 0 O O O O O O O O 0

LIST OF FIGURES. . . . . . . . . ;'. . .

,7...”-

‘.LIST \OF. APPENDICES' o o" o 0‘ o o s. o o. o 0

INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . .'. .i. . .
The Extension Service in Today' 5 Society.

Extension's Use of Radio. . . . . .
Need for Research . . . . . . . . .

ONECTIVES O O O O O O I O O O O O O O 0

location. 0 O O O O O O 0 0 O O O 0
Radio Outlets Available . ._. . . .

REVIEW OF RELATED RESEARCH . . . . . . .

Time of Radio Listening . .‘. . . .
Where People Listen . -.° -

‘ Who Listens to Extension Broadcasts

Summary of Citations. . . . . . . .

WODOLOGY O O O O O O O O O 0 O O O O 0

Sampling Technique. . . . . . . . .
Survey Team . . . . . . . . . . . .
Interviewing Success. . . °.- . . .
Age of Respondents. . . . . . . . .
Data Analysis . . . . . . .‘. .'. .

RESUI‘TS O I O O O C I O O O O O O O O O

Radios in the Sample. . . . . . . .
When Adults Listen. . . . . . .
Differences in Listening Habits . .
Education and Occupation. . . . . .
Age of Respondents. -,- . . . . . .
Knowledge of Extension. . . . . . .
Listening to Extension Broadcasts .
Seeking Further Information . . . .
Penn State Programs . . . . . . . .
Extension Listeners Compared. . . .

Farm Males . . . . . . . . . .

Farm Females . . . . . . . . .

General Females. . . . . . . .
Listener Characteristics by Station

iv

Page.

iii

iv

vi

vii

viii

SUMMARY AND IMPLICATIONS
Implications. . . .

BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . .

APPmIX O O O O O 0 O 0
Survey Instrument .

Page

61.

6h
68

72'

73

Table

10

ll

12’

13
lh

LIST OF TABLES

Station Characteristics in Lancaster County. . . .
Characteristics of Contiguous Stations . . . . . .
Interviewing Success . . . . . L . . . . . ... . .
Location of Radios . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Per Cent of Audience Listening at Specified Hours
During the Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

V ActiVity While Listenihg O O O O O O . O O O O O O O
‘ Stations Listened To . . . .'. . . . . . . . . . .

Educ at ion 0 O O 0 O O ;O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O '

Have You Heard of the Extension Service? . . . . .
Male Knowledge of County Extension Workers . . . .

Female Knowledge of County Extension Workers . . .

‘Last Time Extension Program Was Heard. . . . . . .

Can You Remember Anything About the Program? . . .

Listener Characteristics by Station. . . . . . . .

vi

Page
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59

Figure
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LIST OF FIGURES

Lancaster County Map and Station Location . . . . . .

Listening Patterns by Sample. . . . . . . . . . . . .

vii

Page
12
38

LIST OF APPENDICES

Appendix

1

A -“fl‘

Survey Instrument . . . . . . . .

viii

Page
73

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
The Extension Service in Today's Society

Since its inception with the Smith-Lever Act, the Coopera-
tive Extension Service has been charged with a specific function:
"... to aid in the diffusing among the people of the United States
useful and practical informatiOn on subjects relating to agriculture
and home economics, and to encourage the application of the same ..." \\

The 1958 "Scope Report," issued by the Extension Committee
Jpn Organization and Policy, outlined a philosophy that Extension
should adopt in the future to meet the needs and challenges of a
constant and dynamically changing society:

"ExtensiOn workers have been acutely aware

of this need (to shift programs and methods

to meet ever-changing conditions and demands)

from the beginning. The tempo of such changes

_has been accelerated dramatically during the

last decade. Every evidence points to an even

faster acceleration in the decade ahead."l
Such vision has had its reward. There have.been changes and since
that predicted decade is about to pass, much of its wisdom can be
applied to the decade that lies ahead.

The Extension organization has one purpose -- informal

education. In l95h, the National Project of Agricultural Communica-

tions (NPAC) was formed to conduct research to learn more about the

 

1"The Cooperative Extension Service Today,‘ a Statement of Scope
and Responsibility. Federal Extension Service. 1958.

process of communication and to train Extension workers in the appli—
cation of developed techniques to make the process of informal educa-
tion more effective. The resultant phases of training were based on
the relevant and established theories and research on how people
communicate and learn.

This basic training in communication has been extended to
'almOSt every Extension worker acrobs the United States and Puerto

Rico, and to many of the countries served by the Agency for Inter- ..

national Development. | \
Extension's Use of Radio

One direct result of this concerted effort has been a
greater reliance on the mass media for disseminating information.
For example, in addition to the other channels of communication
(meetings, circular letters, publications, etc.), the personnel in
(Pennsylvania's Extension Service made more than 71,000 radio broad-
casts in 1967. This compares with a total of 35,270 broadcasts in
1960.2 About h2,000 of these broadcasts originated from material
prepared by the Radio-TV Unit at The Pennsylvania State University.3
These features consisted of taped 2 1/2 to 3 1/2aminute discussions

with specialists and researchers on the university staff and pre-

pared stories in script form from these sources.

 

2Hatch, C.,gt.gl,, "Pennsylvania ExtenSion Radio, 1960," Extension

Studies No. 10, university Park, April 1961.

3Agricultural Communications Annual Report, 1967.

The 295 AM-FM radio stations in Pennsylvania provide a
medium for disseminating informatiOn to the 13 million Commonwealth
residents. Extension programs are broadcast on 151 of these stations.
In addition, 55 stations located outside the state's boundaries are
also utilized. The Penn State Radio Service provides material to
233 of these outlets.
T‘- The agricultural economyjis the largest single unit of
production in-the_Commonwealth. Even so, the change in agriculture ‘
in this state is as dramatic as it is across the rest of the nation. \
While the nation‘s population rose from 151 million in 1950 to 190 N>\‘.
million in 1960, the farm populatiOn went from 23 million (15.3 \
(per cent of the total) down to 15 million (8.7 per cent of the
total).’4 Recent estimates show this trend continues. In 1959
there were 100,052 farms in Pennsylvania, averaging 118.6 acres in
size. In 196A theSe figures were 83,086 and 130, respectively,5
with the number of farm operators dropping from 73,703 to 59,680 in
, those years. I
This pattern showed that if Extension. followed a .
traditional approach of service to agriculture, it was serving a
Smaller portion of the total population each year. With agriculture
becoming more specialized, this smaller number of farmers required'
more specialized assistance to meet its needs. This in itself did

not-justify existence of a large Extension Service. So new programs

 

hAgriculture StatiStics, 1963, p. 2N2.

5United States Census of Agriculture, 196%.

were conceived to serve more of those people outside production
agriculturewho had not been reachedbefore.

There was emphasis on constant evaluation of programs to
serve the "old" clientele better and to reach this "new" clientele.

Blalock and others pointed out the need for meaningful program

\_

direction in stating:

"Extension must continue'to make changes ...
in its programs, in order to adjust to the
rapidly changing conditions of society."6

h ‘ There is an ever-increasing demand on Extension, especially \ .
Tram the rapidly growing rural nonfarm and urban population. Barcus7 T\\\
found that the latter's needs coincide with current Extension activij
ties. How can Extension serve this new audience, as well as its

traditional agricultural audience? Barcus' research also applies to

this question:

"The level or knowledge of awareness should be
raised in order for people to know whom to con-
tact ... infonmation should be disseminated on
the basis of knowledge of existing channels of
information flow and the sources which people
most often utilize."8

9

Brown reports that "Extension is using radio and tele-

‘vision more today than ever before." He also states in a later

 

6Blalock, T., and Abraham, R., "What the Public Thinks of Extension,"
Journal of Cooperative Extension, Vol. I, No. 1, Spring 1963. p. h8.

7Barcus, F., "Abstract of the Role of Agricultural Extension in the
suburban Community," Community Research Center, Boston University,
Cooperative Extension Service, University of Massachusetts, Amherst,

'November 1962, pp. 1, 22.

8920 Cite. PP. 23'2ho

gBrown, E., "Extension Studies," No. 15, August 1962, The Pennsylvania
State University, mimeo.

study, "Radio and television programs reach a large audience.
Extension prdbably reaches more people by radio and television than
by any other method. In fact, television and radio are the preferred
methods of getting information over meetings for both men and
women."10 He also concludes:

"Most studies of the total listening audience

show that the majority of the audience reached

is nonfarm. Evidently moat of these radio and

television programs have been fairly successful

in being of some interest to nonfarm people.

Home economists' pregrams cut across farm and

nonfarm interests more than programs of agri- I

cultural agents."ll ‘g\\
\

«a.

Heasleyl2 concluded "... radio is one of the most preferred
enformation channels for Extension audiences. As such, radio should
(be considered accordingly in future program.planning." This parti-
cular study included only full or part-time farmers. The question

arises -- What would be found for the entire audience, since

Extension is now servicing more than the agricultural segment?
Need for Research

Many studies-conducted to determine radio listening
habits or the response to radio listening have been confined prim-

arily to the agricultural sector of the audience, or to try to find

 

10Brown, E., "Research Findings -- Extension Radio and Television,"

Extension Studies No. 18, October 1962, The Pennsylvania State
University, mimeo, p. 10.

11mm.
12Beasley, D., "Program.Planning Survey of Selected Agricultural

Items for Montour County, Pennsylvania," Extension Studies No.
3h, January 1966, The Pennsylvania State University, p. 13.

out merely who is listening, within this sector. In attempting to
reach a "new and.broader" audience, who is listening? What are their
listening habits? What type of information do they seek from radio?
Are Extension programs broadcast at a time when people are listening?
In.utilizing a.mass medium, such as radio, you cannot
select a small target audience to receive your message and tellfthe
Othersnot to listen. This would not be effective use of resources
or the medium. Realizing an audience may exist at the time of ~~ I
Extension broadcasts which is much larger than "strictly production \ ‘
agriculture" some Extension staffs have adopted new approaches to \>\\
their radio broadcasting. In Pennaylvania, there has been a gradual ,
l/shift from talking to a small group of farmers about production
practices, to a philosophy of talking to the entire audience "about
agriculture." Such programs may have some appeal to the rest of the
audience when they are produced properly.
In addition, a separate programming service has been
initiated for the urbanite or nonfarmer, with specific information
on horticulture, home and lawn care. These programs have been
naccepted for use on more and more stations as part of a regular
broadcast schedule. No evaluation of their effectiveness has been
made.
Such deficiencies prompted this study. What are peoples'
listening habits? Who is listening to Extension broadcasts? What
are the characteristics of these people listening? Are we pro-
gramming at a time to reach our best audience? What share of the.

audience listens to stations broadcasting Extension's programs? Do

the subjects presented elicit response from listeners to seek addi-
tional information? Extension has been considered traditionally
as a service only to farmers. In reaching this "new and expanded
clientele," have we been successful? How do listening patterns of
farmers compare with those of the nonfarmer?

This research was conducted to try to answer these
queStions.

For purposes of manageability, this study was confined
to Laneaster County, Pennsylvania. This is one of the richest
' agricultural areas in the United States, and yet, for purposes of ‘T\\‘
‘this study, has a balance of rural-urban population.
/

The following chapter presents the situation and outlines

Objectives and procedures in conducting the research.

CHAPTER II
OBJECTIvE'S

This smfiw'was designed to measure adult radio listening
habits in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. There were two main
objectives. The first was to define listening habits of adult; in
a farm and general population with'a distinction between sex in the
two samples. ,

(These habits will be further characterized by time of day \ .
adults listen to radio, the types of stations they listen to and \T\\I

(where they are or what they are doing when listening. Information
[will also be obtained about individuals to create a profile on age,
education and occupation in relation to stations listened to. This
data will then be related to the statiOn's perceived audience type.

The second main objective was to measure listening habits
of the farm andtgeneral population specifically in relation to
Extension radiosbroadcasts.

Data will be obtained in relation to the individual's
«knowledge of the Extension Service and personnel in the county
(office and how frequently he listens to Extension broadcasts.

The following assumptions were tested by the data:

1. Men and women will have distinct listening habits.

' 2. There will be differences in listening habits among-
farm and nonfarm audiences.

3. Farm listeners will rely more frequently on

Extension broadcasts for information than will

the general audience.
A. There will be greater variation among men than
women in listening to Extension broadcasts.
5. The farm population will have a greater knowledge
of Extension and its personnel in the county than\\
the general population.”
. The next section describes the universe sampled and factors

considered to test these assumptions.;
Location I . >\\‘

7 Lancaster County is located in Southeastern Pennsylvania, ”
and had-a population in 1960 of 278,359.1 Of this number, 137,892
(h9.5 per cent) were classed as urban and lhO,h67 (50.5 per cent)
as rural. This total represents an increase of approximately
hh,000 since 1950 which was almost equally distributed between the
rural and urban population. It is apparent that the 22,000 increase
in rural residence means these people were living in the country
and not farming because the actual farm population declined several
thousand in that period. The nearequal distribution in population
was a factor in selecting the county as the universe for the study.
Other considerations in establishing the study were the
8h,10h housing units; 86.8 per cent of them had a phone available; _

and 90.2 per cent of the homes had radio.2 These latter figures

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1Pennsylvania Statistical Abstract, 1961, Pennsylvania Bureau of
Statistics.

2Ibid., pp. 20—21.

10

3

compare with 7h.8 per cent homes with phones and about 97 per cent

with radio sets" on a national basis.
Radio Outlets Available

Six radio stations broadcast from locations within the
county. In addition, some of those stations outside the county
'radiate a strong enough signal to reach many of the radios within
the county.
Extension agents do‘a daily five-minute broadcast on WGAL
at 12:15 p.m. The program is.fed to the statiOn by a remote micro-
phone at the Extension office prior to broadcast time, taped and thenr
./played at the assigned time.
This program is taped off the_air by WDAC-FM for broadcast
at 12:55 p.m. and then held for rebroadcast the next day between 5
and 6:30 p.m.
Agents also do a daily five-minute program live on WLAN
at 12:15 p.m. This station tapes the program and rebroadcasts it
the next day at 5:35 a.m.
Each Extension worker presents his program on an assigned '
day of the week on both originating stations. For example, the
county agent broadcasts every Monday; the associate agent every

Tuesday; the home economist every Wednesday; and others through

the week.

 

3United States Census, 1960.

1‘1960 Broadcasting Yearbook, p. 22.

11

Three of the county radio stations broadcast the Extension
programs produced at Penn State which are distributed to stations in
and contiguous to Pennsylvania. One station airs the programs at
5:35 a.m., another at 6 to 6:30 a.m. and the third at 10:30 a.m. and
12:20 p.m. Station management determines if these programs are used
and the time they are broadcast.

«— Figure 1 represents an outline of the county and the
relative location of radio stations mentioned in the study. Some
of the contiguous stations were not included in the analysis.

Tables 1 and 2 indicate characteristics about the radio
stations in the study. This information was obtained from station
(contour maps and statements from management perSonnel on style and

audience. Quotes are attributed to station managers.

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CHAPTER III
REVIEW OF RELATED. RESEARCH

Considerable research has been conducted that relates to
this study. Reviewing the relationships and applicability revealed
valuable information as well as some inconsistencies. The latter
Baa be attributed to the time of the surveys, methods used and
‘ audience analyzed in the study comparisons. Relatively few studies-e Y
cbmbined all the elements that were sought here. For example: some (
dealt only with listening times; some with farm samples only; some N>\\
with listening to Extension programs; and others to set location at
. time of listening.
I The literature cited has been categorized into three main
areas: the time(s) people listen to radio; where they listen; and

who listens to Extension broadcasts.
Time of Radio Listening

In a 19h6 study by Hansonl of 223 farm and 120 town
(families, farmers preferred the 9-10 p.mt hour for listening to
radio, while town men preferred 6-10 p.m. Women preferred 9-10 a.m.
Ninety per cent of the farm sample and'9h per cent of the town

sample had radios.

 

lHanson, H. P., "Radio Listening Analysis," University of Minnesota,
Agricultural Extension, University Farm, l9h6.

15’

16_

Schmitze found the best listening time for farmers to be
from 12-12:30 p.m. For homemakers it.was 8:30 to 9 a.m.

Johnston and Busche3

‘ reperted listening habits of 29h farm
families. A "high percentage of both men and women preferred the
agricultural programs be given at 12 noon."
In summarizing recent Extension radio surveys, Gallup

feund "meal hours and evening hours are the most popular times for
listening to the extension program. 'Noon is probably the most pre- ‘
ferred time of all." I j I ‘

I From.328 interviews of farm and nonfarm homes, JaccardS \N\‘
reports, "Farmers ... said the time of the agent's broadcast, 6:h5
(atm., was too early in winter but satisfactory for other seasons."
Noon to 1 p.m. and 7 to 8 a.m. were the most preferrred

time periods for listening in a Spaven and Wallerius study.6

 

2Schmitz, H. J., "What Farm People want From Radio," 1h p., Purdue

University Agricultural Extension, Lafayette, Indiana, l9h8.
3Johnston, T. R. and Busche, L. M., "Reading and Listening Habits
of Farm Folks in Eleven Northeastern Indiana Counties," Purdue
University Agriculture Extension, Extension Studies Circular 7,
. Lafayette, Indiana, 19h2.
hGallup, 6., "Radio As A Source of Agricultural and Homemaking
Information. A Summary of Recent Extension Radio Surveys," Federal
Extension Service, Circular h53, Washington, D. C., 19h8.

5Jaccard, C. R., "The County Extension Radio Program," 19 p.,
Kansas State College Agriculture Extension, Manhattan, l95h.

6Spaven, J. and Wallerius, M. J., "What Vermont Farm People Want
From Radio," 30 p., Agriculture College Extension, Burlington,
Vermont, 1951.

a
\

\

17

Bertrand and HittT

found that peak listening to weekday
radio occurred at 12 to 12:30 p.m. in rural Louisiana. Their study
showed that almost any hour after 6 sum. found over one-third of the
farm wives with their radios turned on.

Habits of listening may differ in various regions of the
country and may explain differences in studies. A study in Maine8
Showed that four-fifths of all families had their radios turned on
from 7 to 8 p.m. The next best timegto reach large numbers of
families was 12 noon and the third best time 7 to 8 atm. I ‘

Alford? reported "... of the 795 with both radio and \?\\

hetelevision ... over NO per cent frequently listened to radio between a

./7:30 and 8 atm., and 50 per cent at 12:30 p.m. These were the peak

periods for radio."

7 An audience survey published in Broadcasting-Telecastingl0
of percentage of people in television homes listening to radio
averaged 23 per cent in the morning, 8 per cent in the afternoon,

10 per cent at night and 30 per cent all day as averages for all

people. (The latter figure is inconsistent, but was reported as such.)

 

73ertrand, A. L. and Hitt, H. L., "Radio Habits in Rural Louisiana,"

Louisiana Agriculture Experiment Station Bulletin th, University
Station, Baton Rouge, l9h9.

aMaine University, "WABI Radio Study," 15 p., College of Agriculture
Extension Service, Orono, 19h8.

9Alford, W. D., "Survey Report on Radio-Television Listening Habits
in Eastern Massachusetts," 10 p., Massachusetts University Agricul-
ture Extension, Amherst, 1953.

10"The Lesson of Videotown: More Time for Radio and TV." Broadcaéfir

ing-Telecasting, h7:27-28, October 11, 195A.

18

From audience studies in three locations, Wahn reported the

following listening habits: "... fifty-nine per cent of the farm

.0
women and 55 per cent of the farm men usually listented to radio

before 9 a.m."ll

"More than one-half of the farm homes were tuned to radio

at 7 and 8 o'clock_in the morning and nearly two-thirds listened at

...
0‘1

noOn.' There was similarity in the percentage of urban, village and

farm homes listening at the various hours of the day."12

’ "... from one-fourth to one-third were listening to the ( ‘
radio at the various hours from 7 a.m. through the noon hour with N>\~
the highest percentage listening at noon and 7 a.m."13 /

\ / In another audience survey reported in a popular trade

journal, it was projected that 60 to 83 per cent of the audience
may be listening before 7 atm., 63 to 77 per cent between 10 a.m.
and 1 p.mt, and Al to 76 per cent between A and 7 p.mt The article

indicated "... people were doing other things while listening."1h

 

11Wahn, F. L., "The Boston Trade and Distribution Area Radio and
Television Audience," 70 p., University of Wichita, Wichita,
Kansas, 1952.

l2Wahn, F. L., "The 195A Iowa Radio-Television Audience Survey,"

98 p., Kansas State College, Manhattan, l95h.

l3Wahn, F. L., "The Kansas Radio-Television Audience of 195A,"
8h p., Kansas State College, Manhattan, l95h.

A
1 "Radio: Constant Companion for The People of America,"
BroadcastingeTelecasting, h8:31-32, May 16, 1955.

19

Beasley15

surveyed habits and found that 10 per cent of the
respondents indicated 6 to 7 a.m., 15 per cent 7 to 8 atm., 13 per
cent 8 to 9 ‘a.m. , and 19 per cent 12 noon to 1 p.m. as the preferred
times for listening to radio. Agricultural and home economics news
listening preference was noon, followed by 7 to 9 a.m.

Brown and Hatchl6 found that only about 2 1/2 per cent (of

\‘.

.....-

-respondents) listened to radio at'6 a.m. when the Extension program
was on and just over 3 per cent listened at 9 a.m. when the home ~~ ‘\
economics program was broadcast. \ ‘

17 found 60 per cent of them I>\\

Studying lh3 farmers, Evans
‘tuned to radio at 6:30 to 7 a.m., 51 per cent between 7 and 7:30 a.m,
’and a low of 29 per cent between 11:30 and noon; 50 per cent between
Inoon and 12:30 p.m., 20 per cent between 12:30 and l p.m. and 5 per
cent from 7 to 7:30 p.m.

' Crile18 summarized research on listening times by saying

"... noon still seems to be the best time for men (preferred for

 

15Beasley, D. K., "Evaluation of Extension's Radio and Newspaper
Programming in Columbia County, Pennsylvania," Extension Studies No.
28, The Pennsylvania State University, College of Agriculture, Ext-
ension Service, University Park, March 1965, 23 p.

16Brown, E. and Hatch, C., "The Extension Radio Audience in Butler

County," Extension Studies No. 17, Agricultural and Home Economics

Extension Service, The Pennsylvania State University, University

Park, September 1962.

17Evans, J. K., et al., "Profile of Radio and Television Listening

by East-Central —Illinois Farmers," 20 p., Agricultural Communica-

tions Research Report No. 20, Extension Editorial Office, Univer-

sity of Illinois, Urbana, August 196h.

18Crile, L., "Some Findings from Radio Research," Extension Service

Circular 503, USDA, November 1955, p. 2.

2O

listening to farm and home radio programs), with early morning second.
The hours after breakfast and noon are still about equally good for
the homemakers."

These studies indicate people have listening habits, but
these habits change over a period of time. Earlier studies show a
tendency toward evening listening, but since they predate TV they
.are not consistent with today's activity. Subsequent studies have
shown how these habits change. The more recent surveys indicate the"
noon hour commands the highest percentage of listening, with 7 to 8 K ‘
sum. the next most popular time. \
~ Most of the studies are 10 years old or older and are
included to emphasize the lack of current information. Changes in
society and results of the few current studies support the need for

this study.
Where People Listen

It was felt a knowledge of where people are or the activity
in which they are engaged while listening would be important in
‘ scheduling radio programs.

Only a few studies could be found that indicated where
people were when listening or where radio receivers were located. 0f

19

all homes in the Boston area, Wahn reported 55 per cent had sets in

the living room, NO per cent in the kitchen, 37 per cent in bedrooms,

 

19Loc. ci .

\
\

/

21

8 per cent in the dining room and 1h per cent had them in other rooms
or moved them about.

In a Politz survey reported in Broadcasting-Telecasting,2O

"... one out 6T three home sets was kept in the living room, 31 per

cent in the bedroom, 23 per cent in the kitchen and the rest in

various places."

Who Listens to Extension Broadcasts?

\

Research related to the audience listening to Extension's I

l I“ \ \~
radio programs shows various results. Crile21 summarized some find- \:\‘

ings in saying:

"Radio families in the Nation's small towns and
the surrounding countryside are loyal listeners

to their home-town radio stations. Many families
have their radios tuned all day to the local radio
station on which the county extension agents
broadcast."

In her opinion:

"A high proportion of both men and women of all

ages and income groups listen to the radio programs
of the county extension agents and also those of the
State extension workers in the college station
broadcasts. Many listen regularly."22

_She also indicated the effectiveness of these broadcasts:

"Radio is an effective means of teaching. A high
proportion of the peOple take definite action as

 

20"Politz Study Affirms Penetration of Radio," Broadcasting-Telecast-
ing, h5:31-32, July 27, 1953.

22

the result of these programs in such ways as
'attending extension meetings, ordering bulletins
and changing old practices or adopting new ones.

"23

. In a study in 1953 similar to one done in l9hh, Matthews
andWhitham?h tonducted personal interviews with 3A6 village, rural
nonfarm and farm families.

Nearly two-fifths of the people listened regularly to radio
firm.programs. The farm program listening habits of the people had
changed very little from l9hh, Moregthan half the people listened
regularly or frequently. About one-fourth of the people were regular
er frequent listeners of the Connecticut Farm Forum radio program
Ithat originated at the university.

. 25

Johnston and Busche reported 22 per cent of the farmers
and 26 per cent of the homemakers listening to the agricultural
Extension program daily or every other day.
I The county agent's program had been heard by 63 per cent

of the farmers; the home demonstration agent's program by 63 per cent
of the homemekers and some member of 57 per cent of the families had
heard the h-H program in a study by Hanson.26

In this study, the work of the county agent was known by 87

per cent of the farmers; 75 per cent of the women knew of the home

 

Ibid.

21‘Matthews, J. L. and Whitham, G.*E., "Cooperative Agricultural
Extension Work in Windham County, Connecticut," 33 p., Connecticut

Agriculture College Extension, Storrs, 1953.
25LOC. ci

26Loc. ci

d

d

23

demonstration agent's work; and some member of 70 per cent of the
families knew ' of h-H.

For the town sample, 9h per cent had working radios. About

half the men had heard the county agent; 79 per cent of the women
heard the home demonstration agent and some member of NS per cent of
the families had heard the h-H Club agent. Eleven per cent of the
men and 2% per cent of the women listened regularly.
From 328 interviews of farm and nonfarm homes, Jaccard27
reports "... 57 per cent said they listened to the radio broadcasts \ 7
of the county agent, 53 per cent those of the home demonstration N>\*
agent and NS per cent those of the h-H Club agent.

Spaven and Walleriuse8 foand there were more occasional
listeners than regular listeners among 7A2 homemakers and A93 farmers,
but 7h per cent of all of them heard the farm-home programs regularly
or occasionally.

In a 195% study, Moe29

interviewed 123 Broome County, New
York farmers. Agents were presenting seven radio programs -- six
weekly and one biweekly. Few inquiries and few requests were receiv-‘
ed as a result of these programs. ,Forty per cent of the farmers

interviewed listened once a month to the biweekly program over a

station with a large rural audience. About half of the farmers never

 

27Loc. cit.

28Loc. cit.
29

Moe, E. 0., "Where does the farmer get his information?" Farm
Research Reprint No. 2&1, New York (Cornell) Agricultural Experi-
ment Station, Ithaca, 195h.

2h

heard of the program. From 60 to 80 per cent of them had never
heard of the other six programs.

Gallup3°

indicated, in general, the studies limited to
radio programs alone show that Extension radio programs provide a
'medium.for reaching a large number of persons with educational infor-
mation on agriculture and homemakingl Nonfarm as well as farmkpeople
are servedt"According to these studies, practically all who listen
to Extension programs find them helpful.

He stated that the surveys show large variations in per- \ 7‘
centages of people reached by Extension radio broadcasts -- from 21 fol
'fper cent in one county to 9h per cent in another; and in percentage
/Of people taking action -- from 5 per cent in one county to 56 in

another.

‘ The WABI audience survey in Maine31 indicated 29 per cent
of the families had listened to the Extension Service program; 38
per cent did not listen to any farm program.

For the Kansas audience, Wahn32 reported 35 per cent of the

women'and h7 per cent of the men usually listened to farm news

 

.programs.
3OLoc. cit.
31Loc. cit.
32

5‘
O
O
p.
5*

25 I

Brown33

concluded in a review that studies indicated the
largest part of Extension's audience is nonfarm as opposed to farm
population.

Brown and Hatch conducted a coincidental study at the times

Extension programs were broadcast. In one location 27 per cent of

‘s.

the contacts (66 farmers) listened every day, 27 per cent a few times
‘a week, A per cent once a week, 15 per cent seldom and 27 per cent
never. For the general population, 78 per cent had not heard it, 8., ' \

per cent seldom, 8 per cent often, and 6 per cent with no frequency

mentioned.3" , T>\\

Sixty-seven per cent of the farmers had never heard the
[two programs originating from Penn State, 9 per cent listened seldom,
17 per cent occasionally and 8 per cent often.

In another location, 55 per cent of the farmers and 78 per
cent of the general population sampled had never heard the broadcasts
by the county personnel.

The researchers concluded "... a relatively low percentage

of the families (total population) are tuned to Extension programs."35

 

33Brown, E., "Research Findings -- Extension Radio and Television,"
Extension Studies No. 18, The Pennsylvania State University, College
of Agriculture, University Park, October 1962.

3"Brown, E. and Hatch, C., "Extension Radio Audience in Blair County,"

Extension Studies No. 23, The Pennsylvania State University, College

of Agriculture, University Park, October 1963.

35Ibid., p. 10.

26

Heasley36

found that 65 per cent of the radio handout
respondents and NO per cent of the telephone respondents had heard
either the AGRI DIGEST or HOME & GARDEN radio programs produced by
Penn State. The farmers in the sample had heard the tapes more often
than nonfarmers. For the local Extension agents' programs, 9l‘per
cent of the handout respondents and 60 per cent of the telephone
respondents listened. He reported that a high percentage of respon-
dents indicated they would listen to agricultural programs, and had‘f

’ .
a high interest in home economics and h-H Club news. Older respon- (

dents had the most interest in receiving information over the radio.' N?\\
A Politz study37 indicated that 93.h per cent of all adults/
-/in Nee York (City) listened to radio at least once during the week
((Monday through Sunday) in 1966. The survey showed slightly more men
than women listened but women listened longer. The 25—3h age group
had the highest percentage of listening.
A study a year earlier on radio listening showed adults
, 50 to 6h years old fell into the group of highest listening. 'For
women in this age category, 52.9 per cent were heavy listeners; among_
men, h2.6 per cent were heavy listeners.38

Mary L. McKenna, a researcher for a.media group, stated

some of the difficulty in getting accurate information on listening

 

36Loc. £33.

37"In New York, almost everyone listens," Broadcasting, August 8,
1966’ Pp. 76-770

 

1“

38"Age profile of the audience?" Broadcasting, November 15, 1965,
P0 91'

27

habits in saying, "... measuring the radio audience (is) admittedly a
difficult task since radio comes to listeners in so many packages.

Further, listening occurs in conjunction with other activities."39

Summary of Citations

These studies indicate there is a reliance by the puhlic on
”radio as a.medium for obtaining infermation. They fail to present
an up-to-date relationship between the farm and general population “
for listening habits. There is little comparison between the farm \ 1
and genefhl population in relation to listening to Extension broad- N\\‘
‘casts, or the types of persons that listen to the programs and the
/ benefit derived.
Many of these studies that do mention these items were
conducted before much activity was begun by the Extension Service to
serve more people. Consequently, little measure of the effectiveness
of radio for these goals is available.
Studies by media groups do establish some profiles on
listeners but they have not made the comparisons sought in this
. study. And there is disagreement among pollsters on validity of
‘these studies. As in other fields of research, the search continues
for more knowledge and a "better way."
The following chapter outlines the methodology of this
study. Succeeding sections present results and implications they

represent.

 

39"Want ratings to be 60% higher?" Broadcasting, January 18, 1965.
P. 700

 

CHAPTER IV
METHODOLOGY
Sampling Technique

Two samples were used inlthis study -- one for farm and the
mother for the general population. The unit of study was the adult
male Or female of the household. The farm sample was obtained from
. random selection of names from the Agricultural Stabilization and
3Conservation Service list of farmers. This list represents all \\\\
farmers who are recognized as actively participating in agriculture
5as a business or way of life. This was used in lieu of the county
~Extension maIIing lists in an attempt to reduce bias., Extension
. lists would represent those people who tend to participate in
'Extension activities and would not represent the total farm popula-
tion. Every forty-first name was chosen from this list of 6,30h
farmers and yielded 1&6 names for use as the farm sample. This
selection resulted in 105 completed interviews.
The general population sample was obtained from the tele- '
I-phone directory representing exchanges from across the county. Even
though 86.9 per cent of the homes in the county have at least one
telephone, almost 13 per cent of the homes were not represented in
the sample. Therefore, the general sample represents total homes
in the county with telephones.
The first name from the first and third column of each

page cf the phone directory was drawn for this sample. Where a

28

29

commercial or firm name appeared, the next name down the column repre-
senting an individual or residence was chosen. This selection pro-
duced 568 names, from which A25 interviews were completed.

The general sample was larger than the farm because it
represents a larger proportion of the county population. Evenhthough_
there is a neareequal distribution between rural-urban population, a
“majority of those in the rural classification are not farmers but
merely live in rural areas.

There were other recognized limitations in-this selection. (

I'

Some people in the county, because of strong religious beliefs, do
‘not have telephone or radios. This explains a lower than national w
"average per cent Of radios in homes for the county.

The telephone survey was selected to obtain data in the
study because it Nest fit the manpower and budget available. It
was considered an expedient method of collecting data in the_short—
est time and interviewees would be least inconvenienced. The tele-
phone survey is considered by some researchers a reliable technique

of obtaining information.
Survey Team

Twenty-three persons -- members of The Pennsylvania State
University staff (including radio editors, county personnel and
training officers), graduate students and local adult leaders were
trained to conduct the interviews. The professional staff completed

381 interviews; volunteers completed lh7.

. 30

The questionnaire had been pretested and revised before the
survey was conducted. Interviewers were instructed to alternate calls
between men and women to obtain the desired sex characteristics. This ‘ -

resulted in the following distribution: farm, A9 males and 56 females;

\ \u-

general, 173 males and 252 females.
' The survey was conducted over a three-day period, Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday, in one week. Calling centers were establish-
ed at key locations across the county from which the professional
staff could work to conduct the interviews so all the sample could be \ ‘
contacted. Telephone numbers were affixed to the schedules before NT\‘
’they were supplied to all interviewers. , w
The 1h local leaders called from their homes and completed
50 farm and 97 general sample interviews. The range was from 7 to
18 completions for this group. The members of the professional
group cempleted 18 to 63 interviews each for a total of 55 farm.and
326 general sample interviews.
Althoughrrecords were not kept on the length of interviews,
calls could be completed within 10 minutes. When a reSpondent was
‘ particularly interested in the survey study, an interview could last
15 minutes or longer. Several interviewers reported talking for 30
minutes with several respondents.
No validation of interviews was provided, but it was
assumed results were reliable. The professional team of callers
worked in groups of two or three at each calling location. The

'project leader made periodic checks at each location and discussions

were held at the end of each day to assess progress and response.

31

Schedules were collected from volunteers the following morning after
the interview period. There appeared to be good cooperation from the
group as many of them said they "had enjoyed doing the survey and had

learned a lot about people."
Interviewing Success ‘

From the 71& names (1&6 farm, 568 general) selected for
the two samples, 530 interviews were completed. Table 3 represents~

the success of interviewing.
i

Table 3. Interviewing Success.

\

 

 

 

 

Sample
Farm General Total
Calls_comp1eted a 105 &25 530
Calls not completed 13 85 98
No radio 20 23 &3
Refused to cooperate 8 - 35 &3
Total 1&6 568 71&

 

 

hNo answer, phone draconnected, head of household not at home, moved,
illness, too old to comprehend.

Interviewers were instructed to make at least three calls
at different times to each number in an attempt to reach the respon-
dent.

With exception of four calls, all interviews were completed
during the planned survey period. Three schedules were not marked
upon completion so it was not known when they were completed and one

was listed as being completed Friday. For the farm sample, &7

32

interviews were completed the first day, 52 the second and 6 the
third. In the general sample, 108 were completed the first day, 202
the second and 116 the third. As mentioned, four calls are not in

these figures.

Age of Respondents

..-—o .

‘ The average age for the farm sample (men and women) was

&7.3 years, with a range of,26 to 75. This compares with an average

of &5.3 years for farmers in 196&, as listed in the Agricultural \ ‘

\
\ .

I

Census for the county.

The average age for the general sample was &6.7 years,
with a range of 19 to 91. The median for the general population in
lthe county in 1960 was 29.8 years, compared to 30.2 years for the
state.

I Provisions were not made to distinguish between FM or AM
stations. Data were Obtained only on the basis of "radio listening."

The questionnaire was designed to gather information on
fivemajor areas: individual listening habits; knowledge of Exten-h
sion; listening to Extension broadcasts and recall of information;
demographie data; and information on activity that might relate to
an individual's need for some of the subjects included in Extension
broadcasts..‘See appendix for the sampling instrument.

The first page of the questionnaire was established as
part of the operational procedure in conducting the survey and

served as the basis for coding information for tabulation.

33
DataxAnalysis

Data were codified and entered onto IBM cards to facilitate

tabulation by using the computer. Sex and sample were separated and

maintained as units throughout analysis. Chi-square was used for-

significance testing. , \H

r“

The sexes in each sample were first compared on all items
involved in the study. For the farm.sample (comparing males and
females), differences in only three items were significant: know-

Iledge of the Extension Service; recall of program subjects; and care

of houseplants.

\ 0

Differences in four areas of the general sample (when sexes
‘were compared) were significant. They were: knowledge of the Exten-
sion Service; knowledge of county Extension personnel; listening to

Extension broadcasts (whether or not they listened); and listening

frequency.

Subsequent analysis compared farm.males and general males
and farm females and general females on all items involved in the
study. This latter technique yielded most of the data included in

'the results.

The next chapter presents results of this study.

CHAPTER V
RESULTS '
Three of the five assumptions were supported while the
other two were rejected.
Assumption:
1. Men and women will have distinct listening
I
habits and listen to a particular station.

Supported.

2. There will be differences in these habits

\
\

among farm and nonfarm audiences. Rejected.

3. Farm listeners will rely more frequently on
aExtension broadcasts for information than
will the general audience. Supported.

&. There will be greater variation among men
than women in listening to Extension broad-
casts. Rejected.

5. The farm population will have a greater
knowledge of Extension and its personnel

than the general population. Supported.
Radios in The Sample

8. Ninety-four per cent of the homes in the study had radios.
Each sample averaged 3.& radio sets per home. The number of radios

was comparable in each sample.

3&

35

Eighty per cent of the farm sample and 56 per cent Of the
general sample had at least one radio in the kitchen. See Table &
for comparative percentages between the two samples on location of
radios.

Seventy-three per cent of the farm sample and 72 per cent
of the general sample indicated at least one radio set was portable.

...

(The number of portables was comparable for each sample.

When Adults Listen

i u ‘ - \\\\‘
\

Figure 2 and Table 5 represent data revealed in the study

.in support of the assumption that adults will have distinct listening
/ habits. There are many similarities, in that both samples follow
much the same pattern in listening throughout the day. The fanm
sample represents a higher degree of listening except for the after-
noon and late evening hours. Both samples have peak listening times
at the morning and noon meals. At 7-8 a.m. &6.7 per cent of the farm
and 31.6 per cent of the general audience are listening. At noon,

&0 per cent of the farm and 27.5 per cent of the general audience
listens. The farm audience has another peak in the early evening when
27.7 per cent are listening from 6-7 p.m.

The figures show that some of the people in the farm

sample start listening about an hour earlier in the morning but they
both peak at the same time, 7-8 atm. Information that is broadcast

before 6 atm. has a relatively small audience, even among farm

‘8
‘ families.

36

 

 

m a an em o m mm m m H mm as a: ma Haaaaao
: m mm mm H m mm m m. m a: m . ms om _saaa
I I I I IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII pose pom IIIIIIIIIIIIII .. IIIIIIII

 

monm owouoo dawn «and novomaa Moshe .30 388 Boom Spam Soon Boom Boom omnopwu mamadm
lanes raaem assess -eam maaaao wea>aa

 

 

.Amoamfimm no Home. away mowomm no dogmas .63..nt

Total
(N=h25)

General
Females
(N=252)

Males
(N=l73)

 

Total
(N=105)

37

(N=S6)

Farm
Females

 

Males

Per Cent of Audience Listening at Specified Hours During
(N=h9)

the Day. By Sex and Sample.

 

 

 

Table 5 .

i
\,
I‘\,
\u

T‘

czczwléunuqa1lnvR/nvnusuwwnonvqavuoaéu9.9.

0591\4h397665206299751
13222121112211

hh186h866553h53539688

0&73231601907325217h0
1333323212222111

81908.“.887121907300018

18.4367/060565025311181—
9.3111131112211111

833767780232097025980

3356856h0657027171330
13h2222hl11222211

883N11138h88201h09280

1095111910662h9057710
13514:“..435322333321

237953337112335532120

66hh2h2hhhh8h60226260

13h21113 1122.].
s

. m
m

o . 0129. 012
&6789111123h56789lll
...Rw..____......_._+
5567 9012123h56789012
. 111 111

.~-‘

 

 

Listening Patterns by Sample. a

Figure 2.

Farmwsample

_l___ General sample

38

 

 

I
O
In

I
In
'1'

0
gr

I I ' ‘—
U\ C) Tux, é. J\
«1 «I ’0: on r:

Sutuaastq dues deg.

10-

+8I
ZI'II
II'OI
OI;6

6‘8

L'9
9-5 X
5"?
N'E
8'3
a-I

Hours During Day

T'BI
BT‘IT
IT'OI

OI-6

°m°s - '
c, S

39

Table 6 shows how many people are listening at various hours
and what they are doing at these times. From 6-7 a.m. 19 per cent
of the farm families are eating and/or in the kitchen. For the
general population 7.5 per cent are eating and/or in the kitchen and
7.5 per cent are getting ready for and going to work. At 7-8 atm.
25.7 per cent of the farm sample and 12 per cent of the general are
{Neating and/or in the kitchen. At this time 10 per cent of the general
sample are getting ready for or going to work.

A Comparable percentages of women in both samples listen \ ‘
while doing housework at the variOus hours throughout the day, - \f\~
although slightly more of the farm women indicate doing this task
later in the afternoon and early evening.

I Data to support the premise that adults listen to a parti-
cular station were less definitive than listening times. Most
respondents indicated listening to one or two local stations.

Table 7 represents the per cent of the total sample listen-
ing to the various radio stations mentioned in the survey.

These results indicate respondents are oriented to the
local station as over 75 per cent of them listen to the five strong-
. est and most popular stations in the county. About 3.6 per cent of
thettotal sample was "cosmopolitan" oriented and listened to stations
from.the large metropolitan stations close to the county (Philadelphia,

Baltimore and New York).

~‘.

Table 6. Activity While Listening (Sample and Frequency by Hours).

House-

To/From

 

 

Ready
for WOrk

Barn,,

Driving
G IF

F

Work

 

F

Leisure
G

work

 

WOrk
F G F

G

Eatingg_ Kitchen
F

 

Outside

 

&0

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OOOMJNSNQQQPNMNNHHHHH
OOOHHHHHNHHHHOOOOOOOO

OOOHNHHOOOOHNHMQQWHMO

2?

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. r'l NNNr-l

OOMHMMb-mM—d'MHNOF-QWMMOO
HHHHHHHHc—IHH

HNPQH—‘JMHQQQQPMMJOQWOO
Ndmmmmmmmmmdc—IH

c>r1r1r1c>c>c>c>c>c>c>c>c>c>c>c>c>c>c>c>c>
c>r-¥:gjosr+c>c>c>c>c>c>r+c>c>c>c>c>c>c>c>
c>c>r+osa1c>r+c>osc>c>c>c>r1r+c>r4c>c>r1c>
(3:353g3a3c>r+c>awc>uxuxt;

O
2
9
l8
l9

:POtCDONr-ic-IJCOLAHO'OOO
r-I t-Ir-I

0.33

23

:JHONb-MOOJCh—‘J’HOOOOO
(fit-1 Ar HN

JQSWNNNHHOOHMMMHHOOOO

HMJNNNHHHHHHNMMHHHHOO

-5 a.m.
5—6
6-7
7-8
8—9
9—10

10-11

11-12

12-1 p.m.
1-2
2-3
3—2.
1.45
5-6
6-7
7-3
8-9
9-10

10—11

11-12

12+

 

 

&1

Table 7. Stations Listened to -- Per Cent of Total Sample.

 

v v ' ~—

 

V 1

 

Station Per Cent
WDAC .
WGAL 2 .
WGSA 1 .
WLAN 1 .
WSBA -' l

‘<Other county station
Other in state A
Other state "cosmopolitan"
None mentioned ~
Don't know '

iTotal

«Insulators—rum
mooxwunooxnmo

100

 

 

Differences in Listening Habits

The second assumption that there would be differences in

listening habits between samples was rejected on the basis that these

differences were only minor. Almost identical percentages of farm

and general males listened while at work. The biggest difference

occurred in driving to or from work, as only one farmer drove to work

and listened to the radio. Twenty-five per cent of the general males

listened while driving to or from work. The same amount (18 per cent)

of both samples listened while relaxing. More farm.maleS'(&2 per

cent) indicated they listened while eating than did their general

counterparts (29 per cent); more listened in the kitchen (13 vs. 6.5

per cent). Slightly more general males (9 per cent) listened while

getting ready for work than did the farm males (7 per cent).

Females in both samples were comparable with only small

variations in listening location or activity.

The same per cent, 2&,

&2

4—-

in both samples indicated they listened while eating. Farm females
listened more while in the kitchen (25 vs. 20 per cent). Thirty-four
per cent of the farm females and 33 per cent general listened while
doing housework. The figures are identical when general females
listening at work are included. Ten per cent of the general female
audience listened while relaxing, as did 7 per cent of the farm
-':females. (Disparity between farm male and female percentages listen-

ing while eating resulted from different responses to the question.

\

I Women may have answered "housework" or "kitchen" rather than "eating."(

Analysis dealt with separate responses rather thanany combination.)

. When both samples are considered as a unit, 2.3 per cent!
listen in the barn or outside; 25.5 per cent listen while eating;
815.5 per cent listen in the kitchen; 9.8 per cent listen while driving

to or from.work; 6 per cent listen while getting ready for work; 19.2
"per Cent while doing housework; 12.2 per cent while relaxing; 2.5 per
cent while at work; 1.5 per cent while driving (salesmen or for
pleasure); and 5.6 per cent did not specify an activity while listen-

ing.
Education and Occupation

The general population is better educated than the farm.

Only 6.5 per cent of the males and 5.7 per cent of the females in the
.farm sample had any.college training, compared with 23.2 per cent and
15.1 per cent, respectively, in the general sample. Table 8 repre- I

sents education of the two samples.

&3

 

 

 

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00H 0m.m 4:.m ow.ma mm.~ ~m.mm :m.am mw.~a :;.m Amwanzv moan:

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00H wm.m 00.0 mm.H b~.m . .m:.mm ma.0m mw.mm Qw.H Ammzzv meassom
cos ma.m oo.o ea.m mm.s mo.wm Hm.mm ms.ms oo.o Amsuzv assumes

IIIIIIIIIIIII: lllll Iapcoosomnunntnllnnun IIIIIII
Hepoa swamo< seamen .uvssomnu omoaaoo .Opssomuo Hoonom muse» «use»
oz ooom>0¢ umoflnou ofiom Hoonom nwwm mum w some:

- Amwm «sow

 

 

.SOAvsoswm .0 «Home

h&

The standard occupational classes were assigned to respond-
ents. For simplicity in analysis, professional, proprietor, clerical
and sales occupations were combined to form "white collar" workers.
A "blue collar" category was assigned to craftsmen, operatives, farm-
.ers and farm laborers, laborers other than farm, domestic service and

_protective service.

' .4.-. .
"
" -

\

The occupation of the cOmbined samples placed 23.8 per cent ‘

v. \ \
as\white collar workers and &&.7 per cent as blue collar. The remain-

\
1

_‘.ing 31.5 per cent consisted of retirees, students, those not gainfully,

I \‘

employed or those where no precise classification of occupation was

available.
Age of Respondents\

The average age was &7.3 years for the farm and &6.7 for
,axthe general sample. For the total sample, 33 per cent were under &0
(years old; 25 percent in the &O's; 20 per cent in the 50's; and 22
per cent 60 or more. The farm Sample has 3 per cent less in the
youngest category; about the same in the &0's; about 7 per cent more
in the 50's; and about 3 per cent less in the oldest age group. The
range was 26 to 75 years for the farm sample and 19 to 91 years for

the general sample.
Knowledge of Extension

Response to the question "Have you ever heard of the
Agricultural Extension Service or the Cooperative Extension Service?"

brought results that should interest Extension workers. A comparison

hS

of samples shows 28.6 per cent of the farm sample and 58.8 per cent
of the general sample did not know about it. These figures were
significant at the .05 level. Table 9 presents data by sample and

sex for this response.

Table 9. Have you heard of the Extension Service? (By Per‘Cent)

 

v_ YV

 

 

 

 

Males Females
Farm General Farm General
\. <N=h9) ~‘ (N=173) (N=56) (N=252)
NO ‘ . .. ““180"; 5302 3705 6207
Yes . 81.6 h6.8 . 62.5. 37.3
Total 100 100 100 100

 

 

These figures upheld the assumption that farmers would have a better
"knowledge of Extension. Findings were significant on acquaintance
with county Extension personnel.

Reapondents were asked if they knew by name the county
agent, home economist and h-H agent. When samples were compared, 5h.9
per cent of the males and 65.5 per cent of the females in the general
sample knew none of them. These figures were significant at .01.

For the farm sample, 12.2 per cent of the males and 17.9
per cent of the females said they knew none of them by name. These
figures were not significant.

A comparison of these figures by sex are presented in-Table

10 for males and Table 11 for females.

h6

 

 

 

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dam .. o.o 9m mam «d «:3 .o.o 0.0 92 «.3 :3qu 5mm
Hdpoa. HH< 90:90 a m HH< uqow¢ vmwsocoom pomw< nmwaoaoom, pqmm< ocoz «Hmawm
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h8

A lower percentage of the male population is acquainted with.
the county home economist than the female population is acquainted
with the county agent. A higher percentage of the male population
knew county personnel than did females. This might he explained by
his appearance at more civic clubs or his longer tenure in the county.
Morrill's name was used to help validate responses. AlthoUgh

he is identified with agriculture, he would not be identified as an

Extension employee by those who truly knew the employees. 00 these

\

who indicated they knew him and these on the county atarr Wuuld he \\\\\
\

-suspect. 0f the nine who indicated they knew h!m. two Pndpnuflbutfl.
'one farmer and a former Extension employee. identified him correctly
as the congressman who authored the Land Grant Bill. The other seven
responses were suspect, but were a very small per cent or the total
, samplc.‘ Answers to the question on knowledge of Extension peruunnel.

were considered valid.
Listening to Extension Broadcasts

Only 5.7 per cent of the farm.sample (four males and two.
females) listened to stations at 12:15 p.m. on the day of the inter-
view that broadcast the county Extension program.

Few people in both samples were listening to radio between
5 and 6 ammt, another time when Extension programs were on the air.
.Eighteen of the farm.sample were listening to the radio at that time
‘but none of them.listened to the Extension broadcast. or the 6.3

per cent in the general sample listening at that hour, 2.3 per cent

listened to the Extension program” Only two women out of the sample

h9'

.I‘

could recall they had beard something related to agriculture and home
economics in the broadcasts.

These results indicate there are not many people listening
at this early hour when Extension information is broadcast. If it is
designed to reach the farm audience at this time, it is almost totally

ineffective. The program subject, method of presentation and other

n—a-

N factors lead one to believe there was little audience interest in the ' P.
program. This could help explain the low attention and poor recall ‘. . "fl
1 factors. . ‘ \ ‘

 

Interviewees were asked, "Do you ever listen to the Exten- \ \ A
\ sion program on radio?" Almost h3 per cent of the farm and 65 per« 53
‘ cent of the general males never listen. Of those who do listen, the ’ ‘5‘
farmers listen more regularly, 22.h per cent versus 2.9 per cent.
There was less difference between occasional listening, as 3h.7 per
”cent of the farm.and 31.8 per cent of the general sample listened-in.
this category. These figures are significant at the .001 level.
Over h8 per cent of the farm and almost 70 per cent of the
general women never listen to the programs. The assumption that there
~\ would be less difference between women than men of the two samples
was rejected. Fewer women in both samples listened to the programs
and there was a greater difference in listening between women than
men. Fourteen per cent of the farm females listened most days and
37.5 per cent listened occasionall . For the general sample women,

these figures were 6 per cent and 2h.2 per cent, respectively, and

were significant at .01.

50

As predicted, the farm audience was more regular in listen-
ing to Extension programs and the assumption was supported. It-was
surprising to find that over to per cent of them never listen. This‘
indicates the programs are not providing the type of information they
can use; is not broadcast at a time they normally listen or.on the
_station they tune to at this time; or is not presented in a.manner to
.interest them. One would assume there is also a hard core in this.
group whom could never be reached by radio because they do not use:
f.radio for that purpose. They use other sources to obtain information

they need.

It is interesting to note the comparable percentage of the,

general audience who listen occasionally. Apparently some broadcasts
Tare.of some value to these people.

It was expected that farm women would be more regular
listeners to the programs because of their proximity to a radio while
doing housework. Also, since they are partners in the farm enter-
prise and help in decision making and recordkeeping, it might be
expected they would have an interest in many of the same topics as.
the men and rely on radio more for information. This was not found
and the assumption was rejected.

This study did not attempt to determine the program topics
listened to, the type of information listeners seek from radio or
how well these objectives are being met by the Extension broadcasts.

Table 12 presents data on the last time respondents heard

the Extension radio programs.

 

51

Table 12. Last Thme Extensioinrogram.Was Heard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don't Last 2 Weeks
.Sample Know Week or More Total ‘
--------- per cent - - - - - -.- - - — -
Males“ - a- .
'Farm.(N=h9) 57.1 32.7 10.2 100 ‘“
General (N=173) 82.1 h.6 13.3 100
- Females 7 r .
Farm.(N=56) 57.1 25.0 17.8 100 \\ - '
«.General (N=252) 78.6 10.3 11.1 100. " ' 3
aSignificant at .001. ">‘\ ’ ‘ '..
bSignificant at .01. ‘ . 5;
These results coincide with degree of listening to Exten- ”\,=

sion programs and show the farm audience is more devoted to listening
to the-programs on a regular basis than the general audience.

. Although there was a relatively small percentage of both
samples that could recall topics on the Extension broadcasts, the
farm sample, especially the males, exceeded others in amount of recall.
' About 33 per cent of the farm males and 11 per cent of the general
males recalled topics. Fourteen per cent of the farm and 11 per cent
of the general females recalled information. Table 13 presents
information on recall.

Responses to this question were verified by checking them
against the actual program content that had been presented. These,
figures indicate people listen to programs in which they are inter-

ested and the.uncunt of recall will be proportional.

52

Table 13. Can You Remember Anything About the Program?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4W_ Yes
,Agri- Homemaking
cultural & Home
No Topics Grounds h-H Other Total
----------- per cent — - - - :7; - - - - l.
.mmMalesa
‘ Farm (N=h9) 67.3 _ 20.3 2.0 2.0 8.2 100
. General (N=173) 89.6 h.1 h.6 0.0 1.7 100 \
Femalesb , ‘
N Farm (N=56) . 85.7 1.8 9.0 0.0 3.6 100 \
General (N=252) 88.9 h.0 .8 0.h 2.0 100 }\\\ ‘
a"Male sample compared, significant at .001. ,
bFemale sample compared, significant at .05. .«e;:

Seeking Further Information

Respondents were asked, "Have you ever asked for any
publications offered on the program?" It is not known how many
publications or their variety are Offered on the programs but agents
frequently use them as the basis for broadcasts. The technique
.elicits relatively little response as only about 9 per cent of the,
farm and 2 per cent of the general males asked for publications offer-
ed on the program. women responded with similarly low percentages -—
about 7 per cent of the farm sample and almost 3 per cent of the
general sample had requested them. ‘

In response to "Have you ever asked anyone for more informa-
tion about any of these programs?", 12 per cent of the farm.males
and 2.7 per cent of the general sample had sought information from

another person. Eight per cent of these farmers asked county

Extension personnel, as did 1.6 per cent of the general sample males.

53

Fifteen per cent of the farm women and 2 per cent from the

general sample asked another person for more information. Almost 10
per cent of those farm women and all the general sample sought the '. -
information from the Extension staff. In both samples, no source was
identified for the remainder who sought information. Theseefigures
are all significant at .01. 8
..... . . Extension generally considers radio as a medium which

solicits°further action, such as encouraging listeners to seek addi-

tional information. Agents are encouraged to use the medium to \

create interest and awareness and then suggest other sources for

 

further knowledge. This way it can be a coordinated effort with other
Ichannels of communication for more effective education.
While no information was obtained in this study on radio
messages.and their effect on meeting attendance or other activities,
‘ it was thought the questions related to publications and asking others
for information would give an indication of how well radio was per-

forming its basic function to encourage further action. Results

obtained indicate it is not too effective in this county.
Penn State Programs

Data were obtained on how many people listen to the two
program series, AGRI-DIGEST and HOME & GARDEN, that originate at the
state Extension office and are provided to stations.

These figures show the farm audience listens more than the
general audience. Women listen more than men, maybe because they

have more access to radio when these programs are aired. No

 

5h

distinction was made between which program was heard -- AGRI-DIGEST
or HOME & GARDEN. The title is descriptive of the subject matter or
content of each program series.

Respondents were asked, "Do you ever listen to the AGRI-
DIGEST or HOME & GARDEN programs?" Only 2h.5 per cent of the farm

males (8 per cent regularly) listen to these programs presented by

. o“ p.
'K.

specialists from the university. Information was not obtained on why F1:

they do not listen. Since there is more specialization in farming

today it might be.expected that farmers would be interested in what \

 

these specialists have to say. One has to suggest here that the \ k a;
\ programs are not aired at a convenient time or on a station listened ~ .;
to; they are of little value or benefit to the farmer; or he is not

"oriented toward radio for receiving the information he needs.
Eleven per cent.of the general sample males listen to these

’ programs, with less than one per cent listening with any degree of
regularity. Figures for the male population are significant at .01.

The female population listens more frequently to these
programs. Almost 38 per cent of the farm women and 22 per cent of.
'the general women listen. Again, as with the men, the figures
represent listening on.an "occasional" rather than a "regular" basis.
These figures were significant at .02.

'The results indicate the farm sample has more interest in

this program service and follow a pattern similar to the county

'broadcasts in listening frequency.

.-

55
Extension Listeners Compared

Special analysis of the farm and general.samples was made
on the basis of listening to Extension radio broadcasts.
All respondents in both samples who indicated they listened

to Extension programs were compared on frequency of listening, know- a-

.- ledge of Extension personnel, age, occupation, residence and the type

of horticultural or farming activity that might describe their inter- x.‘ _ TIL
est in the broadcasts. ‘

Respondents were compared on the basis of regular or occas- \>\\ ‘ \

 

ional listening in relation to these factors. None of the factors ‘ . £5
was significant for all four of the groups analyzed.

Age was a factor in listening frequency for only the

. general females. Six per cent of this group listened most days and

2h.3 per cent listened occasionally. Regular listeners comprised the
following age groups: 20 per cent under ho; h6.7 per cent in their I
hO's; and 6.6 per.cent in both the 50's and 60+ groups. Occasional
listeners were classed 39.1 per cent under ho; 32.8 per cent in the
hO's; l6.h per cent in the150's; and 6.5 per cent 60 or older. These
figures are significant at .02.

Occupation for males was significant at the .05 level in
comparison to listening. One point six per cent of-the white collar
workers listened regularly and 98.8 per.cent listened OCcasionally.
For blue collar workers, 12.2 per cent listened regularly and 87.8

per cent occasionally.

56

Farm.Males
The frequency of listening by farm.males compared with
recency-of hearing the program.was significant. Of the ll who-listen- -
ed regularly, all of them had heard it in the last week. Of the 17
who listened occasionally, hl.2 per.cent did not remember when they
heard it; 29.h per cent heard it in the last week; and 29.h per cent
IA -heard it two or more weeks before. These figures were significant

atx.OOl.

Recall of program content was also significant based on K

‘ \

\
frequency of listening. Seventy-three per cent of those who listened \\\‘

regularly recalled program topics, compared with almost h8 per cent
' for the occasional listeners. These figures are significant at .01.

Regular listening to county broadcasts related to regular

'listening to the Penn State programs. ‘Of those who listened regular-

- ly to county broadcasts, h5.5 per.cent listened to the Penn State
programs, 27.3 per cent on a regular basis and 18.2 per cent occas-
ionally. Of those who listened occasionally, 29.h per.cent listened
to the state programs, 5.9 per cent on a regular and 23,5 per cent on
an occasional basis. These figures.are significant at .05.

Regular listeners hearing the AGRI—DIGEST or HOME & GARDEN
programs also listened more recently. Twenty—seven per cent heard -
them the week of or the week prior to the interview. All 17.6 per.
cent of the occasional listeners who heard them had listened two or

more weeks prior to the survey. These figures are significant at .01.

 

.1 .

-_figures were significant at .001. x

57

Farm Females

The only item of significance with farm females in relation
to listening was recency of hearing the programs. Twenty-two point
eight per cent who listen regularly, listened within the last week;
77.8 per cent could not recall when they had last heard it. Of the.
occasional listeners, 29 per cent listened within the last week; h7.6
.per,cent listened two weeks or more.prior to the survey; and 23.8

per cent could not reca11.the last time they had listened. These _ A

General Females
Several comparisons made with general females on listening
frequency produced results significant at .001. As with farm males

and females, recency of hearing the Extension broadcast was signifi-'

' cant. With regular listeners, 86.6 per cent listened.within the last

week and 6.7 per cent last heard it two or more weeks before. For
occasional listeners, 3h.3 per cent did not know the last time they
had heard it; 21.3 per cent listened in the last week; and hh.h per
cent heard it two weeks or more before being interviewed.

There was also a relationship between listening frequency

and listening to the Penn State programs for this group. Twenty

-per cent who listened most days to the county broadcasts listened

most days to the taped programs and h6.7 per cent listened occasion-
ally. For occasional listeners of county broadcasts, 60.6 per cent
could not recall when they listened to the tapes; none listened
regularly; and 39.h per cent listened occasionally. These figures

'were significant at .001.

 

 

 

58

Frequency of listening in relation to having a vegetable
garden produced results significant at .05 for general females. Forty
per cent of those who listen regularly and 36.h per cent of occasional -
listeners are gardeners. Of those who do not listen, 21.6 per cent
have gardens.

\

These results indicate programs are of value to part of the

‘total.audience and those who rely on them regularly are avid followers.

Regular listeners indicated they listened more recently than the" \ Fllfl
occasional listeners and rely on programs more frequently to obtain \\ ‘ \
useful information. If projections or studies were made it might be \\ ‘ ”a
found these regular listeners would also be oriented toward otheri' K L}

 

information media.‘ It might be expected that farmers who listen to . "“‘

these programs would also participate in Extension activities.
Listener Characteristics by Station

Although radio stations may change their style and listen-
ing habits may change with changes in society, the following informa-
tion is presented as one segment in time representing a particular
situation. It may have relevancy to other locations and similar sit-
,uations. I

Tables 1 and 2 presented information on radio stations that-
,were elements of this study. Five of these stations commanded the
7 majority of listeners. Three Lancaster stations, WGAL, WLAN and WDAC;
WGSA, Ephrata; and WSBA, York, accOunted for 75.6 per cent of the
listeners in the total sample. .

Table lb presents data on age, education and occupation as

a profile of those adults who listen to these stations. Percentages

 

 

 

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m.as w.sm m.~H .m.mm a.mm m.mH o.mm m.ma a.mm ;.Hm Amaauzv q<w3
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60

are based on the total number of people listening to the particular
station mentioned.
Using these 383 respondents as a separate unit of study we

find the following information. For age, 3S.h.per cent wereunder ho;
23.8 per cent in the hO's; 17.6 per cent in the 50's; and 23.3 per
cent 60 or older. I ‘ N‘
”t“. \ Educational levels place 27.9 per.cent with less than nine \

years; 23.5 per cent having some high school; 37.8 per cent as high \
; school graduates; and 10.8 per cent with more than high school educa- \ '

tion. - p \>\\ . ‘

Based on this station profile it is concluded that the.

 

younger members in the audience tune to stations following a contem-
V porary or popular format.(WLAN and WSBA). A high percentage of blue
collar workers listen to these stations, either_because of their

1 popularity resulting from programming techniques or family influence.

The station with a more traditional format of old favorites
and "easy listening" (WGAL) is selected by a somewhat older audience
with more education.

The educational factor cannot be generalized because younger
people have received prOportionately more education.

WDAC has a strong religious format-and attracts an older-
segment of the audience with less education. A larger proportion of
blue collar workers listen to this station. '

WGSA also attracts a slightly older audience with less

education.

CHAPTER VI
SUMMARY AND IMPLICATIONS

Testing the five assumptions in this study resulted in
three being supported and two being rejected.

Assumption:

‘ 1. Men and women have distinct listening habits and
‘\\. listen to a particular station.

Patterns were established that begin in the morning when A ‘
adults awake and start the day's activities. Farm families listen :>\\
while doing chores and getting ready for their daily routine. General
population adults listen while preparing for work. The peak period
of listening occurs when all families are eating breakfast.

Listening for males then drops to less than half its climax
point as they drive to work and are involved in their breadwinning
activities. The pattern for females remains relatively constant as
they engage in their homemaking tasks and then the pattern assumes a
gradual decline throughout the day.

Over 75 per cent of both samples listened to five radio
stations that provided a strong signal in the county. Four of these
were county stations and the other contiguous. Most of the listening
by individuals was confined to one or two favorite stations.

2. There will be differences in these habits among

farm and nonfarm audiences.
Farm families have a higher degree of listening than the

general population. At the peak of listening, 55.h per cent of the

61 ‘

 

 

 

.62

females and “.9 per cent of the males in the farm sample listen. The

top for the general audience is ‘33 per cent of the females and 33.8

per-cent of the males. .
A similar pattern of-listening throughout the day was estab-

lished for both samples, which formed-the basis for this assumption

being rejected.

”a"

"- ‘ Other than farm families having more radios located in the ' _ 1

kitchen and more listening occurring there, the samples were quite

\

' similar. Both had the same average of 3.1I radios per household and K

/
I
-

the number of sets was comparable.

 

I“ ."I '
M.,

3. Farm listeners relied more on Extension broadcasts /
for information.
‘ Sixty-seven per cent of the males and 61 per cent of the
females in the farm sample listened to the Extension broadcasts. For
’ theAgeneral sample, 35 per cent of themales and 30 per cent of the
females listened.
Differences in listening frequency for males in the two
samples were significant. Twenty-two point four per.centeof the farm-.
ers wholistened‘were regular listeners compared with 2.9 per cent for

general males. Occasionallistening percentagestwere 3h.7 and 31.8

for the respective samples.

A. Fewer women listened and there was more difference

in their listening patterns, therefore this assump-

tion was rejected.

Fourteenper cent of the farm females listened regularly

compared to 6 per cent for general females. Occasional listening was

63

37.5 per cent for the farm and 214.2 per cent for the general females.
These figures were significant.

.Recency of hearing the county broadcasts was also a factor. ~
Forty-two per cent of the farm males and females had-heard the broad— ,

casts. recently compared to 18 per.cent of the males and 21 -per cent

of the females in the general sample.

....4'.

. The radio programs produced at the university get less

responsethan the county broadcasts. For males, 2h. 5 percent of: the
«farm (8 per cent regularly) and 11 per cent of the general (1 per )

//
VI,"

J
,I

A higher percentage of females listen to-

 

cent regularly) listen.
‘ these programs; 38 per cent of the farm and 22 per cent of the general

/ '_ sample. As with males, the majority were in the "occasional" listen-

ing classification.
The farm population had a greater knowledge of

These figures were significant.

5.
Extension and its personnel than the general

sample.
About 29 per cent of the farm and almost ’49 per cent of the

general sample, which are significant, indicated they had not heard of.

the Extension Service.
Comparing males against males and females against females in

both samples on knowledge of county Extension workers gave significant

results. Twelve point two per cent of the farm and 5h.9 per cent of

the general males and 17.9 per cent farm and 65.5 percent of general

females knew noneof the personnel.

Demographic characteristics of age, education, occupation

and residence were not a factor for the total sample in relation to

6h

.listening. Each of the four groups (farm males, females; general

 

males, females) did reveal some pertinent characteristics when analyz-
ed on the basis of listening to Extension broadcasts.

Age in relation to listening frequency was a factor only
for general females. Six per cent of this group listened~regularly

‘ and.20 per cent of them were under hO; &6.7 per cent were in their

.-..—~.
5“
s

“x

\

’KMO‘s; and 6.6 per cent were in both the 50's and 60+ age group.
"Occasional listeners totaled 2h.3 per.cent, with 39.1 per cent under
7" ho; 32.8 per cent were in their h0's; l6.h per cent in their 50's; "\
and 6.5 per cent 60 or more. These figures were significant.
Occupation of males in relation to listening was signifi-
cant. One point six per cent of the white collar and 12.2 per cent
of the blue collar workers listened regularly; 98.h white and 87.8
blue listened occasionally.
Degree of listening compared with recency of hearing the
. program, recall of program content, listening to Penn State programs
and recency of listening were all significant. Listening and recency
were also significant with farm females.
General females had several significant factors, including
recency of listening, listening to the Penn State programs and having‘

a vegetable garden.
Implications

A large portion of the audience does not know about Exten-

sion or listen to its radio broadcasts. The relatively small per-

centage of people who are listening at the time of Extension programs

 

x
\

4“

./‘

65

might project to a sizeable audience, depending on extrapolation
techniques used. Even so, to accomplish its goals, Extension needs
to make a.much stronger effort to reach more people effectively.
Listening patterns show many of Extension broadcasts are
aired (except during the noon hour) at.a time when few people are

listening. Although programs do command a certain amount 6} attention

fwwith the audience, they should be improved to attract more regular

listeners. The low audience levels found at these times make it worth_‘

\-
“\\ >

investigating other formats and program techniques to improve broad- \
casts in an effort.to increase audience. An improved radio product "§\\\
and contact with station management would likely result in more \
favorable broadcast times.

Extension workers could take better advantage of the oppor-
tunity and potential of radio in affecting their purpose of informal
education. The large portion of the population listening at peak
hours of the day suggest Extension programs should be designed to

compete with other programming at these times, rather than being of a

{quality relegated to.fill only public service time alloted by the

. station.

Advertisers buy time on the basis of reaching the most
people-for the least cost. Their messages are generally quality pro-
ductions that reach the listener. Extension could adopt.this techni-
que and invest more effort in programming to reach more people through
the medium. The return could be worth the investment.

The large percentage of the general population who are not
acquainted with the county personnel.and/or who do not listen to

Extension broadcasts suggest several things:

 

 

66

1. County workers who have long tenure, tend to work
with the same clientele and do not effectively
extend their services outside this circle by adopt-
ing new techniques or properly utilizing the media
to reach more people. I

2. Extension has not~been as.effective as it may have
been in creating an.image of service to.a "new and
broader clientele" even though it may be helping
some people by providing lawn and garden information.\

There is still much emphasis on production agriculture\\

 

without relating it to the general public. Many areas
. of public affairs -- land use planning, water develop-
ment, community government and other areas in which
Extension is now working -- are not utilized by many
Extension workers as suitable topics for radio broad-
casts.
3. Radio broadcasts have not been designed for this
"broader clientele" and are probably not presented
in a manner to attract and interest more than a small
percentage of the potential audience.

‘The impressive 28.6 per cent of the farm and h8.8 per cent
of the general population who say they have not heard of the Coopera-
tive Extension Service and 61.2 per cent of the general population who
know none.of the county personnel support these suggestions.

The base already established, with the percentage of the

general population who at times are listening to current programs,

67

suggests an opportunity to become more effective with broadcasting to
this group. It could become the basis for the kind of programming

mentioned-in 2 and 3. -

 

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY ‘

68

‘5

BIBLIOGRAPHY

BULLETINS

Alford,‘w. D. "Survey Report on Radio-Television Listening Habits in
Eastern Massachusetts." 10 p. Massachusetts University Agri-
culture Extension, Amherst, 1953. r_

.\ Barcus, F. "Abstract of the Role of Agricultural Extension in the

Suburban Community." Community Research Center, Boston Univer-
sity, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Mass achusetts, .
Amherst, November 1962, pp.l-22.‘

‘ I

Bertrand, A. L. and H. L. Hitt. "Radio Habits in Rural Louisiana."
Louisiana Agriculture Experiment Station Bulletin th, Universityk
Station, Baton Rouge,l l9h9. \>\\ p ‘

 

Brown, E. "Extension Studies." No. 15, The Pennsylvania State
university, Agriculture Extension Service, University Park,
August-1962. (Mimeographed)

\, ..

. "Research Findings--Extension Radio and Television."
Extension Studies No. 18, The Pennsylvania State University,
Agriculture Extension Service, University Park, October 1962,

' Polo.

 

Brown E. and C. Hatch. "The Extension Radio Audience in Butler.
County." Extension Studies No. 17, Agriculture and Home Economics
Extension Service, The Pennsylvania State University, University
'Park, September 1962.

. "Extension Radio Audience in Blair County." Extension
Studies No. 23, The Pennsylvania State University, College of
Agriculture, University Park, October 1963.

 

Crile, L. '"Some Findings from Radio Research." Extension Service
Circular 503, U. S. Department of Agriculture, November 1955,
p. 2.

Evans, J. K., g3_gq, "Profile of Radio and Television Listening by
East-Central Illinois Farmers." 20 p. Agricultural Communica-
tion Research Report 20, Extension Editorial Office, University
of Illinois, Urbana, August 196A.

Gallup, G. "Radio as a Source of Agricultural and Homemaking Informa-

tion. A Summary of Recent Extension Radio Surveys." U. S.
Federal Extension Service Circular 5h53, Washington, D. C., l9h8.

69

Johnston, T. R. and L. M. Busche. "Reading and Listening Habits of ‘\\\_ . ‘

70

Hatch, C., et al. "Pennsylvania Extension Radio, 1960." Extension

Studies No. 10, The Pennsylvania State University, University
Park, April 1961.

Heasley, D. K. "Evaluation of Extension's Radio and Newspaper Pro-
gramming in Columbia County, Pennsylvania." Extension Studies
No. 28, The Pennsylvania State University, College of Agriculture,
University Park, March 1965, p. 12.

. "Program.Planning Survey of Selected Agricultural Items ~~
for Montour County, Pennsylvania." Extension Studies No. 3%,
The Pennsylvania State University, College of Agriculture, ,
~ University Park, January 1966, p. 13. - ‘ "1

 

Jaccard. C. R. "The County ExtensiOn Radio Program." Kansas State \ ‘- il‘
College Agriculture Extension, Manhattan, 195%. \ ‘

Farm.Folks in Eleven Northeastern Indiana Counties." Purdue 4:1

University Agriculture Extension, Extension Studies Circular 7, ~ g
Lafayette, Indiana, l9h2.

 

Maine university. "WABI Radio Study." College of Agriculture
Extension Service, Orono, l9h8.

Matthews, J. L. and G. E. Whitham. "Cooperative Agricultural
Extension WOrk in Windham.County, Connecticut." Connecticut
Agriculture College Extension, Storrs, 1953.

Moe, E. 0. "Where does the farmer get his information?" Farm
Research Reprint No. 2hl, New York (Cornell) Agricultural
Experiment Station, Ithaca, l95h.

 

Schmitz, H. J. "What Farm.People Want From Radio." Purdue Univer-
sity Agricultural Extension, Lafayette, Indiana, l9h8.

Spaven, J. and M. J. Wellerius. "What Vermont Farm People Want From
Radio." Vermont Agriculture College Extension, Burlington,
1951.

"The C00perative Extension Service Today. A Statement of Scope and
Responsibility." Federal Extension Service, 1958.

Wahn, F. L. "The Boston Trade and Distribution Area Radio and
Television Audience." University of Wichita, Wichita, Kansas,
1952.

. "The l95h Iowa Radio-Television Audience Survey."

 

Kansas State College, Manhattan, l95h.

. "The Kansas Radio-Television Audience of 195h." Kansas
State College, Manhattan, 195A.

71

\.

Pennsylgania Statistical Abstract. Bureau of Statistics, Harrisburg,
19 1.

United States Census of Agriculture. Pennsylvania Department of,
Commerce, washington, D. C., 196A.

U. S. Department of Agriculture. .Agricultural Statistics. Washington,
D. C., 1963, p. 2A2.

-’ \

PERIODICALS
"Politz study affirms penetration of radio." Broadcasting-Telecast- .
‘ ing, h5:3l-32, July 27, 1953.
. I \
"The lesson of Videotown: more time for radio and TV." Broadcastingjr . ‘
Telecasting, h7:27-28, October 11, l95h. =\“

"Radio: constant companion for the people of America." Broadcasting-
Telecasting, h8:31-32, May 16, 1955.

 

"In New York, almost everyone listens." Broadcasting, August 8, 1966,
pp 0 76-77 0

 

"Age profile of the audience?" Broadcasting, November 15, 1965, p. 91.

"want ratings to be 60% higher?" Broadcasting, January 18, 1965,
p. 70.

 

Blalock, T. and R. Abraham” "What The Public Thinks of Extension."

Journal of Cooperative Extension, Vol. I, No. 1, Spring 1963.
p._h8.

UNPUBLISHED DATA

Engle, N. E. Agricultural Communications Annual Report. The
Pennsylvania State University, University Park, 1967.

72

I
:- “Ila-3' ‘

 

 

73 , I

Radio Listening Study of Adults in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania State University
Project Leader: ‘NOrman Engels

(Mark x for each time called)

 

Caller's initials ‘ ' Day called: Tues
‘ Wed
Respondent: __ male __ female ‘ Thur a.

Call back at (time)

 

Name of household

Telephone. ._ Number

 

W' ‘N- 4: * a:

x 1
"Hell“ Th1“ 1“ (WW “MEL 1' m helping Penn State University with a radio \ ‘ ~
survey. my I ask some questions about when you listen to the radio?" \\

 

7h .

l. I At what times during the day are you listening to the radio? (To help aid

. response, you can ask if they listened before breakfast, during breakfast,
while driving to work, etc.)

(Use column A -- check all times that apply)

a. For each time, what station do you generally listen to: (Col. B)
b. For each time, where are you when listening, that is, in the kitchen,
car, etc.? (Col. C)

c. At what times are you most likely to listen? (Circle the check(s))

 

Column A Time Column B (Station) Column 0 (Where are
When Listen? a.m. WGAL I-IIAN LLQSA WCOY 0t er you, what are you doing.
- ‘ """" """ """" at this time?)

before 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Illllllllllllllllilil

* *
...- *
fl “
—- *
* w
m w
a“ ~
~ *
m *
w “
*mm“
...—.- w
...-I- _-
* fl
* g
* —-—
“ ...-
...-_- m
— ~
.I— w
u w

 

 

2.

3o

./

he‘

5.

. 75 L ,
Howmb radios do you have? (include all kinds)

A

a. Where are they located?

 

__ Kitchen __ Family room

__ Living room __ Basement - - __ Other (specify)
__ Dining room __ Car __ Barn

__ Bedroom __ Truck __ Garage

_ Bathroom __ Tractor __ Shop

 

. b.‘ How many of these are portable?

Have you heard of the Cooperative Extension Service or the Agricultural
Extension Service?

I' I No (go to question II) A, \
‘ Yes a. What is it you've heard about it? ‘~.\ ~

 

Tell me if you have heard of or do you know the following people:
Lax Smith Win Merriam
Mrs. Doris Thomas Justin Merrill _ .

Were you- listening to the radio yesterday/today (if after 1 p:m.) at '

, 12:15?

No (go to part a)

Yes What station? WGAL WDAC
""""" WLAN Other (write in) ‘

(If WGAL or WLAN) What did you listen to?

 

 

/

a. Were you listening at five minutes to 1?
No ‘

Yes What station? WDAC WLAN _
WGAL ' Other (write in)

(If WDAC) What did you listen to?

 

 

b. Were you listening to the radio this morning between 5 and 6 a.m.?

No (go to 6)

Yes What station?
What did you listen to?

Did you listen to the extension broadcast?
No

 

" 76 I

6. Do you ever listen to the ExtensiOn program on radio?

7.

No
Yes

 

 

a. How often? most days
occasionally

b. When was the last tins you! heard it? . in the last week

~ in the last two or three weeks
more than three weeks ago
don't know "

c173 Can you remember anything about the program?

No

\ Yes If yes, what?

 

d.~- Have you ever asked for any of the publications offered on the program?

No , q . t \j\
Yes What subject?

e. Have you ever asked anyone for more information about any programs?
No . '8

Yes If yes, whom did you ask?

Do you ever listen to the Agri-Digest or Home and Garden radio programs?
No
Yes

 

 

a. How often? most days
occasionally

b. When was the last time you heard it? this week

last week

in the last two or three weeks
more than three weeks

don't know

c. What can you (remember about the program?

 

6.. Have you ever asked for any of the publications offered on the program?
No

Yes

 

e. Have you ever asked anyone for more informtion? No
__ Yes What subject?

 

 

f. Who did you ask?

 

 

8.

10.

11.

How mny are in your family living at home, including adults?

a. How many children under 21 are living with you?
b. What are their ages? I

c. How old are you?
d. What was the last grade of school you completed?

e. (ask women) Do you work outside the home? No

Yes If yes, what do you
do?

 

What does your husband do?

 

\

t

f. I (ask men) What is your line of work? In other words, what do you do?

\

 

What does your wife do? ' ( ‘

\

Describe where you live. Is it in: town of less than 10,000

: city of more than 10,000
__ the suburbs
__ open country but you do not farm
__ fans. (go to question 12)
Do you have: (Check if yes) a lawn __

a flower garden __

a vegetable garden
house plants

tht is your biggest- problem with your home grounds?

 

Do you watch television from 12 to 12:30 (at noon)?

 

No
Yes
a. What station? WGAL
WSBA
WHP
(other)
b. How often? every day

twice a week
once a week

less than once a week

 

(for farm sample only)
13. How many acres do you farm?

11:. What is your main fanning enterprise?
a. How many milking cows do you have?
b. How many beef cattle do you feed?
c. What is the size of your poultry flock?

d. How many acres of tobacco do you grow?

 

e. How many acres of tomatoes?

f. Other mjor crops (fruit, etc.)

 

"Thank you very much. for your time and cooperation."
Day and time successful call completed.

Interviewers cements: “(was respondent cooperative; did they
acquainted with Extension; grumpy; etc.)

sound like they were

 

 

‘IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII?“