A SURVEY 0? $0553 PROGRAI'EEI‘YG PRACTICES OF RADIO FARM DIRECTORS By Wilfred Hilton £33201: A THESIS Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies of Michigan State College of Agriculture and.App1ied Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of PMSTER OF ARTS Department of Speech, Dramatics, and Radio Education 1951 1H £181.23 K ’ \A --(\ \ Um \ ACKNOWLEDGHENT The author is indebted to ur. Kenneth M. Gapen, Assistant Director of Information for Radio and Television, United States Departmth of Agricul- ture for his invaluable aid and encouragemth on this project. To Miss Lucia Morgan, for her patient guidance, and to Mr. Joe A. Callaway, for his wise counsel- ing, the author expresses gratitude. The author extends his appreciation to all of his friends and associates for their sympathy and understand- ing during the progress of this study. The wonderful cooperation of the radio farm di- rectors who participated in the survey is also gratefully acknowledged. ********** *******# ****** **** ** * ‘3' “lifl‘z‘ .511" “as L; -.— TABLE OF COETEL 3 CHAPTER I. II. III. IV. V. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF RADIO IN AGRICULTURE AND THE HISTOR OF F‘mf’fl; RADIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOIOOOOOOOOOO0.0.0.000... The Significance of Radio in Agriculture............ The Iii-Stow 0f19amRadio...OOOOOOOOOCOUOOOUOOOOOOOO STATEMEJT OF THE PLOBLEWflKND RGVIEJ 0F PREVIOUS RESEARCH. Statement of the Problem............................ Importance of the Study............................. Previous Research on Programming Activities of Radio Farm Directors................................. TECHNIQUE USED IN THE INVESTIGATION...................... The Questionnaire................................... The Failing LiStooooooooocoo-0000000..00.900.000.00. The FOllowhupooooooooc0000.00.00000000000000.0000... TABYLT‘I‘ATIOPI AF‘TD II‘EEFLPZirET I [FIOI‘I OF DATA. 0 O O O O O O O O O O O O I O O O O I The RetumSOOOOOOOOOOOOOO0.0.0.0....OIOOOOIOOOOIOOO. The Tabulations.’OOOOOOOOOOOO000......OIIOOOOOOOOOOC The Interpretation.of the Data...................... SUMEARY O? SURVEY RESULTSOOOOOOOOOIOOOOOI0.0.00.000000... Attitudes of Radio Farm Directors Toward Sources of Program Information............................ Time Required of Radio Farm Directors for Programs ming Activities................................ Some Commercial Aspects of Farm.Reporting........... Radio Farm Directors’ Eajor Criticisms of Farm Radio Suggested Topics for Additional Research in Farm RadiOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOIOOOII...OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCO PAGE 18 18 18 19 28 28 55 36 38 38 38 64 92 92 95 96 98 99 BIBLIOEPHAPI—IYOO0.0000000000000IOOOOOIOOOOOOOO0....00.00.00.000... 101 APPSIIDIX ".43....OIOODOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO0.0.0... 105 APPEIDIX "8".00000000000O...OOOOOOOOOIOOOOIOOOOOO...0.0.0.000... 118 BIOGRAPHYOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOIOOOOOOOIOOOOOOo OOOOOOOOIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOC 129 TABLE I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. IX. X. XI. XII. XIII. LIST 0? TABLES PAGE major Types of Services Offered Radio Farm Directors by EDLHtenSion. serviceSOCOOOOOOOOOOIOOOOO0.0.00.0.0...OI. 23 Material Desired in "RFD Letter" by Radio Farm Directors. 24 How much Do You Depend Upon the Following Sources For Services and Information With Which To Build Your Fam Program-5?...OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO0.0.0.0000... 40 Do You Feel That There Are a Sufficient Number of Sources Of Information and Services with Which to Build Farm Programs Available to You?.......................... From'Which of the Sources of Information Listed fibuld You Like to Receive more Information or Service that WOuld 36 Helpful in Building Your Farm Shows?....... For Programs Other Than Market and Weather Reports, That One Source of Information Do You Consider post Indispensable?...................................... HoW'Hany Times Per Week, on the Average,Do You Include the Following Types of Information in Your Programs? About EOW'Yany Hours Per Week, on the Average, Do You Devote to Your JOb Of Radio Farm Editor?............ What Percentage of This Total Weekly'working Time Is Devoted to the Preparation and Airing of Farm Radio ProgramS?........................................... How Many of the Following Programs Do You Air Each Week?. How Huch Time Do You Spend, on the Average, Preparing for Each of the Shows You Have Designated Above?........ Breaking Down.Your Activities Into the Following Three General Phases, Which of the Three Do You Consider Most Important to Your Job of Radio Farm Director?.. Do You Believe That Servicing Accounts Should Be Part of the RFD's Job?.. 45 44 45 46 49 51 53 56 95 60 TABLE PAGE XIV. Are You Assisted by Staff Announcers in Airing Your Farm ShOWS?..OOOOIOOOO0......COCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO00...... 61 XV. Do You Service Your Own Farm Program.Accounts?........... 62 XVI. How Often Do You Deliver the Commercials on Your Sponsored Farm Programs?............................ 63 CHAPTERI Tfl SIGNIFICANCE OF RADIO IN AGRICULTURE AND THE HISTORY OF FARM RADIO CHAPTER I THE SIGNIFICANCE OF RADIO IN AGRICULTURE AND THE HISTORY OF FARM RADIO I. The Significance of Radio in Agriculture In the eighteenth century, the farmer in the United States was a self-sufficient entity. Most of his produce was consumed on the farm on which it was grown. His grain went into his own flour bin; his livestock supplied meat for the table and leather for his shoes; and his garden replenished the winter cellar with vegetables. Outside markets were of little concern to him. The amount of trade he did was a simple matter of exchange. Occasionally, a surplus barrel of salt pork would be hauled to the river landing to be bartered for a bolt of goods or a bag of sugar. Or, if he were particularly fortu- nate, the farmer might sell his extra produce for a few dollars to spend on household utilities. The economic system.which made the farmer of the seventeen hunp dreds his own.consumer as well as his own producer also made him dependent upon.his own.resourcefulness for information. He was his own Weather forecaster and his own crop consultant. He relied upon the miracle of nature to provide a bountiful harvest for his living. Infrequent trips to the river landing or to the crossroads store, meeting with neighbors, and an occasional traveler comprised his contacts with the external world, and his only opportunity to exchange ideas on farming. A.Connecticut farmer, in 1794, aptly expressed the self-sufficiency and stability of eighteenth century farming. He was entertaining a foreign visitor and, after a lavish meal prepared from.homeegrown pro- duce, he addressed his guest--a famous Frenchman: You behold in me, my dear sir, a happy man, if there is one on earth; everything you see around you, and what you have seen at my house, is produced on my farm. These stockings have been knitted by my daughters; my shoes and my clothes come from.my herds, they, with my garden and my farmyard, sup- ply me with plain and substantial food. The greatest praise of our government is that in Connecticut there are thousands of farmers quite as content as myself, and whose doors, like mine, are never looked. Two centuries of progress have wrought vast changes in the life of the farmer, however. He is no longer the isolated, self-dependent individ- ual of 1794, but a modern entrepreneur, closely allied with the rest Of the world. Developments in communication and transportation in the nineteenth century opened up new-vistas to agriculture as well as to manufacturing and trade. With improved transportation, the farmer discovered mar- kets willing to buy his surplus produce. .As a result, he began.to raise cash crops and'to purchase commodities he had previously made, such as clothing for his family, household furnishing, and nails and lumber for his buildings. The farmer's economic position and standard l Goeffrey 8. Shepherd, marketing Farm.Product§_(Ames, Iowa: The Iowa State College Press,‘1946), p.—I. of living increased. Dollars and cents changed hands and the inte- grated marketing system of today began taking shape. The growing demand for farm produce was not limited to America. Europe began expressing an interest in the products of American soil and foreign trade rapidly developed. Assured of adequate transportation and a ready foreign market for surpluses the domestic market could not absorb, the farmer began specializing in the production of one crop rather than of several. He found this to be both efficient and profitable. He‘began restricting his production to the crops more favorably disposed to conditions of soil and climate. Tobacco and cotton became the chief crops of the south; wheat supported the great plains areas of the west; hogs thrived in the corn-producing mid-west; beef developed in the pasture-land re- gions; and specialty crops became major enterprises along the seacoasts, in the mountain valleys, and in the deserts. Thus the dominant American crops became the special products of an agricultural industry geared to the needs of national and international markets. Added impetus was given agricultural commercialization by improve- ments in technology. Machine tools cut down the cost of labor and in- creased production. Soil conservation, and rodent and pest control tended to make crop yields greater. And scientific research produced hardier seed grains, improved strains of livestock and poultry, and varieties of better quality products. New methods of processing tailor- ed the farmer's output to the consumer's demands. All of these developments have fitted the American farmer for the role of producer in a huge marketing system. In the course of two centuries, the farmer has become less self- contained. His production has been oriented increasingly toward markets and away from his own household use. "Agriculture was trans- formed from a simple, pioneer, and largely self-sufficing occupation into a modern.business organized on a scientific, capitalistic, and commercial basis."2 No longer can the farmer claim that he is self-sufficient, as his 1794 counterpart did. Today's farmer produces for the market, and his production is effectively influenced by the demands of the consuming public. Over eighty-six per cent of his income depends upon conditions outside of his own fences.3 In 1794, the farmer's main concern was food and shelter for his own family. Two centuries later, he has assump ed the responsibility of supplying food and shelter to millions of families. Wfith his "coming of age" as a producer of the world's food, the farmer has acquired new and perplexing problems. Agricultural comp mercialization and specialization have brought the farmer face-to-face with issues of political and economic character which require as much 2 Everett E. Edwards ”American Agriculture-~the First 300 Years," Farmerg in _a_. Changing World (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1940), p. 221; citing "The Agricultural Revolution in the United States", Science, 72:585-594. 3 Shepherd, 2p. cit., p. 4. study and thought on the part of the agriculturist as do the physical problems of production. Some of these problems are as follows: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Competition from.rival producing regions in this country and from.similar producing areas abroad. Over-production in times of agricultural surpluses. Unstable labor supply. Complicated governmental policy and regulation. Federal and state price controls. Intricate marketing procedures. Market fluctuati ens . Nonpdependable income. Physical problems of production have always been a concern of the farmer, but machine cultivation.and specialization have revealed the importance of these problems and the necessity of coping with them.on the farm. The physical problems of production with which the farmer must cope include the following: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Conservation of soil resources. Uncertainty of'weather conditions. Controls of pests and rodents. Control of diseases affecting crops, poultny and livestock. Inefficiency of labor and production methods. The modern farmer is a "technician.and a businessman who wages a continual battle with the weather, the produce market, and.the fickle productivity of his soil."4 Fortunately, as agriculture became an 4 "The Farm Director: 'What a Salesmanl", Sponsor, 4:21, October 9, 1950, p. 31. ' important national industry, a growing concern.was felt for the farmer and his problems. Early in the nineteenth century, the government, recognizing the importance of agriculture to the economy, organized the Federal Department of Agriculture. The result of its effort to provide a "guiding hand" for the farmer is the present-day United States Department of Agriculture, under the auspices of which bureaus have been developed to serve the farmer in almost every phase of pro- duotion, economics, and science. Other agencies and institutions cooperated in aiding the farmer. The state governments, working with the land-grant colleges, originated extension services. Some of the ways in which the extension system.has served the farmer are: trained personnel to advise him.on field prob- lems, demonstrations of new equipment and techniques, educational meet- ings, and the publication of bulletins on a variety of subjects of interest to the rural population. The wire syndicates, the daily news- papers, and the radio have given the farmer eamy access to the informa- tion supplied by governmental and industrial agencies. As a public service instrument, radio has been.helpful to the agricultural industry. To the farmer, radio broadcasting was a particularly significant development in.the field of communications. "Radio for the rural people is what might be called a 'natural'. The remoteness of farmers from the general run of news made radio more of an asset than.any other development in their lives, aside from.the automobile."5 The immediacy 5 Judith c. Waller, Radio the Fifth Estate (New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1946), p. 260. of radio spans time and distance, acquainting the farmer with facts at the time they are most needed. Radio stations broadcast up-to-the minute market and weather in- formation at hours convenient to the farmer. It has been estimated that the availability of last-minute radio weather reports had saved agricul- tural producers millions of dollars.6 Acting as the intermediary and interpreter'between service organizations and the producer, radio offers the farmer an easy, understandable way of attaining the infOrmation he needs. Many of the services which radio has furnished to the public have contributed to the welfare and progress of the community. An illustra- tion of one such instance is reported in SPONSOR magazine. ____, farm director at may, Raleigh, (North Carolina)7 spent the past winter reminding farmers of their trouble the previous year with blue mold, advising them to protect their crops with chemicals. This mold ravager of the tobacco beds is an economic danger to the farmers in the'WPTF area.8 It is this kind of service that has woven farm.radio into the life of the community, convincing both farm.and urban citizens of the sincerity of radio's endeavor to serve the public. Statistics indicate that farmers are becoming increasingly aware of the usefulness of radio. Within a period of ten years, from.1930 to 6 Ibido' p0 2610 7 Bracketed information by author. 8 Sponsor, pp. cit., p. 75. 1940, the number of radios on farms had increased an estimated forty per cent.9 In 1949, approximately sixty-five per cent of the six and one-half millions of farm dwellings in the United States were equipped with radios.10 A survey of the attitudes of rural people toward radio service, conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture in 1948, re- vealed that radio has become a "highly valued aspect of living" in most rural homes.11 The survey disclosed that farm radio owners felt "they m”,12 only one would miss radio very much if it were inaccessible to the in eight expressing the opinion "that the loss of radio service would make little difference to him."13 or the farm men interviewed in the same survey, twenty-seven per cent declared they valued radio as an aid in theirwork.14 "Radio is valued by rural listeners for the two great functions it serves; as a source of news and other information and as a source of entertainment and company."15 9 "Preliminary Report on Survey of Radios, Telephones, and Electri- city on.Farms," United States Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Agri- cultural Economics, December, 1947. 10 Statistical Abstract 2f the United Statgg, United States Depart-' ment of Commerce (washington, D. 0.: Bureau of Census, 1949), pp. 653 and 8330 11 "Attitudes of Rural People Toward Radio Service," United States Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Agricultural Economics (thhington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1948), Summary of major findings, p. 1-2. 12 E22} Cit. 15 Attitudes of Rural People Toward Radio Service", pp, cit., p. l. 14'Ib1dc, summary p. 10 15 L000 Cite Changes in the farmer's cultural values as well as his economic status have occurred in the passing of two centuries, and particularly in the past twenty-five years. The farmer has become more like his city neighbor in his tastes and opinions. "It would be an exaggeration to say that broadcasting has had everything to do with this transition, but certainLy it has been a strongly contributing factor."16 The rural listener is as well informed on all topics as urban listeners, and he differs little from city peeple in his appreciation of good music and entertainment. Rural audiences like to have their farm programs planned with as much thought and care as is given to any other type of program. To keep in touch with the changing ideas of the farmer and to pro- vide him with accurate, well-planned programs, the radio stations have added field representatives to their staffs. The role of the farm di- rector is unique in radio broadcasting. He is "the 1iaison.between.the college, the farmer, and industry, and his strength lies in his promotion of the sale of all three elements in.the economy."17 It is just as much his job to sell the farmer and what he is doing to business people and the public as it is to sell the farmer on progressive methods. "Despite the fact that well over fifty per cent of farm directors do all onpthe-air'work'themselves, you'll seldom find one at his desk."18 16 E. P. J. Shurick, The First Quarter-Century42£_Americap'Broad- casting (Kansas City: Midland Publishing Company, 1946), p. 270. 17 "Role of the RFD", Broadcasting Telecasting, December 4, 1950, P. 4:20 ‘ 18 "5:50 am. on theIFarm”,_§ponsor--Farm Facts Handbook (New York: Sponsor Publications, Incorporated, 1949), p. 8. 10 much of the radio farm director's time is spent in the countryside, talking with farmers, learning their problems, inspecting their achieve- ments, conveying information from.the sources he commands, and gathering firsthand knowledge to broadcast to his rural radio followers. The ex- tensiveness of this phase of his job is reported in S HSCR by one farm director: "Eiles traveled in.past year; 35,000: farm.meetings where he delivered speeches; 154: fairs from which he conducted broadcasts; 23."19 An important facet of the farm director's position is his ability to convey the farmer's story to the public. Producers are frequently accused of being responsible for rising food prices'when other factors originating outside of their control are involved. As spokesman for the industry, the farm director is in a position to give the public a more complete picture of the farmer’s situation. The radio farm di- rector's effort to present the agricultural side of the economy to city dwellers has attracted urban listeners as well as a rural audience. Arthur G. Page, farm director of WLS, Chicago, reports that WLS has a "vast audience of folks in the city of Chicago who folloW'the farm situa- tion.as if it were their own personal problem."20 To maintain a responsive audience, the radio farm director needs an adequate understanding of agriculture and the farmer's problems. An extensive background is necessary if the farm.director is to know what l9 Sponsor, pp. cit., p. 74. 20 Ibid., p. 75-76. 11 is important to farmers, and, as well, to nonfarmers in his community. His interpretation of news and information requires a natural feeling for the farm angle acquired through long association.with rural people. AgriCulture has a language of its own, and the farmer is quick to de- tect any faulty or inaccurate presentation of farm.information. From.one part-time worker in the early nineteen-twenties, the radio farm director's number is now estimated at over two-hundred and fifty; and there are one or more in eveny state.21 "Farm broadcasters have brought agriculture's passing parade into millions of homes, both rural and urban, the world over. They have, through the medium of the airwaves provided a wealth of information.to help make agriculture more efficient and prosperous, and make farm and ranch homes happier and brighter."22 II. History of Farm Radio On December 15, 1920, the first agricultural information was broad- cast in Morse code by short wave radio station NAA,‘Washington, D. C.23 It consisted of market reports compiled by the Department of.Agriculture. Radio operators within a three hundred mile radius of HAA copied the coded message and posted the market information in stores, post offices, 21 Personal letter from Herb Plamback, Radio Farm Director, WHO, Des Moines, Iowa; and historian of the National Association of Radio Farm Directors. 22 Loc. Cite 23 ShuriCk, .229 Cito, p0 2710 12 railroad stations, and other locations convenient to the farmer and local produce dealers. Favorable response to the initial broadcast led the Department of Agriculture to organize a limited net of shortwave stations in Belle- fonte, Pennsylvania, St. louis, Missouri, and Omaha, Nebraska; thus ex- panding its service to reach agricultural people in these areas. While the Department of Agriculture experimented with short wave transmission of market reports, the commercial radio stations began realizing the public service possibilities of their media in the field of Agriculture. Less than a year after the first coded transmission from station NAA, voice broadcasts of agricultural information began. KDKA, Pittsburgh, the first radio station on the air, also broad— cast the first farm program in 1921.24 This first broadcast was pre- sented over KDKA by mr. Frank Mullen, livestock editor of the "Pennsyl- vania and Ohio Stockman and Farmer", a farm.publication whose editors believed that radio would be an effective instrument in reaching the farmer with market and weather news. Hr. Mullen's broadcast elicited response from.farm people all over the country and programming especial- ly for agriculture was underway. By march, 1922, seventy-five of the 129 standard broadcasting stations in.the United States were sending out market and weather in? formation to farmers in two-thirds of the country.25 Among the numerous 24 Ibid., p. 272. 25 2.2.2. Cit. 13 early stations on the air with local farm programs were; WGY, Schenec- tady; W01, Ames; KSAC, Manhattan; WIN, Cincinnati; and WCCO, Minneapolis. Art Page's "Dinner Bell Hour" over WIS, Chicago; "Everybody's Farm Hour", organized by George C. Big-gar on WIN, Cincinnati; Everett Mitchell's "Town and Farm" broadcast on‘l‘fli Q, Chicago; "Farmer's Digest" broadcast by KPO, San Francisco, under the direction of Henry Schacht; and Larry Haeg's program at EE'CCO in Minneapolis are among the farm programs famous for their long, continuous service'to agricultural listeners.26 The government and the standard radio stations were not the only agencies concerned with the development of agricultural radio. Educa- tional institutions foresaw the advantages radio offered in reaching a vast farm population. In 1921, the University of Wisconsin introduced telephoned weather reports over its station 9105 (later to become WHA).27 This service was increased by the addition of market and produce in- formation and bulletins on road conditions. The example set by the University of Wisconsin was followed by other colleges, some of whom have continued and have built their radio services into an extension system of agricultural education by air. Purdue, Oregon State College of Agriculture, Michigan State College, Cornell University, Texas Agri- cultural and Mechanical College, and Kansas State College are among many colleges who have been leaders in the field of farm radio.28 26 Waller, 2p. cit., p. 262. 27 ShuriCk, .92. Cite, p. 2730 28 Waller, 3p. cit., p. 261. 14 On the early farm.broadcasts, weather and market information comp prised the main fare, with recordings occasionally interspersed among the reports. 0f the early broadcasts, Larry Haeg,‘WCCO, Minneapolis, stated: "---much of the programming for farm listeners consisted of hillbilly or folk type and religious music with little thought given to educational and information programs."29 And Mr. Frank Mullen, in describing his pioneer broadcasts on KDKA, asserted that "he opened the station's transmitter with one hand, rang a few bells with the other to attract listeners' attention, and then proceeded to broadcast farm news, market reports and other items of agricultural interest."3o Weather and market information.for'the early farm broadcasts was telephoned or telegraphed from'their source to the radio station. Radio stations were concerned about the lapse of time which occurred in this communication process before the reports were ultimately aired. WRAP, Fort'Worth, was the first station to utilize the'time-saving ad- vantage of "on the spot" broadcasting.‘51 From.the floor of the Fort worth Grain and Cotton.Exchange, WRAP broadcast market quotations di- rect to the listener. This was the forerunner of present day "on the spot" broadcasts from.market exchanges and weather stations all over the countny. With the growth of farm.programming on local stations during the period of the nineteen-twenties, one of the important problems of the 29 Herb Plambeck, 2p. cit. 30 Loc. cit. 31 Shurick, 22. cit., p. 273. '15 32 was "what could network newly organized National Broadcasting Company broadcasting do for the farmer?" NBC brought Frank Nullen from KDKA to form a department of agriculture for the network. Under the direction of Mr. Nullen, the first nationally recognized farm service program,- The National Farm and Home Hour-ewes broadcast on October 2, 1928, over the Blue Network.35 This program.brought to farm radio a national stature and prestige and started a period of cooperation between commer- cial radio stations, the United States Department of Agriculture, and other governmental agencies and facilities. In 1943, when.NBC was di- vested of one of its two networks by order of the Federal Communications Commission,34 "The National Farm.and Home Hour" ceased to exist by that name, but it was continued by the American Broadcasting Company as the "Farm.and Home makers". Today, the program.is still carried on ABC under the name of "The American.Farmer". Toward the end of the experimental period of farm programming, the United States Department of Agriculture established a radio service in the department. ‘With'W. M. Jardine35 in charge, the Radio Division.was invested with "The duty of making available to educational and commercial 32 NBC was organized in 1926 with the Red Network. In 1927, NBC added the Blue network to its organization. See, Ned Hidgley, The Advertising and Business Side of Radio (NSW'YOsz Prentice-HallT—In- corporated, 1948), p. 68. -—- 33 Whller,'gp.ugzt., p. 263. 34 Claiming tendenqy toward monopoly, the FCC ordered NBC to dis- pose of one of its networks. The Blue Network was reorganized as the American Broadcasting Company. See Midgley, pp. cit., p. 113-114. 35 W. M. Jardine was a pioneer in farm radio at Kansas State Agricultural College. p—m , 16 radio stations extension programs from.the Department, programs, and home-making practices."36 At the present time, the United States De- partment of Agriculture radio service sends out program.materia1 to approximately four hundred and fifty local radio stations and to the networks every day.37 This service has grown to be a major source of programming information for farm broadcasters. By the mid-thirties, numerous commercial stations were employing men as farm service directors to provide the specific service required by the rural audience. The position of the radio farm director had become established, especially in.the farm and ranch areas where many radio stations programmed a considerable portion of their'broadcasts for the rural listener. Although specialized farm broadCasting was a comparatively new phase of radio, its necessity was emphasized at the start of'World war II, when it became necessary to keep agriculture fully informed on gov- ernment food programs. The demand of wartime provided the impetus for a national organization of farm broadcasters. In 1943, at the annual meeting of the Institute for Education by Radio in Columbus, Ohio, the radio farm directors discussed the possibility of a national organiza- tion. Just one year later, the National Association of Radio Farm 8 Directors was founded in Columbus.3 Larry Haeg of'WCCO, Minneapolis, 36 Whller, 2p. cit., p. 264. 37 Ibido, p0 265. 3B Herb Plambeck, pp. cit. 17 was elected the first chairman of the organization. According to its statement, the purposes of the NARFD are as follows: Closer relationship between commercial radio farm broad- casting, agencies, and farm organization; closer relationship with advertising agencies and other groups interested in reach— ing the farm people through the medium.of radio; closer rela- tionship and better understanding between farm.radio broadcast- ing and station management; programming of farm broadcasts which will keep this type of service on.a high plane; develop- ing farm.service in areas of the United States where it is now lacking; advancing the welfare of those engaged in farm.radio broadcasting.59 From its beginning with coded messages transmitted by short wave radio, farm radio has grown into an organized, highly specialized phase of the broadcasting industry. The history of farm radio reflects more than.a quarter century of agricultural progress and the development of cooperation among governmental and commercial agencies to serve the farmer. In.twenty-five;years of agricultural broadcasting, farm pro- gramming has expanded until it is a part of the daily schedule on hun~ dreds of stations, including television and FH presentations as well as those on standard broadcasting. 39 “fall-er, 22. Cite, p0 269‘270. CHAPTER II STATEMENT OF “HE PROBLBM AND REVIEW 01“ PREV I OUS RE SBARC H CHAPTER II STATETENT OF THE PROBLEM.AND REVIEW OF PREVIOUS RESEARCH 1. Statement of the Problem The purpose of this study was to discover: (1) the most important sources of information and service upon which the radio farm.director depends for broadcast material; (2) the sources of information and serv- ice from.which the radio farm director would like to receive additional services; (3) the type of additional services the radio farm director would like to receive; (4) the frequency with which the radio farm di- rector presents the various types of information made available to him; (5) the amount of time the radio farm director spends in preparing the information for broadcast; (6) the attitude of the radio farm director toward sponsorship of farm programs; (7) the extent of participation by the radio farm director in servicing commercial accounts and deliver- ing commercials. II. Importance of the Study Although farm.programs have been in existence as long as radio broadcasting itself, farm.radio did not emerge as a highly specialized area of the radio industry until shortly before‘World'War II. The posi- tion of the radio farm director is newly recognized in.the broadcasting field, and there has been little research done in that particular phase 19 of the radio industry. In a personal letter to the author, Mr. Kenneth Gapen, Assistant Director of Information for Radio and Television, United States Department of Agriculture, stated: "As far as I know, no such survey of agricultural radio -- has yet been made. Several more fragmentary studies have been done by various agencies from time to time. In view of the rapidly changing situation, most of these investi- gations are now rather out-dated." Because the radio farm.director is involved principally in public service, it was considered important to investigate his activities in building and airing farm.broadcasts. There exists a practical need and use for information obtained from.such investigation: to the farm broadcaster who plans and builds his programs from.materia1 supplied by governmental, educational, and private agencies; to those agencies which represent the source of program material; and to society, particularly the farmer, who seeks to benefit from the services offered by farm pro- grams. 111. Previous Research on Programming Activities of Radio Farm.Directors In reviewing the studies done in the area of farm radio, five sur- veys were found which pertain specifically to the subject of this research project. These five studies are: (1) a farm program.informa- tion survey by the Radio Service of the United States Department of Agriculture; (2) a survey of types of services offered to radio farm directors by state extension services done by the United States 20 Department of Agriculture Radio Service in c00peration.with the Federal Extension Service; (3) a poll of radio farm directors opinions of the weekly United States Department of Agriculture Radio Farm Director Letter made by the United States Department of Agriculture Radio Serv- ice; (4) a survey of the National Association of Radio Farm Directors investigating Extension Service relations with radio farm directors; and (5) a study of the farm programming of radio stations in Illinois directed by J. A. Murray of Illinois Agricultural College Extension. None of these studies duplicates the information.found in this thesis investigation; but they do provide background and supplementary material. Of the five, three of the surveys deal with only one aspect of the thesis problem, one is limited in extent but comparable in con- tent, and one is as extensive as the survey made for this study but deals with different, though related, information. A brief summary of the five studies follows: In the year 1947-48, the Radio Service of the United States Depart- ment of Agriculture surveyed radio farm directors for the purpose of getting background information with which to plan United States Depart- ment of Agriculture services to radio farm directors.1 Of 345 question- naires distributed to farm directors, two hundred and eighty-one were returned. An analysis of the information obtained from.the returned questionnaires disclosed the following facts about farm programming: l "USDA Cooperation with Radio Farm Directors", USDA Radio Service, Office of Information, washington, D. 0., pp. 1-3. 21 Number of programs a day-- 159 of the 281 stations had one farm program a day, at least ten minutes long. 112 stations had two or more such programs daily. 73 had special Saturday programs, not counting the Saturday shows in a 6-day-a-week series. 16 had special Sunday programs . Status of programs-- Of the about 415 daily farm programs on the 281 stations, about 48 per cent are sustaining, 28 per cent sponsored, and 22 per cent participating. The stations that had more than one program.a day had a slightly higher percentage of sponsor- ed and participating shows, and a somewhat lower percentage of sustaining shows than.those with only one program a day. Time on air-- A somewhat higher percentage of the daily and multi-daily shows were broadcast in the 5:00 to 7:00 a.m. period than at noontime (11:00 to 1:15). Among the special Saturday shows, 52 per cent were broadcast between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Length of programs-- The quarter-hour programs were in.the majority, not counting market reports broadcast as separate programs. L'arket report 3-- Of the 281 questionnaires used in this analysis, 88 per cent reported using market reports, with 38 per cent broadcasting them as separate features, exclusive of the farm.program.or programs. 'Wire news- 202, or about 72 per cent, of the 281 stations reported use of wire service news in their farm programs. The United States Department of Agriculture Radio Service and the Federal Extension Service made a survey of State Extension Services in November, 1947.2 The purpose of the survey was to learn the major types of services furnished to radio farm directors by the various state ex- tensions. Questionnaires were returned from the extension services of 2 Ibido, p. 30 22 thirty-four states. The distribution of scripts to radio farm.directors for use on farm.programs was the type of service most frequently report- ed by the state extension services (See Table I, p. 23), while four of the states reported no service to the radio farm director. Late in 1946, the Radio Service of the United States Department of Agriculture polled the radio farm directors regarding its "RFD Letter".3 The purpose of the survey was to discover the radio farm directors' opinions concerning the type of material desired in the Letter.4 0f the eighty-four farm.broadcasters that replied to the questionnaire, 71 'Wanted background information about farm research included in the "RFD Letter", and 70 wanted background information on United States Department of Agriculture action programs, such as the Production Marketing Admin- istration, the Federal Housing Administration, and'Federal Extension activities (See Table II, p. 24). 3 Ibid!, PO 5. 4 The "RFD Letter" is a weekly bulletin published by the Radio Service of the United States Department of Agriculture. It contains information on government poliqy affecting agriculture and other in, formation on the activities of the United States Department of Agri- culture. TABLE I mason TYPES OF SE-VICES .FFERED RADIO BY EXTENSION SERVICES 23 FARE DIRECTORS Types of Services Number of States Furnishing the Service Background letter similar to USDA RFD Letter Farm.Flash service Other script service Send staff itineraries to RFD's Hold field days for RFD's Have electrical transcription service Give special telephone service to RFD's Hold meetings for RFD's Other services No service at present but have plans None 22 24 10 9 22 14 13 20 4 TABLE II MATERIAL DESIRED IN RFD LETTER BY RADIO FARE DIRECTORS 24 NO. Of RFD'S material Desired . __~Indicating Yes No 'Want summaries of USDA press releases in RFD Letter 40 36 want summaries of BAE situation reports 62 15 W’ background information about farm research 71 6 'Want background information on USDA action programs (303, PMA, FHA, FS, Extension) 70 6 Went advance information about field trips of USDA officials 52 24 Went itineraries of foreign visitors 45 31 25 The Committee on Radio Farm Director Extension Service Relations of the National Association of Radio Farm Directors made a limited survey in 1949 for the purpose of investigating the specific services offered the radio farm directors by Extension Services, the specific services offered the Extension Services by radio farm directors, and the extent of cooperation between the two groups.5 0f the twelve ques- tionnaires sent to radio farm directors in twelve states, eleven were returned. The survey indicated that the specific services offered to the radio farm directors by Extension Services were: 1. weekly feature stories. 2. Transcriptions made by extension Specialists upon request. 3. Advance notices of events sponsored by the Extension Services. The radio farm directors listed these as the specific services that they offered to the Extension Services: 1. Daily announcements of extension.meetings. 2. Promotion of extension programs. 3. Provision of program time for extension specialists. 4. Air daily stories of county agents' activities. The radio farm directors indicated that they would like more coopera- tion from.the Extension Services in the nature of: 1. more feature stories, less "routine stuff". 2. Meetings with extension people to discuss common problems. 5 "Survey by NARFD Committee on RFDAExtension Service Relations", National Association of Radio Farm Directors, 1949. 26 3. A cooperative attitude rather than a competitive attitude from.extension people who have'their own farm.programs. 4. Progress reports of extension action programs. 5. An "even break" on distribution of extension information to radio stations in a competitive market. In 1949, J. A. Murray of the Agricultural College Extension, Urbana, Illinois, surveyed the farm.programming practices of all of the radio stations in Illinois, with the exception of the Chicago stations, and those stations in the adjoining states of Kentucky, Indiana, Hissouri, and Iowa which included portions of Illinois in their primary coverage area.6 A total of 47 questionnaires were returned out of seventy-four sent out. The following were the major findings of the survey. One or more regular farm programs were reported by 86 per cent of the large stations, 100 per cent of the medium stations, and 96 per cent of the small stations that filled out the ques- tionnaire. Farm programs were broadcast daily by all of the stations reporting farm.programs and some also had weekly spec- ial programs. The most frequently reported time of broadcasting was 12:00 noon to 12:30 p.m.; followed by, in.the order'named: 7:00 a.m. to 7:30 a.m.; 6:00 a.m. to 6:30 a.m.; 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon: 6:30 a.m. to 7:00 a.m.; 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.: 6:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.: 5:00 a.m. to 5:30 a.m.: 7:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The primary sources of farm news most frequently mentioned by the stations were, in the order named: Wire services, agricul- tural colleges, county extension.workers, United States Depart— ment of Agriculture, and local farmers. Sources of interview and discussion material most often reported 'were: local farmers, extension workers, rural youth groups, and agricultural colleges. 6 J. A. Mhrray, "Farm Radio in Illinois", Review of Extension Studies, Extension Service Circular 464, January, I950:_USDAIE§EEEsion Service, washington, D. C., p. 11. 27 Additional aids the stations wanted from local county extension agents included: more local material, seasonal by-the-month calendar of local farm activities, releases and announcements of meetings, help with planning interviews, discussions, and forums in.which county extension and local people participate. The stations indicated that they did not want prepared scripts. The report of the survey indicated that the larger stations more often employed full-time farm directors who developed their own local sources of information. The smaller stations often employed part-time directors or none at all. The smaller stations indicated need for more material and services. The stations reported that they would be willing to cooperate in a program to help train local county agents in radio methods and techniques. They favored the suggestion that the college of agriculture assign a radio fieldman to work between the college, local stations, and county agents in a liaison capacity. CHAPTER III TECHNIQUE USED IN THE INVESTIGATION CHAPTER III TECHNIQUE USED IN THE INVE TIGATION I. The Questionnaire The investigation involved in the thesis study covered a large geographic area; therefore, the questionnaire survey was considered the most feasible method of investigation. Frances'Wilson sums up the opinions of leading authorities in the field of questionnaire research by suggesting the following standards for constructing and administer- ing the questionnaire: CONSTRUCTING THE QUESTIONEAIRE-- Ask only those questions which the respondents are competent to answer, avoiding those for which for one reason or another the correspondent may be unwilling to answer, or which depend for answer upon delayed memory. Avoid questions entailing lengthy investigation.by the re- spondent; at the same time request information in sufficient detail to secure necessary data the first time. Omdt all leading questions. Plan the questionnaire so that the questions are few in number, brief, simple, unambiguous, specific and not general, and stat- ed in acceptable language. Construct questions that will elicit facts. When opinions are requested the final report should indicate carefully when opin- ions and attitudes are being reported. Develop questions in a logical sequence. Include check questions and interlocking questions. The latter are especially important when the study is of a particularhy intricate problem. 29 Test the questionnaire form, when.it is completed, with a group of persons similar to those to whom it will be addressed. Elim- inate all sources of error... ' FOREAT AHD DISTRIBUTION OF QUESTIONUAIRES-- The questionnaire must be accompanied by a letter which effective- ly sets forth the purpose of the study, indicates the sponsor, and solicits the cooperation of the respondent... Have the blanks printed or typed, leave adequate room for replies, include a self-addressed envelope, acknowledge receipt of the completed form. Send out followaup letters to insure an adequate number of re- plies...replies should not only be numerous but complete-~that is, they should represent a high percentage of response to the blanks sent out. The above standards were followed closely in constructing and ad- ministering the questionnaire. The questions were kept at a minimum, and most of them were designed for simple check or short blank fill-in answers, although room was left for comments. Additional space was provided at the end of the questions for those respondents who wished to elaborate on their criticisms of farm radio programming. Simple phraseology was used, and common radio terms were allowed since the questions were directed to men active in the radio industry. According to Albert Blankenship: "Probably no final set of 'principles' for word- ing will ever be written. The circumstances and purposes of each study are unique. The manner in which the respondents are to be approached, which differ in every survey, will influence the phrasing used."2 1 Frances M. Wilson, Procedures in Evaluating 3 Guidance Program (New York: Bureau of Publications, Teachers College, Columbia Univer- sity, 1945), pp. 94-95. 2 Albert 8. Blankenship, Consumer 229 Opinion Research--The Question- naire Technique (New York and London: Harper Brothers, Publishers, 1943), p. 55. 30 When the essential questions of the survey had been determined, a copy was sent to the Radio Service of the United States Department of Agriculture for evaluation and criticism. The questions (see page 31) were also discussed with a radio farm director and with four people interested in sociological research. The final questionnaire (see - Appendix) was mimeographed on smooth paper suitable for pen writing. It was assembled in booklet form.with the cover page illustrated and titled to give the respondents an immediate idea of the content. A letter was drawn up which set forth thepurpose of the study, indicated the sponsor, and solicited the cooperation of the respondent (see page 34). It also stated that a summary of the results of the survey would be sent to the respondent if he desired the information. The letter was duplicated on letter-head of the Department of Speech, Drama, and Radio Education, Michigan State College. 31 QUESTIONS USSD IN THE QUESTIONNAIRE A. How much do you depend upon the following sources for services and information with which to build your farm programs? POST OF SONE OF HARDLY THE TIT-E THE T114713 EVER l. USDA-~Washington.................... 2. State Department of Agriculture..... 3. State Extension Service............. 4. County Extension Service (County Agent, 4-H, etc.)................... 5. Farm.0rganizations (Farm Bureau, Grange, Farmers Union, etc.)........ 6. Weather Bureau...................... 7.‘Farmers............................. 8. Soil Conservation Service—-State.... 9. Soil Conservation Service—-District. 10. PMA--State.......................... 11. Wire Services....................... 12. Local stock yards................... Please list any others: HIIIIH I I‘ll' HHHH l H! NIH!!! | III B. Do you feel that there are a sufficient number of sources of in— formation and services with which to build farm programs available to yon? Ymo NO. C. From.which of the sources of information listed on the opposite page would you like to receive more information or service that would be helpful in building your farm.shows? (Identify by number) D. What additional information or service would you like them to pro- vide? E. For programs other than market and weather reports, what one source of information do you consider most indispensable? F. How many times per week, on the average, do you include the followh ing types of information in your farm programs? Interviews with farmers.....................¢ times per week. Local farm news.............................. " National farm news........................... " Local market news............................ Production and economic information.......... Home economic information.................... Farm.organization information................ market reports and news...................... 3333 HHHH A. B. C. D. A. B. C. D. 32 About how many hours per week, on the average, do you devote to your job as radio farm.editor? hours per week. What percentage of this total weekly working time is devoted to the preparation and airing of farm radio programs? % HOW'many of the following programs do you air each week? One-hour shows Forty-five minute shows -—_‘Half-hour shows Fifteenpmdnute shows Ten-minute shows ' Five-minute shows How much time do you spend, on.the average, preparing for each of the shows you have designated above? Heurs Hours Heurs Hours Hours Hours minutes, ndnutes, nunutes, minutes, minutes, minutes, for for for for for for each one-hour show each forty-five minute show- each half-hour show each fifteenpmdnute show each ten-minute show each five-minute show Breaking down.your activities into the following three general phases, which of the three do you consider most important to your job as radio farm.director? which second? which third? ”making contacts with sponsors and potential supporters. ”Station promotional activities. “Building and airing your farm programs. Comments: Do you believe that servicing accounts should be part of the RFD's job? YES. NO . Are you assisted by staff announcers in airing your farm shows? Most of the time. Sometimes. Hardly ever. If you are employed by a commercial station: Do you service your own farm program accounts? Hardly ever. timSc Sometimes. Most of the 33 E. How often do you deliver the commercial announcements on your sponsored farm programs? Most of the time. Sometimes. Hardly ever. 0n the basis of your experience with farm.programs, what are your major criticisms or comments for the improvement of farm programming? 34 Dear 3151'. 3 The Department of Speech, Dramatics, and Radio Education of Michigan State College is making a study of some of the activities of the radio farm.reporter. The enclosed questionnaire is part of that study. It is designed to discover more about the sources of program.material available to the RFD, the time demanded for preparation of programs, and some details of actual broadcast. Your candid answers on the questionnaire will be helpful to educators interested in farm.radio and to those organizations who cooperate with you in providing service to farm.people. The survey may help you to reveal the areas in.which.you can use additional help and program material. The data derived from.this questionnaire are to be subndtted to the United States Department of Agriculture and the National Association of Radio Farm Directors for their study of service to and activities of the RFD. Reported as a graduate thesis, the findings will also be carefully evaluated by the School of Graduate Studies, under whose supervision this study is being undertaken. Please feel free to make any additional comments to the questions. One of the values of a survey is derived from.such suggestion and criticism. We would like permission to use your name in connection with comments written.up in the survey report, but if you do not wish to have your name and position disclosed, please indicate in the designated spot on.the questionnaire. There is also a place on the questionnaire where you may indicate your'desire to receive a summary of the information collected. Your interest in.this survey is sincerely appreciated. Respectfully yours, 35 II. The Mailing List The names and addresses of one hundred and nineteen radio farm directors were obtained from the Radio Service of the United States Department of Agriculture. These names were selected by the Radio Service from a list of three hundred and thirty-six farm radio people and extension workers registered with the United States Department of Agriculture3 for farm.information services. The one hundred and nine- teen people whom they selected for the mailing list included those most recently active in farm radio and those most qualified to answer the questionnaire. The list comprised one hundred and ten radio people ‘with farm programming as their main or one of their specific jobs and nine extension workers who act as farm reporters part-time, broadcast- ing farm programs regularly. Thirty-eight states, representing the major crop areas, were represented in.the list (see map p. 39). The United States Department of Agriculture list omitted the states of Delaware, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, Rhode Island, Mississippi, and'Wyoming. The questionnaires were mailed January 19, 1951. Enclosed with the questionnaire and cover letter was a stamped, self-addressed envelope. 3 The exact number of RFD's in the United States is unobtainable, although Herb Plambeck, Historian, NARFD estimates their number at somewhat over 250. 36 III. The Followaup Ten.days after the first mailing, forty-eight of the respondents had returned questionnaires. A followaup letter was devised reiterat- ing the purpose of the survey and the sponsor (see p. 37). Another copy of the questionnaire and a self-addressed, stamped envelope were included with the followbup letter. The followuup was mailed January 29, 1951, to the remaining seventy-one listees from whom answers to the original mailing had not been received at that time. However, within three days after the second mailing and before the addressees could have received and returned the followbup ten more completed quese tionnaires were received. The total returns from.the first mailing was increased to fifty-eight or 49 percent of the sample. 37 Dear Lire 3 Recently we wrote;you to ask your help in.a study of some of the activi- ties of the Radio Farm Director being undertaken in the Department of Speech, Dramatics, and Radio Education. ‘We would like to know more about the sources of program.information used by the Radio Farm.Reporter, and how they may be made more useful to you. You are one of approximately one hundred and twenty RFD’s selected throughout the United States to Whom we have written.for this data. Your ideas will give us a better understanding of some of the problems with which you cope in broadcasting information.to the rural audience» Possibly you have not had an opportunity to fill out the questionnaire previously mailed to you and you laid it aside for later attention. For’your convenience, we are enclosing a new copy of the form. .An early reply will be most appreciated. You may have sent in your questionnaire while we were getting this letter off to you. If so, thank you, and please ignore this second request. If you'd like a copy of the report on this study, please'indicate your desire in.the place provided at the end of the questionnaire. we wish to thank you very much for your cooperation. Respectfully yours, CHAPTER IV TABULATION AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA CHAPTER IV TABULATION AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA I. The Returns A total of ninety-two replies, or 77 percent of the sample, were received from.the 119 radio farm directors to whom.the survey was mail- ed. There were fifty-eight responses to the first mailing and thirty- four to the follow-up. Replies were obtained from thirty-six of the thirty-eight states represented on.the survey mailing list (see p. 39). Ho answers were received from farm directors in Kansas and Maine. II. The Tabulations Of the ninety-two respondents, two replied that the position of radio farm director had been discontinued at their stations, and three indicated that they were no longer engaged in radio activities. Eighty- seven responses (73 percent of the sample) were tabulated to supply the data for this thesis. Several of the respondents included optional material with the returned questionnaire; i.e., letters expanding their ideas and criticisms of farm.radio programming, program.schedules, and publicity materials (see Appendix "5"). The data were tabulated in.tables which immediately TOIIOW'in.this section. The tables were organized in the order of the questions as they appear in the questionnaire. 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ZOHHflmmmmwm mma OH Omecbma mH mmHa OZHKMQB qummg.dweoe mee no mw9 opsuHa om ono .pnoonommou ono hp oopooponp oao3.m:o:m >9 opnuda OH 939 .pnoonommoa one an oopNoHeqH oaoa.meonm be opane OH nee .psoonommoa ado an oopooppnp omB.Bonm upon N ego .pnooaoamoa ego hp oopNOHonH oao3.meonm neon N obpm .psoocommou oso mp oopeoHoeH mmB;Sonm op::HE we onO .ppoosoamoa ono an oopooponp msz.sonm opnsde ON ono .pnopuommop one an vopeoHonH one: macaw opzswa N nee «nOHpHeNN NH o O H O O O an H O O O O O ON msonm meonm msonm mgonm m30sw maonm Moog.uom opanE m opsnpz OH opquH mH opnnpz on opnups we asonnono atonm mo wappnomom n.9am mo nonfisz honedz I AesosHonoov x mHmNN 56 omen pNBHH no oosHHHpHHOO N e N N H H oouN o o o o o H NNNH .11 o o H ex: .1 o o oeuH H o N .:N o H oNnH o N N N H N oonH o H H o o 0 Ne“ N N N o o 0 ON” 0 o H o o o NNu ‘11 N H H o o 0 8” N H o o o 0 NH” o o H o o o S” .: 259$ 9595 95 gm go an ego pm gonm we pHHHHHE em PH pom oeanm N epqus oH opqus NH opqu: omt. opan: Ne Naomuoeo eH cane HHoH poaomoa m Nqunoaom N.NNN No sonssz NEOmlq. OmBHx mqm¢a 62 .mhmkbcd Hdnodpmo obaw on; upuowuommoh m any wnfivsfiona .mp no nodpmosw onp op wowamou 0:3.non55n Hdpo¢ onp no momma owmpcooumm * .fioapmosw as» op hamou pod wad mphovcommou ¢H .noHpmosw cap 0» zuobbn: voHHmou mvcounomwou m ”aofipfiuv6 nH a. mm Hm umbm mawuwm on on QEw¥ 0n¢ no 950m mm 3 25$ on» no pg: wufiphomom wafippomom n.9mm hm mama M0 @335 wflwowbhow MO owapqcouom mo uonfifiz puopkm meZDooo<.mdmwomm Em‘LRY--RTD FOR K£EPS All of which leads me to this summary of what the 1949 meet- ing of the Radio Farm Directors has meant. Get these five points, even if you don't get anything else out of these two days. I. INVEYTORY--Take INVEYTORY NON. fivery speaker has said no man should begin or for that matter continue any farm department operations without first taking inventory of: (a) Program Quality. (b) Personality of the farm editor. (0) What you are now selling. (d) What other products you could be selling. AED ASK YOURSB'"-—does it make HONEY for the station thru station promotion and audiences for unrelated sponsors as well as for the farm sponsor-~AHD, does it make money fo£_the farmer as a service. II. PLAN F ACTICH. Only after you know what you have t0'wonk with as shown.by the IBIENTCRY is it possible to develop a PLAN. And a plan should indicate only one thing--a method of "bridging the gap" between the kind of a farm department you now have and the kind you want to have-~one that will stay on the air as an asset to all concerned. Plan hOW’t08 (a) Hake an impact on the station's full audience. (b) Prevent misunderstanding between the station, the sponsor, and all individuals concerned. Plan to "cuddle", (if you please). (c) To become more a part of the farm community as well as the commercial community. And this plan is no easy matter. It's a hell of a hard job. ... Yes, a plan shouldn‘t try to indicate any easy route——there isn't any easy rmite. III. CIECK OWTSIDE HELP. You the farm director are the kgy to the picture, but you can't do it alone. Yes, I know some of you have a halo around your head, feeling that you and you alone can save the agriculture in your territory. You have your eyes upon that "greater goal" so completely that you feel that you cannot toucn the help of your "very commercial" commercial manager or you cannot touch the help of a sponsor. But, remember what I said at first, maybe you have to do some things besides that "higher goal" if you are to have the privilege of doing that "higher goal". 127 Check with: (a) The management. (b) Commercial and Promotion maneg er. (c) Sponsor's field men. (d) Agricultural College and Agencies. And if any of these men don't know the problems you have in performing that "higher goal" (which I still don’t want you to lose sight of), don't dismiss them with "Oh, that damn sales mana- ger, he doesn' t know the difference between a cow and a bull." If these people don't know about the farm problems-~IT'S YOUR FAULT? ECAUS3 IT'S YOUR JOB TO TEACH T333 TO APPLnCIATR AGRICUL- T"RJ IN R3LA_ICV TO THE RADIO STATION. YCR'P3 THE PART DI ECTOR iR3U'T YOU? In fact, if they kneW'everything, they should know, why hire you as a farm expert? HOW'you'FE‘Feady to continue ACTIOH and the fourth point in my summary. IV. TI3 DOW? the Farm Department Operations. Regin to ce- ment these relationships that you already have. Don't start look- ing for new sponsors that "understand you better", tie down the ones you have. Don't wish for a new program time, tie down what you waIFEad have. Don’t lose 3 foot 2f the ground you have already rained. V. START R33UILDITG. Only now, after IRVERTCRY has been made, PLAN is outlined, OUTSIDE H3LP is checked, and you have TIED DORE what you already have-~CRLY TH3D—-is it time toS TART RERUILD- ITG your farm department. As Don Sullivan said, "He're all (station and sponsor alike) in the same boat, headed for the same objective, why try to shove off in your own canoe before the others have joined you." You're noW'ready for "sponsor conservation". And remember above all else, THAT YOUR FARm Daka‘“RNT “‘TD ITS P‘CGRAKS ARE ONLY AS GOOD AS THEY A53 PR TITABLEI T T33 PAREPR AID TF3 SPO“S R--thus to the station. I'd almost leave "Cuddles" Karr's reference to the honeymoon and say, now that you are ready to START R3BUILDIHG, the honey- moon is over. Plan to live with your wife from now on with no thought of divorce. Plan to live with those who can help you reach that "hilzher goalYr for agriculture, even past tne honeymoon stage, from now on. 128 The following is the text of a letter received from Yr. Roy Rattles, past-president of the "ational Association of Radio Farm Directors and arm Program Director of'fiLJ, Cincinnati, Ohio. Dear ”r. Arneson: You have the permission of the 3xecutive Committee of NARPD to use the name of the organization in your survey letter in accordance with your request made by letter on Rovember 10, 1950. Best washes. Very truly yours, Roy Eattles, President NARPD 129 B I 0 (EPA PT! Wilfred Tilton Arneson was born September 23, 1919, in Iarmarth, Forth Dakota, the last child in a family of three boys and a girl. His father was a locomotive engineer in Varmarth, a small railroad community where the Chicago, Vilwaukee, St. Paul, and Pacific railway spanned the Little Uissouri river. Rhen the author was six, his family moved to a sparsely populated farming settlement near TcIntosh, South Dakota. Despite the fact that the farm was located on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation of the Sioux tribe, he grew up with scalp entact and finished his elementary and secondary education at HcIntosh. After graduating from.high school, the author followed his brothers to Colorado, where his early interest in railroads led to a job as a railroad telegrapher in the Colorado mountain country. Two years later, he joined the Army Air Force. In October, 1945, he returned to the United States, after two and one-half years in.the Southwest Pacific theatre; and he enrolled at Denver University, majoring in Radio. After receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree, the author again be- came interested in agriculture, and he decided to specialize in.Farm Radio. He accepted an assistantship in the Department of Speech at Tichigan State College, where he majored in Radio-Speech and minored in Agriculture. The author completed the requirements for the Degree of Taster of Arts in June, 1951. ' --‘L: __L1:—_;._.-_.L—- ‘\ ‘4'. “- 300M USE_'0NLY‘_ _' , ' ' ’ Ross USE any ~6— ——‘—A—.F—.——' —— ‘ g“4 ‘ h‘wr‘c-u‘i“ ‘ ‘ 4 v—A' Vi'._ :L' Michigan State College Department of Speech, Dramatics, and Radio Education East Lansing, Michigan “ma—MW -.,,,, , #7147-v- .... —- ~-----;»---— ~ ‘ — m-fitewtm'wrum'wmwm '01s. fi-fl-“W‘J! "7‘01 urns Lt": - v H" ”In ’"‘ ~ (B) Do you feel that there are a sufficient number of sources of information 0-; and services with which to build farm programs available to you? w".YES- Mmm N0- (C) From which of the sources of information listed on the Opposite page would you like to receive more information or service that would be helpful in building your farm shows? (Identify by number) n... n...“ «...-n... ...................... (D) What additional information or service would you like them to provide? RFD'S TIME SPENT BUILDING AND AIRING FARM SHOWS luu non-mm. a u. .. ...... .. ... ...J,.l...no- .- ...-MOMIo.‘--.M....n.. n. ”9.4....” ‘ t chu'l'. Hm..."- ...-...... - — (A) About how many hours per week, on the average, do you devote to your I Job as radio farm editor? m ............. hours per week. (B) What percentage of this total weekly working time is devoted to the preparation and airing of farm radio programs? mwmwflm$ (C) How many of the following programs do you air each week? ............. ,.0ne-hour shows ."m“_Forty-five minute shows _immaa.Half-hour shows .................... Fifteen-minute shows Ten-minute shows ...-“IQO‘Mo-h Duo”- ,.mm,Five-minute shows (D) How much time do you spend, on the average, preparing for each of the shows you have designated above? .ww ...... Hours “mmfiminutes, for each one-hour show _ ”Hours .mmiminutes, for each.Forty-five minute show . .mnimHours www-minutes, for each Half-hour show ........... “Hours “a“.minutes, for each Fifteen-minute show I .annfiours a...minutes, for each Ton-minute show I Wm..Hours www.minutes, for each Five-minute show YQ'OF, E's-Nona. . .. . ~1'If93111-‘H.’ # ,4 -.- . L "I Y I , A 7* V - -' . ‘ C Y x , , L ‘ A I u a "I ’ I, I l I. l . 1 ‘l '0 . Ii C u .99 l l . l I \ l -. “'.,'\' in. ‘1'! l'”."'(’-|"4 'v‘- ‘ i ' Jaw , .n . . . H y y I g‘ ~.‘ . p . .- -. .. . ' ."O-‘w .' .-' ‘17.’ ' ' ." ”‘1 4' “'2. a“ "' -- ,’.' " "n . .~'{;-' :3.“ 3. w- ‘... a. ‘ ‘ ‘ ' ' ’-'- ' '1‘ ‘ rvfl ' 4.7 - . ' "J- ‘ ' l: " ‘-': " I" l. V ‘. If you are employed by a commercial station: (D) Do you service your own farm prOgram accounts? *" ,,,,, Most of the time. ,,,,,,,,,,, Sometimes. ....... ..Hardly ever. (E) How often do you deliver the commercial announcements on your Sponsored farm.prOgrams? Most of the time. .- 0-0.»... .mm Sometimes. mmwufiardly ever. ' """‘-' “‘ ‘ - .... um wmmuuuum-umv ‘ n - l- u .m n - . I . l' m .l. .‘I'Vlll-fluuoul u I.~..mfl'-.n|u':muoumo-II..o!-r- .muunnn-m-z mntun. I'm In | I. I": l- .JIIanmv-i-No-uu[...-mun.-..|- nun ll .... ON THE BASIS OF YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH FARM PROGRAMS, WHAT ARE YOUR MAJOR CRITICISMS OR COMMENTS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF FARM PROGRAMMING? (Please continue your comments on the next page)