U. S. Radio (Jan-Dec 1961)

Before the Heavy Machinery Rodeo held at Clemson College, S.C., Grady Cole, farm director of WBT Charlotte, interviews the 4-H Club participants in the rodeo. Mike Nelson (I.), farm director of WJAG Norfolk, Neb., presents plaque to owner of prize-winninq heifers at the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce-sponsored Baby Beef Show meet. tively cover 3.7 million farms. Keystone stales that these farms have an annual gross income of $26.6 billion, about 70 percent of the total U.S. gross farm income ol N37.9 billion. There arc many developments taking shape in farm radio today, according to questionnaire returns. "The farm director must spend more time in the held and less in the studio," states Herman Clark, director ol radio, WBAP Fort Worth. "There should be more interviews in the field, more first-hand reports on crop conditions." As for farm clients, Mr. Clark declares, "Advertisers expect more service — dealer calls, attendance at sales meetings, assistance with point-of-sale material, dealer letters, contacts with sales managers. Consumer product advertisers, too, are showing an interest in the high-income farm audience." The emphasis on markets and marketing information is explained by Maynard Speece, farm director of WCCO Minneapolis: "The basics ol farm service reporting— markets, weather and news of agriculture — remain the same. But each year there is more emphasis on markets and marketing. One big reason is that market activity is no longer seasonal. "A few years ago, virtually all hogs came to market in the fall because practically all farrowing occurred in the spring. Today, multiple farrowing is the rule and the farmer is bringing hogs to market the year around. "Also contributing to this picture is the fact that so many farmers are joining together in marketing groups to even the flow of livestock to mar n * S 1 i Farm Director Arnold Peterson (r.) of WOW Omaha and Associate Farm Director Frank Arney prepare for on-thespot interview to be run on one of station's farm programs. ket, eliminating the great seasonal price fluctuations. "Farm service broadcasting also has been greatly affected by the technological revolution on the hum. The farmer simply cannot keep up w ith all the new products and methods in such fields as chemicals, fertilizers, feed formulations and insecticides. He depends more and more on radio lor news of these products and advice on when to use them. Often it is the kind of information the farmer needs now and he sets it now only on radio." Changes in farm radio programming reflect a desire to broaden the scope of information as well as to appeal to a wider range of listener (for example, the farm housewife). "We have expanded the scope of women in our farm programming," declares Robert Miller-, director of agricultural activities for WLW Cincinnati. "More and more important is the part played by Jean Conner, women's director of the farm program department, and thousands of letters from listeners attest to their confidence and loyalty. For example, just before Christmas Jean Conner offered to send a reprint of a Christ mas cookie recipe upon receipt of a self-addressed, stamped envelope. T>\ Christmas, more than 2,100 requests had been received and acknowledged. "An increase in community relations also has been noted. More time has been given to personal appearances, speeches, remote broadcasts and activities at WLW's Everybody's Farm. Nowadays a farm broadcaster must have world-wide knowledge — he cannot limit himself to his own community." Appealing to a wider range of listener with farm programming is pointed to by many stations as one of the newer developments in farm U. S. RADIO • January 1961 19