U. S. Radio (Jan-Dec 1961)

The WMT Cedar Rapids booth at the Iowa State Fair featu res such services as weather forecasts and market reports. Station has similar booths at all local fairs. I sent." An example <>l the increasing variety in information covered in farm fare is provided by Vei n Stedry, manager of KRGI Grand Island, Neb. "Our farm director, Hill Macdonald, is making his farm program a bit more diversified. He covers lawn care, shrubs and plants a little more than he did a few years ago and has received excellent response to this programming." Radio's ability to provide the farmer with fast and accurate reporting is being accentuated by a number of stations, according to questionnaire returns. "Farm radio is continually becoming speedier and more informative in its reporting," states Orion Samuelson, farm director, WGN Chicago. "With the stepped-up pace of today's agriculture, farmers need upto-the-minute market and weather reports and news of new agricultural developments." And Wally Ausleg, farm director, WPTF Raleigh, N. C, declares, 'The pace has been quickened. Shorter, but more meaningful interviews. More market reports. Wider diversification on farms, operators interested in more items. In our area, for instance, on broilers, eggs and livestock, farmers desire more information on prices in distant markets, which affect local markets. Farmers are becoming better businessmen. They want to keep up with new developments." In line with this, George Shannon, farm director of WWL New Orleans, says, "General business news is wanted by farmers." He also states that farmers want more markets, weather and live interviews. "More emphasis on the business side of agriculture; farm market reports, too, are heavier," comments Ted Capener, farm director, KSL Salt Lake City. In the area of remotes, Grady Cole, farm director of WBT Charlotte, N. C, believes major changes in programming include "more tapes of talks with agents and farmers as well as interviews at farm shows and exhibitions." Carl Collins, farm director, WKZO Kalamazoo, also believes that "farm radio programming is more mobile these days. Examples on WKZO are direct reports from the Chicago Collecting facts for his WBAP Fort Worth farm program is Calvin Pigg (I.), station's farm editor. This is one way the station keeps abreast of the views of cattlemen and farmers. Stockyards, the local stock exchange and the area weather bureau. Another service that has been successful for us is Spray Guide, beeper reports from agriculture specialists in the field advising area fruit growers of spraying conditions and advice on what types of spray to use." Another example of the far-reaching capabilities of today's farm programming is provided bv WGY Schenectady, N. Y. Last spring, Don Tuttle, farm director, set up a twoway radio broadcast between four area farmers in its studios and four U. S. senators in Washington. The senators, members of the Senate Agricultural Committee, were George Aiken (R-Vt.) , William Proxmire (D-Wisc), Allen Ellender (D-La.) and Milton Young (R-N. D.). ■ ■ ■ fl P I* H ■ KWKH Shreveport operates remote broadcasts from its own booth at the Louisiana State Fair. Farm Director Jack Dillard is shown getting farmers' opinions on the success of the show. The farmers in the WGY studios fired questions dealing with northeastern agricultural problems at the lawmakers. Listeners to the Farm Paper of the Air were given a chance to hear these matters discussed by these leading legislators and the local farmers. A further indication of farm radio's increasing mobility is offered by George Haefner, farm director, WHAM Rochester, N. Y. "No longer are stereotype news or agricultural releases used. Rather, the story is re-told in specific terms of the WHAM farmer and his farm conditions. Each month we travel greater distances with our tape recorder, tailoring the farm programs to the highly-specialized needs of today's competitive farm business." U. S. RADIO • January 1961 21