Broadcasting (Oct - Dec 1949)

FARM RADIO Semng Stressed at RFD Conclave RADIO FARM EDITORS, beset with doubts about their future in the industry, learned there is a definite farm market, how to sell it and how to keep it sold — at their annual conference in Chicago Nov. 26 and 27. Analytical discussion, probing into problems of rural broadcasting, typified the two-day meeting of the National Assn. of Radio Farm Directors at the Stevens Hotel [Broadcasting, Nov. 28]. Farm directors were concerned with the upcoming challenge of television, prevailing budget trims at stations, frequent switches of farm department personnel to other duties and cancellation of agricultural programs. CBS' elimination of its farm staff of three persons and its network show last June was termed by one of the speakers "as the greatest blow to our organization and its causes in years." Individual speakers and panelists throughout Saturday and Sunday stressed that the farm editor's services will be continued if he (1) supplies data needed by the farmer, in the home as well as on the farm, (2) proves that his programming is necessary, (3) works dependably, (4) knows field men representing agricultural firms and associations, and people in his home territory, and (5) serves both the advertiser and the listener. ~ Sponsors Aid All agreed that the best farm shows are sponsored shows, for additional money supplied by a sponsor enlarges the scope of a farm director's public service activities. At the opening luncheon Saturday, True D. Morse, president of WJR IS HOST Offers Mobile Unit to NARFD WJR Detroit's mobile studio was a more than usually busy place last week as the complete facilities were made available to the National Assn. of Radio Farm Directors meeting in Chicago simultaneously with the National 4H Congress and the International Live Stock Exposition. During the week-long sessions, directors of different stations transcribed programs at the WJR mobile unit for re-broadcast over their own stations. The records and facilities were offered by WJR at no cost to the stations. Programs recorded varied from transcriptions of 4H Club and Live Stock Expositions news highlights to interviews with local winners of National 4H Club and live stock awards. The WJR delegation to the sessions was led by General Manager Harry Wismer and included Farm Editor Marshall Wells, Promotion Manager and Producer Engineers Bert Vangeisen and Keith Kinney, RADIO FARM editors attending the sixth annual National Assn. of Radio Farm Directors conference in Chicago Nov. 26 and 27 visited the WJR Detroit mobile unit for free transportation services. Using the service are (I to r) new NARFD president, Roy Battles of WLW Cincinnati; Chris Mack, WNAX Yankton, S. D., secretary-treasurer; Phil Alampi, WJZ New York, vice president and retiring secretary-treasurer; Marshall Wells, WJR farm director, and Wallace Kadderly, KGW Portland, retiring president. the Doane Agriculture Service, St. Louis, termed the present farm audience of six million a "small segment of the number of persons interested in agriculture." Pointing to unlimited opportunities for Service, he asserted that "too few shows give service." Sponsorship is "an important measure of success," and the problem of finding a sponsor will be solved "if you give a listener what he wants and needs," he said. Listeners should be told specifics, rather than be given entertainment alone, he said. "Tell them how to improve economic conditions, incomes or living." Mr. Morse called for emphasis on the management or economic end of agriculture, rather than on production (tangible). "Give economic guidance, and help the listener go beyond political strategy and maneuvering. Too much radio is tinged with propaganda, which treats listeners like children and gives them halftruths," he said. Theories Desired Theory, with guidance from farm experts, is needed instead of factual information, he charged. "A lot of valuable time is wasted on chitchat and filler. Farms need to be recognized as businesses — as big, ' commercial businesses." How radio farm news can be shaped to fit a TV format was outlined at an afternoon session on "Practical RFD Television" by Moderator Mai Hansen, WOW Omaha; Bill Givens, WGY Schenectady; Amos Kirby, WCAU Philadelphia; Tom Page, WNBC New York, and Ken Gapen of the U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. Mr. Page, describing TV's high sponsor indentification, named universal appeal as the first require ment of a show unless it is sponsored. All speakers agreed that showmanship is the main thing needed by agriculturists for television. Mr. Hansen, discussing his noonhour show, said he beams it to the consumer as well as to the farmer. Some rules by which he works: Use livestock as much as possible; plan in advance; use charts if no props are available; ad lib whenever possible; an informal approach is the best; live shows are more popular than film. Mr. Givens outlined events telecast during an entire day by his station a year ago, when five cameras were taken to a 165-acre farm in North Adams, Mass. He handled commentary on construction of a farm pond, machinery and home demonstrations, demolition of a 40-acre wood lot and unearthing of boulders from 7:45 a.m. until 5 p.m. A studio "garden" — a window box for growing demonstrations — is a mainstay of Mr. Kirby at WCAU-TV. He works continually for a better relationship between farmer and the consumer, programming for both urban and rural areas, he said. The Dept. of Agriculture will produce within the next six months an anticipated 12 television shows on film, Mr. Gapen said. These will be released to agricultural telecasters without charge. The department is preparing a TV re(Continued on page 30) BRYSON RESIGNS establishing a news department. In June that year he became WCCO news director. In 1946 he became director of news and special events and in 1948 became director of public affairs and production manager. Dr. Bryson, in addition to his administrative and consulting work at CBS, has been a professor of education at Teachers College, Columbia U. He also appears regularly on CBS discussion programs on both radio and television. Mic kelson Heads CBS Discussion Div. SIG MICKELSON, director of public affairs and production manager of WCCO Minneapolis, a CBS owned station, last week was appointed to succeed Dr. Lyman Bryson as the network's director of the Division of Discussion. ★ Mr. Mickelson will report to his new job at New York headquarters Feb. 1. Dr. Bryson resigned from the position as well as from his other post as CBS counselor on public affairs to "devote more of his attention to b r o adcasting, writing and teaching," said the announcement issued by Davidson Taylor, CBS vice president and director of public affairs. Mr. Mickelson, widely known as a radio newsman, has just finished a term as president of the National Assn. of Radio News Directors. He has been with WCCO since 1943. After graduating from Augustana College, Sioux Falls, S. D., in 1934, Mr. Mickelson was a reporter and editor on the Sioux Falls Argus Leader until 1937 when he undertook graduate work at the U. of Minnesota. Later he was an instructor in journalism at Louisiana State U., the U. of Kansas and U. of Minnesota. While still on the staff of the latter institution he joined WCCO in 1943 as consultant in Mr. Bryson Mr. MICKELSON Page 22 • December 5, 1949 BROADCASTING • Telecasting