U. S. Radio (Jan-Dec 1961)

D F n R m T RADIO In one of the many KFRE Fresno farm department field interviews, reporter Jim Miller gets the story on new techniques employed today in the crossbreeding of cattle. Farm personnel of WHO Des Moines are on location at the Iowa State Fair. L to r: Jack Dallas, farm dept. assistant; Herb Plambeck, farm director; Lloyd Albers, superintendent of the cattle show; Chet Randolph, farm news editor; Lee Kline, market editor, and Keith Kirkpatrick, associate farm editor. Scene is the last livestock judging. to the awareness of listeners the farm products and services of certain additional companies. "I think you and your station." he wrote to the general manager, "have a wonderful opportunity to help tanners produce better crops and that you are not taking full advantage of your opportunity." Mr. Garst goes on to illustrate how the commerc ial messages of two nationally-produced products could make important differences in the outcome of farm production. Conviction of this type by an interested advertise] on the strength and importance of farm radio is testimony enough to the medium's affluent e. And in the fast-changing world of agriculture, filled with wonderful new developments and beset with many critical problems, farm radio is attempting to keep pace with the needs of its listeners. Questionnaires returned by stations to l .s. radio as part of the third annual survey of farm radio indicates that many adjustments are taking place within the medium: • Programming is becoming more diversified to appeal to a wider range of farm listeners (i.e., the whole farm family) . • Information covered in farm programming is also broadening in scope across the country to include such things as general business news, gardening and expanded reporting on farm markets. • The trend to shorter segments of farm programming — without a necessary reduction in total farm radio activity — appears to be glowing, according to the survey. • Questionnaires also point to the lad that stations are providing more service to advertisers. As a focal point for advertising, the farm market continues to grow in attractiveness. This is true for farm products as it is for standard consumer items. For a list of national and regional advertisers who buy farm programming — as reported by stations in their questionnaires — see p. 24. The vastness of the farm market has been documented by Wildrick & Miller Inc., New York, advertising agency that specializes in the agricultural, building and chemical industries. Its appraisal of the farm market, issued last year, presented the farm story in a 32-page booklet called Feioer, Larger, Richer, a follow-up to a similar analysis published 10 years earlier. Calling upon government and industry figures, here are some of the facts the agency has gathered: • The farming industry consumes 6.5 million tons of finished steel each year, equal to almost half what the entire auto industry uses. • Farmers spend SI. 5 billion each year for petroleum products. They are the nation's biggest buvers of oil industry products. • Farmers invest almost $5 billion each year in new buildings, equipment and machinery, more than $1,000 per farm. • Farmers use enough rubber each year to put tires on six million automobiles. • They spend more than $9 billion annually for seed, stock, feed and fertilizer. • Farm families each year buy about $16 billion worth of consumer goods and services likefood, clothing, I in nit ure, insurance, appliances, medical care, among other things. There is strong evidence that advertisers in greater numbers are realizing the value of the farm market for both specialized and consumer goods and services. "Radio sales in 19fil are expected to rise in all product classifications," states Sidney J. Wolf, president of Keystone Broadcasting System Inc., "but should be especially marked among advertisers concerned with reaching the large farm market. Currently, eight national accounts are selling their various farm products, equipment or services via Keystone facilities. Many general product advertisers also are seeking this specialized consuming group." He cites as an example the rise in automotive billing for Keystone in 1960. "We have manv manufacturers using transcribed commercials to sell the general passenger car line to farmers as well as trucks." Mr. Wolf credits much of Keystone's sales gain of 25 percent last year to advertisers anxious to reach the rural markets. Of the more than 1,100 stations in the Keystone network, 884 contain farm programming that collec 18 U. S. RADIO • January 1961