{"id":11029,"date":"2007-01-01T20:23:12","date_gmt":"2007-01-01T20:23:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/funkaces\/?p=11029"},"modified":"2018-03-01T02:57:09","modified_gmt":"2018-03-01T02:57:09","slug":"acdc-news-issue-07-10","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/funkaces\/acdc-news-issue-07-10\/","title":{"rendered":"ACDC News \u2013 Issue 07-10"},"content":{"rendered":"

A dozen agricultural information issues challenging agricultural journalists now<\/strong>.<\/h3>\n

That title introduced a feature article we prepared last month for the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ).\u00a0 The 12 professional issues caught our attention through documents we are adding to the ACDC collection. All have global features and apply across national boundaries.<\/p>\n

You can identify these issues and view sample documents in the article posted on the IFAJ web site.\u00a0 Notice how some important agricultural information issues may operate beneath the surface of the day-to-day topics we address, skills we apply and tools we use.<\/p>\n

Title:\u00a0 A dozen agricultural information issues<\/a>
\nPosted at:\u00a0 http:\/\/www.ifaj.org\/news\/agricultural_information_issues.htm<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

U.S. news media “apathetic” and “clueless” about rural life and issues<\/strong>.<\/h3>\n

Network television coverage of rural issues and perspectives dropped 23 percent between 2002 and 2004, according to an analysis of press coverage during that period of presidential election campaigning. The Center for Media and Public Affairs identified the decline during an examination of 529 broadcast and print stories.<\/p>\n

“Much of the press is apathetic toward America’s heartland and clueless about the rural way of life,” reported the Washington<\/em> Times<\/em> in summarizing the study.\u00a0 Newspapers and magazines carried more rural-themed stories during 2004 than during 2002.\u00a0 However, farming and farm legislation “barely registered on media radar. \u2026Instead, coverage was fixated on urban sprawl and zoning issues.”<\/p>\n

Title:\u00a0 Press willfully ignorant of U. S. rural life<\/a>
\nPosted at http:\/\/washingtontimes.com\/national\/20050410-115627-1198r.htm<\/a><\/p>\n

You can also hear a six-minute interview about findings of this study. National Public Radio aired the segment during April 2005: http:\/\/www.npr.org\/templates\/story\/story.php?storyid=4585863<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

The future of farm e-commerce:\u00a0 nearing a tipping point?\u00a0 <\/strong><\/h3>\n

A 2006 article in the Journal of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers<\/em> examined factors that influence how farm markets form on the Internet.\u00a0 It also identified some Internet sites U. S. farmers are using for e-commerce transactions.\u00a0 Author Marvin Batte observed that the number of such farmers is small, but growing.<\/p>\n

“We may be nearing a tipping point, where there is an avalanche both of farmers and farm merchants using the market and small firms offering support services.”<\/p>\n

Title:\u00a0 Shopping at the farm office<\/a>
\nPosted at http:\/\/www.asfmra.org\/documents\/252_batte.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

An irreverent view of media convergence<\/strong>.<\/h3>\n

“No matter how closely and carefully I look at His Royal Convergence Highness, I still get the impression that his clothing leaves something to be desired.”\u00a0 Douglas Starr, professor of agricultural journalism at Texas A&M University, introduced his article in the Convergence Newsletter<\/em> with that observation.\u00a0 He then proceeded to “de-clothe” His Highness.<\/p>\n