Farmers’ Voices: Concerns within the Agricultural Advertiser-Media-Reader Triad

This study continues an examination of power relationships within the agricultural publishing triad: advertisers, periodicals, and producer readers. It focuses on the views of farmers about the farm periodicals they read and the agricultural marketers that advertise in those periodicals. A mail survey was used to learn the opinions and observations of farmers in a nationwide sample. The sample of 497 was randomly drawn from a government database by a commercial data supply service. Three waves of letters were used along with a $1 incentive. The 198 completed responses came from 29 states. Results indicate that producers are quite discerning and insightful in what they read. Furthermore, a majority expressed concern about advertiser-editorial relationships. Most said they see evidence of advertiser influence in the form of editorial trade-offs and bias in what stories are covered (or not covered) and how topics are handled. Results of a credibility index indicate there is much room for improvement. Authors suggest that farm publishers and advertisers should reconsider their relationships if they wish to address readers’ concerns and improve their credibility. In a highly competitive environment, increased credibility has positive bottom-line implications for all partners in the triad

Fading Voices: A 10-Year Trend Within an Agricultural Advertiser-Media-Reader Triad

Research reported here addresses effective communications within agriculture by examining power relationships within the agricultural publishing triad: advertisers, periodicals and producer readers. A 10-year analysis using mail surveys among agricultural print journalists explores recent changes within this triad, including perceptions of trends in the levels, kinds, and effects of advertiser influence on editorial content of U.S. commercial farm periodicals. Results reveal increasing advertiser-related pressure on the journalists. Other findings examine perceived harm to the profession, publication policies used, and differences in response related to gender and age. Authors discuss implications and offer steps for follow-up through research and professional education

Counting Room Voices in the Farm Publisher-Reader-Advertiser Triad

This study is part of a series that examines changing power relationships among commercial farm periodicals, their readers, and advertisers. The series focuses upon the health, vigor, and credibility of a complex information system in which the U.S. food enterprise and society in general have an important stake. Authors employed a “contractualist model” in which power requires mutual agreement by all parties. Two previous studies in the series identified concerns of farm periodical journalists and readers about advertiser-related pressures on editorial content. Through qualitative research methods, the study reported here examined related views among a sample of agricultural publishers and advertisers. Both groups expressed the most concern about the consolidation taking place among producers, marketers, and publishers, but they focused on different sectors. All three kinds of consolidation have the effect of giving the advertiser more power within the triad. Publishers and advertisers emphasized the need to maintain editorial credibility of commercial farm periodicals, acknowledged advertiser-related pressures, but shared a feeling that such pressures can be controlled and should not influence the independent stance of editorial content. They differed somewhat, however, in views on managing the editorial-advertising “wall.” Publishers also identified ways in which they are adapting, through diversification, to changing strategies of advertisers in an era of consolidation and new information technologies. By revealing perspectives of all partners in the triad, findings provide a useful staging point for interactions and understandings