JAC Transitions

A 2009 issue of BOOKFORUM published a cartoon titled “The Lost Library — where all of the unwritten books go” (Shaw, 2009). As depicted in the cartoon, the Lost Library is a lonely place. Dusty shelves overflow with books and publications of untold value - novel and creative ideas that never see the light of day

Understanding Whence We Came: Role of the Association for Communication Excellence in the Development of Agricultural Communications during the Past Century - and Future Implications

Role of the Association for Communication Excellence in the Development of Agricultural Communications during the Past Century - and Future Implications

Newspaper Coverage of the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Outbreak in the United States: A Content Analysis

Objectivity is a hallmark of good journalism. Objective news writing is particularly important when covering agricultural issues. In this study, researchers used the Hayakawa-Lowry news bias categories to examine the objectivity of news coverage of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) outbreak that occurred December 23, 2003, in the United States. The study looked at 149 articles published in USA Today, The Washington Post, and The Seattle Times, dating from the day of the outbreak to February 10, 2004, when the USDA concluded its investigation of the outbreak. Based on the findings, the three newspapers studied were more objective than judgmental in their coverage of the outbreak. Although judgment statements were relatively uncommon, the majority of the judgment statements found were negative toward agriculture. Analysis of the level of objectivity for each newspaper revealed that USA Today was the least objective in its coverage; The Seattle Times was the most objective. This study recommends that reporters be encouraged to include more objective sentences in their writing, that journalism and agricultural communications students be educated about the Hayakawa-Lowry news bias categories, that additional research be conducted on media coverage of other agricultural issues, and that the agricultural literacy level of journalists be examined

The Cow That Stole Christmas: Framing the First U.S. Mad Cow Crisis

The discovery of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in the United States made an impact on the beef industry. Determining how the BSE outbreak was framed by the news media is significant because research indicates that media shape public perceptions. This study examined how several key newspapers framed the 2003 outbreak of BSE in the United States. Determining how the media framed this issue can help communicators ensure bias-free media coverage of similar issues in the future. The study followed established framing analysis categories identified from the literature. There were 149 articles identified in The Washington Post, The Seattle Times, and USA Today for investigation in this study. Findings showed that the BSE issue was framed as an industry crisis and that the tone of the articles and headlines portrayed the beef industry negatively. When compared to the other two newspapers, USA Today framed the issue differently, with economic calamity being the dominant frame. The most heavily cited sources in the articles were government officials. This study recommends that media professionals avoid framing an issue for the public, focusing instead on reporting news in an objective and unbiased manner. Further research is recommended to examine the impact of tone and frame on specific audiences

Service Learning: A Case Study in an Agricultural Communications Course

Academic service-learning can be an effective and successful educational tool across many disciplines. The benefits afforded students and the community they serve are reciprocal in nature, thereby providing service to the community and capitalizing on a real-world learning environment for the students. Agricultural communications programs can offer for service-learning opportunities within the academic arena. The Campaign Planning for Agricultural and Natural Resources course at Oklahoma State University captures the essence of service-learning and provides students with an opportunity to use knowledge gained in previous courses to develop usable communications campaigns for small businesses or organizations. This case study should serve as a starting point for service-learning research in agricultural communications

Effectively Disseminating Information to Limited-Scale Landowners in the Urban/Rural Interface

The study described here addressed the preferred methods of receiving information by limited-scale landowners and the role demographic variables play in the preferred delivery method of information. Findings indicated Extension\u27s audience prefers the use of direct mail as a primary method of information dissemination. Less than half used Extension. In cross-referencing age and education level with preferred sources of information, the study indicated audience members, regardless of age and education level, preferred direct mail as their source for information

Beef Producers\u27 Risk Perceptions of an Agroterrorism Event Occurring in Oklahoma

The purpose of this statewide study was to determine Oklahoma beef producers’ perceptions of the susceptibility of the state’s beef industry to a terrorist attack. Participants in this study were randomly selected from a population of 48,000 beef producers in this Oklahoma. All 470 respondents completed a telephone survey conducted by the Oklahoma Agricultural Statistics Service. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, and cross tabulations were used to analyze the data. Oklahoma beef producers perceived the beef industry was susceptible to an agroterrorism event, believed the feedlots to be at an elevated level of threat, were confident in their own operation’s biosecurity measures, believed their own operation was not susceptible to an agroterrorism event, and did not believe they had enough information about protection from terrorism to the beef industry

Examining JAC: An Analysis of the Scholarly Progression of the Journal of Applied Communications

The peer-review process influences scholarly publication, authors, readers, and the direction of scientific research. In addition, this process may have a broader influence on society if policy implications are associated with scientific discovery (Hobart, Gonnell, & Caelleigh, 2003). As the Journal of Applied Communications ( JAC) is an outlet for scholarly, peer-reviewed publication by agricultural communicators, it must be analyzed and questioned to meet the needs of the profession (Miller, Stewart, & West, 2006). This study examined the content of JAC from 1990 to 2006 by reporting descriptive information about the content of JAC and examining the progression of published scholarly research within the framework of the peer-review process. In Volume 74(1) (1990) through Volume 90(4) (2006) of JAC, 222 research and non-research articles were published. About three-quarters (73.4%) of the articles published in JAC were research articles, and 18 methods were used and 64 populations were examined in those research articles. More than 300 authors published in JAC during the selected time period, representing more than 70 universities, agencies, and private business. Trends in the numbers of research and non-research articles were not identified, although co-authored papers were more likely to be research-based. The combined research and non-research structure of JAC provides resources for a variety of professionals in agricultural communications. Based on the results of this study, JAC does serve as a scholarly outlet for disseminating current knowledge, archiving disciplinal knowledge, controlling the quality of information, and assigning priority and credit to authors’ work (Rowland, 2002)

Agroterrorism and the Implications of Uncertainty Reduction Theory for Agricultural Communicators

As a consequence of various terrorist attacks on U.S. soil the vulnerability of American agriculture to an agro-terrorist attack has come into question. The objective of this paper is to view the threat of agroterrorism through the lens of uncertainty reduction theory and extend the original application of the theory from the realm of interpersonal communication to the mass communication level. We offer a brief overview of bioterrorism and agriculture and the general concepts of crisis communication and pre-crisis preparedness. We explain the relationship between the level of uncertainty and organizational crisis with the value of pre-crisis planning efforts. We show the importance of the agricultural communicator as a source of agricultural knowledge in the pre-crisis stage, which can contribute to reducing uncertainty following an agro-terrorist event

Before it Hits the Fan: Pre-Crisis Beef Producer Information Source Preferences

The purpose of this statewide study was to determine preferences for the sources of information beef producers in Oklahoma use and trust when they seek information about agriculture during a crisis. Participants in this study were randomly selected from a population of 48,000 beef producers in the Oklahoma. All 470 respondents completed a telephone survey conducted by the Oklahoma Agricultural Statistics Service (OASS). Descriptive statistics, t-tests, and cross tabulations were used to analyze the data. Producers preferred their veterinarians when seeking information about animal health issues and any agriculturally related crisis; and preferred to receive information through county extension publications. They also perceived the local veterinarian as the most trusted and reliable source of information available. The Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension Service, through the county extension agents and the local area livestock specialists, and the USDA were also trustworthy and reliable sources