The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl

Book review: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl by Timothy Ega

Getting the Joke: Humor Effects on Information Sharing of Political News

This paper examines the role of humor in information sharing of political issues using social media. In an experiment with 164 participants from the University of Memphis, the effects of sharing and information seeking were tested using Stephan Colbert’s comedy, and the same story told as straight news. This research found people are more likely to pass along information using social media if the issue is told in a humorous way. Conversely, Colbert’s persona seems to effect information seeking rather than primarily interest

Feeding the Debate: A Qualitative Framing Analysis of Organic Food News Media Coverage

Consumer interest in organic food has increased in recent years due to concerns over conventional production practices, health standards and environmental protection. Organic food production can be viewed as both an ally and rival of traditional agriculture. Americans tend to be more susceptible to media coverage about production agriculture. Determining how the media frames organic food is important because news frames can determine what becomes salient in conversations from the dinner table to Capitol Hill. This study employed qualitative content analysis methodology to discover how five national newspapers framed organic foods during an 18-month period. Emergent frames included “ethical,” “health,” “production,” and “industrialization.” Emphasis was placed on the ethical and moral reasons to purchase organic food with limited discussion of the scientific evidence for consumer claims of superior quality, safety, and nutrition. Overall, common sources included consumers, industry representatives, and organic farmers. Future research should utilize the identified frames to examine news coverage over a longer time frame and in additional media such as agricultural magazines

Student Expectations and Reflections of a Study Away Course Experience to Washington, D.C.

Active, out-of-the-class learning experiences have proven to provide students with a variety of benefits. One way to offer these valuable experiential education opportunities this is through study away to international or domestic destinations. The purpose of this study was to explore students’ perceptions of a study away course experience to Washington, D.C. This course was a collaborative effort between two universities. Twenty-two students participated in the study away experience and 21 completed pre- and post-trip questionnaires to determine their expectations and reflections of the experience. Through qualitative analysis of students’ open-ended responses, emergent themes were identified. Students expected to gain a new experience, network with others, and have an enjoyable trip. Post-trip reflections revealed students gained a great deal more than they anticipated, both personally and academically. Recommendations for practice and research are provided

From Opposite Corners: Comparing Persuasive Message Factors and Frames in Opposing Organizations\u27 Websites

The U.S. animal agriculture industry has recently faced increasing pressure from organizations that seek to change or eliminate certain animal production practices. The purpose of this study was to examine and compare the persuasive messages factors present on two nonprofit organizations’ websites. The Humane Society of the United States and the Animal Agriculture Alliance have opposing missions with the former advocating for reform in animal agriculture and the latter advocating for stakeholders in animal agriculture. A content analysis of each organization’s website found that the Humane Society’s Factory Farms website had more content overall, more content regarding specific animal agriculture industries, and contained more message strategies indicative of effective persuasion than the Animal Agriculture Alliance. The data suggest that the Humane Society of the United States’ online public relations campaign appeals to both high- and low-involvement audiences on the topic of animal agriculture, while the Alliance campaign appeals primarily to high-involvement audiences

Cultivating Creativity: Faculty Conceptions of Creativity in Agricultural Communications Students

Creativity has been deemed as an essential skill in agricultural communications graduates by both industry and academia, and it has a pivotal role in student success within the classroom and the workforce. In order to foster students’ creative thinking skills, faculty must turn away from traditional norms of lecture-based delivery and foster an environment where students are actively creating and engaging in the learning process. The purpose of this study was to provide insight on the nature of creativity as it relates to agricultural communications curriculum—focused on pedagogical strategies and creative assessments. This qualitative case study examined how agricultural communications faculty understood and facilitated creativity within their respective classrooms using in-depth, face-to-face interviews and documents. The findings revealed a lack of a cohesive language as it relates to creativity. Additionally, the results explored different pedagogical practices that facilitate creative thinking, and the various ways faculty perceive creative assessments. Based on participants’ responses, a social constructivist alignment in the classroom could prove beneficial in fostering a creative classroom environment. Additionally, the use of scaffolding (changing the level of instructor support) has proven useful in nurturing creative thought and constructing knowledge

Selected GO TEXAN Members\u27 Online Presence: A Communications Audit

Prior research has indicated that alternative, or nontraditional, agricultural producers have more difficulty marketing their products, which may lead to them turning to online and social media tools to meet their unique marketing needs. In order to assess the extent to which alternative agriculture producers are using these communication tools, a communications audit was conducted to determine and describe how select members of the GO TEXAN network are utilizing websites and social media tools for their alternative agricultural business or company. A majority of the members included in this study were found to be using websites, while fewer were utilizing social media tools. Facebook, blogs, and Twitter were found to be the most popular social media tools used. Both website and social media content was found to be mostly general information about the company and either its products or services or marketing and advertising information. Future research should be conducted on effective methods to train businesses in employing social media and online tools for marketing, promotion, and advertising

Country Crisis: A Content Analysis of Rural Opioid Epidemic News Coverage

The spread of non-prescription opioid abuse has increased to the point that a person is now more likely to die from an accidental overdose than an automobile accident. Rural areas have been hit particularly hard, and many farmers indicate direct impacts resulting from the opioid epidemic. Researchers have recognized the role of the media in communicating complicated issues and influencing potential solutions. This study analyzed the frames and sources used to communicate issues regarding the rural opioid epidemic in The New York Times and five additional newspapers from states most affected by the opioid epidemic. A total of 115 news, feature, editorial, and other articles were analyzed. The most often used frame was “growth or spread” of the epidemic and the sources most frequently referenced were medical professionals and elected officials. Although a non-traditional issue in agriculture, agricultural communicators should not shy away from getting involved given the potential for harm to rural communities and, in turn, the agriculture industry. Future studies should investigate rural community member and journalist perceptions on the issue, as well as coverage in other states

A Comparative Content Analysis of News Stories and Press Releases During the 2015 Blue Bell Ice Cream Recall

In 2015, Blue Bell Creameries had its first recall in the company’s history. Blue Bell issued a voluntary recall of all of its ice cream products after Listeria was detected and was linked to 10 illnesses that resulted in three deaths. With the theoretical framework of framing and Situational Crisis Communication Theory, the purpose of this study was to explore how this recall was presented in company press releases and news media coverage to determine what crisis communication strategies Blue Bell implemented and how the media presented that information. This study was a content analysis of 23 press releases from Blue Bell and 68 articles from newspapers. The four crisis response strategies, or postures, used as frames were deny, diminish, rebuild, and bolster. This study also examined sources identified in the articles and the topic areas they discussed. The results indicated Blue Bell’s communication efforts were properly and effectively disseminated through the news media to the public. Blue Bell used accommodative crisis communication postures to restore its reputation. Blue Bell was also commonly found as a source in the news stories, which benefitted the company when communicating about the recall to the public. This study provided an examination of crisis communication strategies and reputation management for organizations related to one specific food recall, which should encourage additional studies of these strategies in food and agricultural industries

An Investigation of Agricultural Crisis Communications via Social Media

How an agricultural organization handles the way the media reports a crisis can have an impact on the public’s perceptions of the organization, and sometimes the industry as a whole. The popularity of social media outlets as a venue for disseminating and gathering information and news makes the use of social media surrounding agricultural crises an important topic to investigate (Glynn, Huge, & Hoffman 2012; Hermida, 2010). A qualitative case study was conducted to investigate the use of social media tools during an agricultural crisis. The participants – communications directors, social media managers, and individuals with a close connection to the crisis under study – reported that social media was a major component of their communication efforts surrounding each crisis. Participants felt social media was very effective in these situations and had a major impact on their communication efforts. Although no participants reported using a structured social media strategy or crisis communication plan, they stated a need for such guidelines in the agricultural industry. From the data analyzed in this study, a model for using social media during a crisis situation, aimed specifically for use by those in the agricultural industry, was developed. This project was funded through the USDA\u27s Beginning Farmers & Ranchers Project