The Monmouth inquirer., 1926-05-20

WAT pTOSFdulS llOlu the
! !: :
81 interest? What does his wife like7
M @ What time of day finds the greatest
/ 81 m " farm audience listening in?
Nt% %MaSA Surveys made by two Independent
Il dIll1SHGHNbeA organizations have resulted in the
dW tabulation of certain definite infor
nation concerning radio on the
farm. Answering the first question, WIS of Chi
cage says that one of every five farm homes in
the United States contains radio set This con-
cluson is based on a survey of more than $4,000
rural homes. Twenty-Five per cent of the farmers
prefer music to any other program. while "a per
cent listen in regularly to get the daily weather
and market reports, thus taking advantage of theN
practical side of radio This is found to be
especially true. the survey showed, among corn
belt farmers in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri Indiana
and Ohio, where AZ per cent reported that they
rely almost entirely weather and market in
formation which the radio Is able to bring to them.
East and west of the Mississippi river, down in
the cotton country, only per cent view this as
important radio feature
Officials of WIS believe that the farmer Is just
beginning to take advantage of the educational
value of his radio Only 16 per cent are interest
ed in the farm schools and lectures offered by
universities and other agricultural organizations.
Relatively few radios In use In the cotton
states west Of the Mississippi, Texas, Oklahoma
Mississippi and Louisiana, but 26 per cent of all
of them are tuned in regularly to the educational
programs Twenty-three per cent of the wheat
belt and 20 per cent of the corn-bet farmers
going to school regularly via the radio. These
three sections are served by stations which spe-
cialize in programs for farm folk.
Church, sports and the drama via radio make
little appeal to the farmer, according to the sur
vey
Women on the farm generally prefer the house
hold home-makers' programs. and Al per cent tune
In on these most frequently. Musical programs
are favored by 81 per cent lectures appeal to
g nor amt o11y an rdo ord trxo
pecially interesting to per cent while per cents
enjoy their radio most for the church services and
sacred music it brings to them.
New England housewives were by far the most
enthusiastic group for the home makers hour
with its suggestions on economics and new recipes
Corn-belt farm women run them a close second,
due perhaps to the fact that these sections are
close to stations which offer programs of prime
interest to rural homes.
Women on farms In the tobacco lands Ken
tucky and Virginia, seem to prefer music and
they likewise are the most enthusiastic about
church and religious programs Women In the
cotton-growing states west Of the Mississippi en-
JOY the serious educational programs; 81 per
cent will always fish around in the ether after
lecture from distant stations.
But farm folk, the whole, are not prone to
be fussy about the kind of entertainment they
can get over the air. IS per cent of the men and
10 per cent of their wives refuse to state pref
erence, because they like 1t all so we'll
The most radios are found in the New Eng
land states, New York and Pennsylvania where
they have invaded 3S per cent of the homes The
central corn belt. Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana
and Ohio, runs a close second with SO per cent
But the eastern cotton states should be the radio
salesmans paradise, for radio has found its way
into only 8 per cent of the homes. according to
the survey of WIS.
The survey covers 1886 typical American farm
homes in 40 states, and gathered by some
twelve hundred scouts or observers, each OF whom
studied carefully the conditions In a small group
of homes in her own neighborhood, The survey
is being made in an effort to help the farm wom-
an herself to find out how her home. her working
conditions, her chances for social life and health
protection for her families compare with those
of women In other walks of-life.
Radio is changing the marketing methods of en-
tire groups of farmers. according to the survey
made by the National Farm Radio council
Importance Of radio In the marketing Of farm
products Is illustrated in the National Farm RAJ
do council survey by reports from 43 states, more
than 46 per cent Of the replies giving specific ex-
anples Of cash savings effected by the use of
radio. and practically every report Indicated the