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Mass Media - Spreading the Extension Message
| Name | Marion Barnes | | Situation | With budget cuts becoming the norm instead of the exception, Extension agents are searching for ways to do more with less, work smarter rather than harder and provide their clientele with a source of unbiased scientific information that they can use to improve their daily lives. Postal rates and fuel prices have increased in recent years making the old stand-by methods of communication like mailing information and face-to-face transfers of knowlegde more costly. In an effort to economize resources, an age-old tried and true method of communication spreads the
"Extension message" to farmers, homeowners and anyone in "earshot" of a radio. | | Response | Each Friday morning, rain or shine numerous residents of the low country counties of Colleton, Hampton, Jasper, Beaufort, Charleston, Dorchester and Bamberg as well as Orangeburg, Allendale and Barnwell wake up to the
voice of Marion Barnes, County Extension Agent spreading knowledge about agriculture and natural resources topics over the airways of the local radio station WALI 93.7 FM. Barnes delights his audience of approximately 25,000 listeners at 5:30 a.m. and again at 11:40 a.m. with his weekly 4-minute radio program on the WALI. Topics include farm safety, commercial row crop, livestock and vegetable production tips, soil fertility, variety selection, pest control, marketing insights, pesticide application and safety and natural resources topics such as wildlife food plots just to name a few. Barnes also adds an occasional history lesson on individuals that have influenced the agricultural industry like George
Washingtom Carver, Cyris Mccormick and John Deere. He also keeps the listeners' attention with humorous and funny topics that always includes the message of agriculture and its importance to our economy.
After each radio broadcast, listeners are instructed where to go to obtain more information about the subject. Sometimes it's a web site, a handout from the local Extension office or a contact person at another agency. But always the listener is provided with the knowledge to solve a problem or understand or gain insight on subject matter that is timely and educational. | | Impact | These broadcasts are avaliable to approximately 25,000 individuals in parts of a ten- county area. You know that you have been successful and your clientele are "tuned-in" when they request information on the topics
of your most recent broadcast or they stop you on the street and tell you how much they enjoyed your program while on the way to work or suggest topics for other radio programs. |
Last update5/9/2008
This website is maintained by Amy West.
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