Farm broadcasting: The first sixty years

by John C. Baker

Still in the publisher's shrink wrap. A perfct new book.

342 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1981

Reviews

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was a kid in northern New Jersey waking up gosh darn early on Saturday mornings to watch cartoons like Colonel Bleep and Dodo the Kid from Outer Space at 6 AM, there were farm programs scheduled even earlier – Modern Farmer or Agriculture USA * at 5:30 AM. This informative book by John C. Baker includes info about the latter, which started on KNBC in Los Angeles in 1961, produced and hosted by John A. Stearns, and was widely syndicated over the next two decades. Information about the production history of Modern Farmer is more elusive, even though I’ve seen old New York Times TV listings for it, and many people online remember the show. No footage from either series on YouTube – probably all wiped a long time ago.

The book contains proportionately much more information about farm radio, surveying the field state by state. I love forgotten pockets of media history like this.

* Also the title of a USDA radio series produced in the 1950s.