Thesis (M.S.)--Oklahoma State University, 2008. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

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Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-21T14:42:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 JOAOCARLOSDOLIVEIRA.pdf: 1171586 bytes, checksum: ce9c802ba44e6880ff4acb2722be9f91 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-07-20 / This study has as objective to verify if the familiar farmings of Ponta Grossa (Pr) use the means of mass communication as a tool when searching for useful information for their productive activities. In this way, it has been made interviews using research forms with 60 producers from small rural communities that fit in the conceptual characteristics of familiar agriculture. As the object of the study is inserted in the relationship between the media chanells and the producer, were also analyzed productions related to rural communication by radio, newspaper, and television, besides a poll, using forms with radio stations in Ponta Grossa. The methodology used was the quantitative and qualitative empirical investigation, and also documental researches and oral interviews. Theoretical reflections are supported by authors that discuss the communication, from its importance and its relationships between emission and reception of the media messages. The perspectives in the general study pointed out the importance of the communication that takes place into the social processes. The particular basis presents a critical analyzes of the production of the channels directed at rural places and an understanding of the audience that receives the messages. For a better knowledge of the object of the study, the bibliographic researches presents a historical formation, a present conjuncture and a conception of familiar agriculture, either as in national terms as in a particular character of the county. The results certify that the studied public has access to the main media channels and knows about the most popular forms of production in this field. Nevertheless, the use of media as a tool in their rural activity is not a current practice between them. / A presente dissertação tem como objetivo verificar se o agricultor familiar pontagrossense utiliza os meios de comunicação de massa como uma ferramenta na busca de informações que sejam úteis para a atividade produtiva. Para tanto, foram feitas entrevistas através de formulários de pesquisa com 60 pequenos produtores que se enquadram nas características conceituais de agricultura familiar. Como o objeto de estudo se encontra nas relações entre os canais de mídia e o produtor, também foram analisadas produções voltadas para a comunicação rural em rádio, jornais e televisão, além de mais uma pesquisa, via formulário, junto às emissoras de rádio de Ponta Grossa. A metodologia utilizada foi do levantamento empírico quantitativo e qualitativo, além de pesquisas documentais e entrevistas orais. As reflexões teóricas são sustentadas por autores que discutem a comunicação, a partir da sua importância e as relações entre emissão e recepção das mensagens midiáticas. As perspectivas levantadas no estudo geral apontam para a importância da comunicação mediada dentro dos processos sociais. A fundamentação particular apresenta uma análise crítica da produção dos canais para o meio rural e um entendimento de quem é o público receptor de tais mensagens. Para melhor conhecimento do objeto de estudo, pesquisas bibliográficas apresentam a formação histórica, a conjuntura atual e a conceituação do agricultor familiar, tanto em termos nacionais como no caráter particular do município. Ao final do trabalho foi possível constatar que o público estudado tem acesso aos principais canais midiáticos e conhecimento das formas mais populares de produção para o meio. No entanto, não é prática corrente entre eles o uso da mídia como uma ferramenta dentro da atividade rural.

In Iowa, the state with the largest percent of its land used for agriculture (90 percent) in the nation, compromised water quality is a chief concern among experts. The primary problem is related to the negative environmental impacts caused by nutrient runoff from fields. Although several innovative land-management practices have demonstrated nutrient reduction potential and other soil health related benefits, the practices are not widely utilized on Iowa farm fields. Thus, water quality is at the center of a contentious debate in the state and many farmers are receiving contradictory advice depending on the source of the information. Media and interpersonal communication channels play a primary role in disseminating environmental risk information to the public and farmers (Katz & Lazarfeld, 1955; Rogers, 2010). However, little is known about the way contradictory risk information may shape farmer’s conceptualizations of the water problems in Iowa. Correspondingly, little is known regarding the individuals who are most influential to farmer’s behaviors related to these water issues. To address the potential communication process problems resulting from the clashing ideologies related to the environment and agriculture, this study seeks to investigate the flow of information and networks of influence within the agricultural community in Eastern Iowa. Three studies are conducted to address media, interpersonal, and risk communication components at play in this context. Because mass media are a key source of risk information for the public (McCallum, Hammond, & Covello, 1991; Morton & Duck, 2001; Ho et al., 2013) the first study consists of a thematic textual analysis of online news articles about Iowa’s water quality. A total of 305 articles, published by the Des Moines Register (DMR), Iowa Farmer Today (IFT), and the Farm Bureau Spokesman (FBS), are examined. Themes related to key narratives about Iowa’s water quality problems and the way risks and uncertainty are conveyed in the articles is also investigated. A combination of qualitative and quantitative data was collected to document the types of organizations and key spokespeople used as informational sources in the articles. Findings demonstrate that some messages simultaneously place the blame for causing and the responsibility for solving the problem on the farmers; while others suggest that nutrient excesses are not anthropogenic, are natural, expected, weather dependent, and uncontrollable. Based on the media sources themselves, and the organizations and individuals cited in the articles, this distinction reflects a preeminent pro-agriculture versus pro-environment ideological divide in Iowa. The second study examines farmers’ perspectives on the nutrient issues in Iowa, including their risk perceptions, and preferred sources of information on water quality, both mediated and interpersonal. The study utilizes intercept interviews conducted over a two-month period between July and September 2016 in Middle and Easter Iowa. Analysis of risk perceptions, uncertainty levels, and current mitigation practices revealed a pattern of lower environmental risk perceptions associated with adoption of fewer nutrient reducing practices, and greater uncertainty regarding current nutrient levels. The third and final study built upon data from the previous study and involved in-depth interviews with the individuals who were identified as influential to farmer’s water related land management practices. Definitions of influencers from the level of the individual (i.e., self-identification as an influential), community (i.e., identification of an influential by other farmers), and media narratives (i.e., identification of an influential in an article or media source), in addition to definitions of influentials from previous literature were compared. Findings revealed that influence is highly related to employment position and opportunity to communicate with multiple, various farmers. Personal motivation for engaging in persuasive communication efforts with farmers was revealed as an important factor which may help strengthen theoretical conceptualizations of influential individuals within social networks. This project is a study of environmental communication products, processes, and effects and sought to disentangle the relationships between the risk representation and perception, and influence within agricultural network information flow—an area of research currently lacking. Results help extend scholarship in these areas and illuminate the differing conceptualizations of these variables by mainstream media, agricultural industry media, influential individuals, and agricultural producers themselves. This improved understanding paves the way for subsequent research and intervention efforts to communicate more productively with farmers. The effects of such efforts could help redirect negativity and blame away from farmers, and towards a more productive and holistic approach to solving Iowa’s water quality problems.

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The purpose of this study was to determine perceptions of organizational communication methods used by selected commodity-specific, general agricultural and, conservation or natural resources organizations to disseminate information about the Farm Security and Rural Investment (FSRI) Act of 2002 within their organizations. A secondary purpose was to evaluate if preferred organizational communication methods related to organization leaders?? perceptions of the FSRI Act of 2002. Previous studies have assessed organizational communication methods and members?? perceptions, but little research has been completed on the combination of these variables. The instrument used in this study was derived from modified versions of Sulak??s (2000) 1996 Farm Bill survey, a similar instrument by Catchings and Wingenbach (2003), and Franklin??s (1975) organizational communication survey. The target population (N=300) was all selected Texas organizations?? board members. The accessible population (n=160) were selected Texas organizations (commodity-specific, general agriculture, and conservation or natural resources) board members. There were 70 respondents with a response rate of 44%. iv The respondents from this study were mostly board members from a commodity-specific organization and were 46 to 55 years old. They had attended college or completed an undergraduate degree, were raised on a rural farm or ranch, and currently live on rural farm or ranch. The respondents from selected Texas organizations indicated that they had some knowledge about 17 of the 18 primary issues or programs in the 2002 Farm Bill. Selected Texas organizations board members strongly agreed that their respective organizations wanted to meet their primary objectives and information about important events or situations were shared within their organizations. The respondents strongly agreed with the statement ??farm organization coalitions were essential for enacting the 2002 Farm Bill,?? and ??farm organizations strongly influenced the 2002 Farm Bill.?? This study summated and correlated the perceptions of organizational communication methods and perceptions of influencers affecting the outcome of the 2002 Farm Bill. Through that correlation, this study can conclude there was a moderately significant and positive relationship between perceived organizational communication methods and perceived levels of influencers affecting the outcome of the 2002 Farm Bill.