Tracy Rutherford

A Semiotic Analysis of a Texas Cooperative Extension Marketing Packet

Semiotic analysis in agricultural communications / education and related fields is largely unexplored territory. This study used semiotics, a theory of the production and interpretation of meaning based on images, to evaluate a Texas Cooperative Extension marketing packet. Photographic and logo images throughout the packet were analyzed by employing descriptive methodology and quantitative content analysis methods to “identify the symbols used in the image and determine their meaning for society as a whole”. The purpose of the study was to interpret the messages directed to the audience and determine if they matched the perceived meanings. The findings revealed five repeating themes within the 81 images included in the marketing packet. The themes were: messages portrayed, diversity, relationships, exchange of information, and stereotypes. Each image was analyzed for denotative and connotative meaning. Results showed the images portrayed predominately positive messages while logos were neutral. Adult Caucasian females were depicted as the primary age, ethnic, and gender group. The most reoccurring relationships depicted were that of families and a student / mentor relationship. For information exchange, more images portrayed hands-on learning than dialogue instruction. Findings also indicate visual stereotypes were present. Additionally, no messages regarding individuals with disabilities were discovered. This research focused solely on visual analyses, further research is recommended to evaluate Extension’s marketing tactics both visually and in print to determine if marketing materials are meeting the needs of the organization and their publics. Additional visual marketing assessments should continue.

Impact of Reporter Work Role Identity on News Story Source Selection: Implications for Coverage of Agricultural Crises

This study examined coverage of the December 2003 bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) event to discover impact of reporters’ work role identities on news story source choices and to explore implications of results for agricultural crisis coverage. Content analysis was performed on 62 stories from U.S. newspapers in the Lexis Nexis database, selected through keyword search December 23, 2003 through October 31, 2004. These stories were divided into two equal groups based on reporters’ work-role identity (dichotomized between science-specialty beat reporters and non-specialty reporters) and analyzed by length, number of sources, and source variety. ANOVA and bivariate correlation statistics were used. Results indicated no statistically significant differences in mean story length or mean number of sources for stories written by science-specialty beat reporters and those written by non-specialty reporters. However, while mean overall source variety did not differ between the two reporter groups, work-role identify correlated with use of scientists and agricultural scientists as sources: science-specialty beat reporters used more such sources than did non-specialty reporters. Although this study was limited by small sample size and restriction to the first U.S. BSE event, the above findings may prove useful to agricultural public information officers and media relations practitioners in “pitching” stories and sources for similar agriculture-based crises. In particular, this study addresses priorities stated in the National Research Agenda the desire of agricultural communicators to “aid the public in effectively participating in decision-making related to agriculture,” through providing information on which such decisions can be based (RPA2, 2007-2010, p. 4).

A Semiotic Analysis of Biotechnology and Food Safety Images in Time, Newsweek, and U.S. News & World Report

This study examined the photographs and photo illustrations used in Time, Newsweek, and U.S. News & World Report biotechnology and food safety stories in 2000 and 2001. Semiotic theory provided a conceptual framework for interpreting data collected through a quantitative content analysis. The evaluation of 45 images indicated that the news magazines had relatively balanced coverage of the issues. Five categories of images were determined to be used by the news magazines: food, animals, scientists or food handlers, producers, and foreign. These results are consistent with journalism research in relationship to the use of images to create perceptions and support stereotypes. Based on the results of this study, agricultural communications and journalism programs should emphasize visual media literacy. Understanding how images support stereotypes or influence public perception, rather than providing objective information, can be used to develop communications campaigns advocating a point-of-view.

Research Themes, Authors, and Methodologies in the Journal of Applied Communications: A Ten-Year Overview

The Journal of Applied Communications ( JAC) has been a primary outlet of agricultural communications research and professional scholarship—a claim validated by a survey of professionals in the field. The purpose of this study was to assess ten years of JAC to determine primary and secondary research themes, frequent primary and secondary research themes by year, prolific authorship, and research methods and types reported, using a mixed-methods design. Analyzed in the study were 91 research and/or professional articles with research methodologies published from 1997 through 2006. The research identified twenty-one primary research theme areas and 28 secondary research theme areas. A compiled list of primary and secondary research theme areas and frequent themes identified by year are reported. JAC authors were identified totaling 222 contributors; Tracy Irani and Ricky Telg (13.2%) were the most prolific authors. A majority of the articles (65.9%) employed quantitative research methods, and survey methodology (47.3%) was the most common data collection measure. Research themes appear cyclic, with specific themes moving in and out of primary and secondary areas, which may contribute to research theme diversity. Research must continue to determine whether cycles exist; if cycles do indeed exist then focus should be placed on determining cycle depth and the influence on research in agricultural communications as an integrated specialization area of agricultural education. This research should be used comparatively with priority areas identified in the National Research Agenda: Agricultural Education and Communication, 2007–2010, to determine where future research might be focused.

How Newspapers in Kansas Are Using News Releases from K-State Research and Extension

This study looks at how newspaper editors in Kansas use news releases from Kansas State University Research and Extension (KSRE), which distributes more than 700 news releases annually to newspapers across the state. An analysis of clippings over 10 weeks showed that editors rarely change the original text or headline in KSRE news releases, and more than half of the releases were published within 10 days of release. KSRE news releases were published in all regions of Kansas. Using a formula to determine the advertising equivalency value of news clips, the data indicates a value of

The Pastoral Fantasy on the Silver Screen: The Influence of Film on American Cultural Memory of the Agrarian Landscape

33,286.94 for the sample studied. The findings provide one way in which to report accountability to the organization’s administrators, as well as a better understanding of possible areas of improvement for the KSRE news office. This professional development is available in Journal of Applied Communications: https://newprairiepress.org/jac/ vol87/iss3/2 Professional Development Journal of Applied Communications, Vol. 87, No. 3, 2003 / 15 JAC, Vol. 87, No. 3, 2003, 15-27, ©ACE How Newspapers in Kansas Are Using News Releases from K-State Research and Extension Pat Melgares, Tracy Rutherford, and Lori Alexander

Agriculture at eleven: visual rhetoric and news media portrayals of agriculture

Entertainment media are a powerful source of cultural influence. Films are especially adept at capturing and preserving for posterity the attitudes, actions, and landscapes of historical events and eras, making them part of cultural memory — society’s shared recollection of past events as depicted in cultural artifacts. Nowhere is this ability better demonstrated than in cinematic portrayals of American agrarian life. In 2001, the Kellogg Institute found Americans recall agricultural landscapes as a sort of pastoral fantasy of rolling green hills, forests, and pristine fields crisscrossed by dirt roads. These images, which constitute Americans’ shared cultural memory of agrarian existence, may have been influenced by film portrayals of agriculture. For this study, nine films that met criteria for inclusion of agricultural imagery, cultural significance, and release at least 10 years prior to the Kellogg study were content-analyzed for their visual and thematic adherence to the pastoral fantasy described by Kellogg respondents. Of those f ilms, only two presented agrarian imagery that did not conform to the pastoral fantasy, including depictions of a West Texas cattle ranch at the height of summer and a Midwestern farm muddied by fall harvest. The remaining films contained imagery strongly associated with the pastoral fantasy, indicating they may serve as vehicles for traditional agricultural themes.

Chalkboards to Virtual Environments: Technology's Role in Expanding the Classroom to Provide Professional Development and Education for Agricultural Communicators

Modern agricultural practices have become increasingly popular topics for news media outlets; thus, the growing scrutiny placed on production agriculture warrants a study of the images incorporated into television news stories of industry-related topics. Using a visual-rhetoric framework, the researchers conducted a survey of college students who were shown still images taken from a CBS Evening News broadcast about drug-resistant pathogens and their connection to antibiotic use in livestock. Participants were asked to identify the topic of the news story based on the images, to describe their affective response to that topic, and to identify the visual cues that led them to choose that topic. Content analysis revealed that no respondents correctly identified the topic of the story and that a majority aligned the images with animal mistreatment, slaughter, or welfare. Most respondents reported indifference or negative feelings about the images and topics. Based on the study, the researchers recommend further analysis of media imagery related to livestock production and increased surveillance of industry-focused stories.

Impact of Newspaper Characteristics on Reporters' Agricultural Crisis Stories: Productivity, Story Length, and Source Selection

Agricultural communications education has evolved over time, shifting in an effort to meet the needs of students through new approaches, new methods, and new technologies. The purpose of this paper was to examine the influence of educational and communications technologies on agricultural communications education. A literature review related to the history of the processes, methods, and technology uses in education and more specifically in agricultural communications education was conducted. Technology was identified as enhancing learning in settings that included secondary education, university settings, continuing education, Extension programming, and professional development. Only a limited number of articles specifically addressed the use of technology to teach agricultural communications. The high rate of change in communication technologies was identified as a critical reason for considering the role of technology in the agricultural communications education context. A virtual environment to teach crisis communications was shared as an example of successful educational technology use. Continued research focusing on teaching methods and tools related to agricultural communications education is needed. New technologies have the potential to encourage innovative learning experiences; however, the ongoing challenge to educators will be to harness the technology for the good of the learner.

The contribution of selected instructional methods toward graduate student understanding of crisis communication

This study examined coverage of the December 2003 bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) event to discover differences in sources used by reporters based on their employing newspapers’ geographical location, circulation and ownership type. Sixty-two stories dealing with the first U.S. bovine spongiform encephalopathy incident were subjected to content analysis. Stories – published from December 23, 2003 to October 31, 2004 -were selected through a keyword search from U.S. newspapers included in the LexisNexis database. These stories were divided into two equal groups based on reporters’ work-role identity and were analyzed by length, number of sources, and source variety and the employing newspapers’ geographical location, circulation and ownership type. ANOVA and bivariate correlation were among statistical analysis techniques used.