Raises eight questions for ACE members: " 1) Are we glorified clerks or are we scientists? 2) What are desirable forms of publication and information materials? Scientists are demanding longer bulletins. The public is calling for shorter. 3) What should be the professional training of men and women to become agricultural and home editors? One school suggests that all that is needed in our fields is a certain facility -- we are engaged in a science -- home scientists measure success by acceptance in AP and UP. 4) Is there opportunity for research in the field of farm and home editing? 5) What is to be the future of agriculture and what leadership will the college of agriculture, the experiment stations, and the USDA be called upon to give? Together with our institutions, we must begin long-time planning. 6) What place has and will the radio have in carrying to the people the results of research? 7) How shall we measure results in our field? 8) What are we going to do about it?"
Author reports that Kansas State has offered a news writing course for agricultural students for more than a decade, and with good results.. Believes a course in news writing should not be a universal requirement in the agricultural college curriculum, but emphasizes skills in English.
Recommendations from the Professional Development Committee of AAACE. They include sabbatical leaves, exchange appointments, short-term media experience (unpaid leave from college position). "Members of the association were emphatic in their statement that editors should be given the same privileges of sabbatical leave as other college workers and that they should develop their jobs and positions so that they would have a rank equivalent to that of any professorship on the campus."
Describes a new staff organization plan that discards the concept of media editors and adopts a concept of (1) department editors, (2) field editors and (3) development leadership (that is, development in radio and television, press services, and teaching and research).
Summary of findings from a survey among agricultural communicators on professional work, interests, educational background, training needs and qualifications for training others.
