Smolan, Marvin (author), Hollander, Stanley C. (author), Lazer, William (author), Mertes, John E. (author), Meissner, Frank (author), and Regan, William J. (author)
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
1961-07
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D09351
16 pages, via online journal, One of the nation’s most important industries, agriculture, has adopted social media to communicate with consumers and the public. At the same time, traditional news media remains important to the agriculture industry because many consumers still receive information about agriculture from sources such as newspapers and television. Little literature at the time of this study explored how social media is used specifically as a media relations tool. The purpose of this study is to examine how agricultural organizations in Ohio communicate via social media and how the messages could impact central Ohio traditional media outlets’ coverage of agricultural issues. The study is grounded in uses and gratifications theory, and previous social media studies. Data were collected from seven Ohio agricultural organizations’ Facebook pages and four central Ohio news outlets. Researchers found that Ohio agricultural commodity organizations use social media, but not necessarily to communicate with the news media. The industry received limited news coverage during the time studied, and we were unable to discern a relationship between social media and news media coverage beyond a commonality of stories. By communicating the results of this study with agricultural organizations and researchers, effective social media strategies can be developed to guide the future of social media as a media relations tool.
Via online journal., Recent developments in shrimp culture have resulted in the entry of high-quality, lower priced shrimp into the Japanese market, displacing the Australian product from its previously competitive position. The response of producers in Australia has been to form the Australian Prawn Promotion Association (APPA). An inspection of the literature suggests that demand-, product-, market-, and producer-related factors are thought necessary for successful promotion of agricultural and seafood products. In an attempt to analyze these factors, research was conducted in Japan in April and August 1991. Information for the study was gained from a review of the available literature and from interviews with the staff of a wide cross-section of companies and other organizations involved in the Japanese shrimp industry. It was found that: 1. the prospects of an APPA-style promotional campaign aimed at reducing the price elasticity of demand appear poor, and 2. there are few opportunities to differentiate Australian product effectively.
