Brownfield

WSVX AM and now FM

WSVX-AM in Shelbyville, Indiana has been under new ownership just over a year now and they are going full steam ahead with their radio station. A complete building overhaul has been complemented by a station truck and trailer as well as local billboards throughout Shelby county. They also recently launched an FM frequency, one of only 10 AM stations in the country to be allowed to rebroadcast their AM signal on an FM frequency.

-Mike Cady

(Mike is Brownfield Affiliate Relations Manager)

Improving customer service

Brownfield Affiliate Manager Mike Cady had company on a recent affiliate trip.  Here's what he had to say:

It's not everyday I get company on an affiliate trip but recently I had the pleasure of traveling with two fellow Learfielders, Media Buyer/Research Analyst Jennifer Shinkle and Affiliate Coordinator Mandy Shanks. Their positions at Learfield require them to interact and work with on a regular basis with most, if not all, of the affiliates of our networks in the Learfield news division. In an effort to help the ladies understand the "life" of an affiliate we made a two day trip through Northern Missouri and Southern Iowa and visited eight affiliate locations. Our goal for the trip was to provide Jennifer and Mandy a better understanding of what it's like to work in a radio station in the hopes that this will help them interact better on a customer service level to those we serve daily.

Our stops included KMMO-AM/FM Marshall Missouri, KIRX-AM Kirskville Missouri, KBIZ-AM Ottumwa Iowa, KBOE-AM/FM Oskaloosa Iowa, KWPC-AM and KMCS-FM Muscatine, Iowa, KILJ-AM/FM Mt. Pleasant Iowa, KMCD-AM Fairfield Iowa and KMEM-FM Memphis Missouri.

Mexico, Missouri affiliates

Brownfield affiliate radio stations KWWR -FM and KXEO-AM, Mexico, Missouri, are surrounded by some of Missouri's best farm land.  You can listen to Brownfield Ag News programs throughout the day on both stations.

Brownfield Affiliate Relations Manager Mike Cady was in the KWWR and KXEO studios last week.

Best Radio in the Ozarks

Mike Cady, Brownfield Affiliate Relations Manager, visited KKOZ-AM/FM Ava, Missouri last week.   Mike said they call themselves the "Best Radio in the Ozarks."

Ava is home to the Missouri Fox Trotters Horse Breed Association. Needless to say Hoofbeat is a big hit every Saturday on KKOZ.

Welcome new PD at KELE

Affiliate Manager Mike Cady visited Brownfield station KELE-FM in Mountain Grove, Missouri last week.  Mike happened to arrive just as PD Keith Stephenson was interviewing country musician Frank Ortega on the air. 

Keith also hosts The Grove morning show. 

The day Mike stopped by was Keith's 6th day on the job.  Welcome to the Brownfield family, Keith!

Indiana Ag Youth Awards Program kicked off in Wayne County

The Indiana Ag Youth Awards program kicked off Friday as Brownfield Ag News teamed up with affiliate radio station WKBV to recognize and honor four 4-Hers at the Wayne County Fair.  This is a summer-long program that has become a tradition at county fairs across the Hoosier state. 

Categories of recognition include outstanding showmanship, champion animal, and oustanding 4-H member. Recipients are awarded a beautiful engraved 4-H buckle.  We are excited to continue this tradition in partnership with affiliate radio stations and county 4-H programs.  Listen to interviews with the youth and check the calendar for presentations on the Ag Youth Page of the Brownfield website. 

Dave Russell traveled to Wayne County Fair Friday to assist Chris Nolte, WKBV, in making the presentations to Wayne County 4-Hers Josh Wampler, Joey Carr, Tyler Klein, and Kaitlyn Culy.

KHAS ramps up ag coverage

Brownfield affiliate radio station KHAS 1230AM Hastings, Nebraska is revamping the morning program to better serve the local ag community.  The 6am hour now provides information from 9 Brownfield programs covering news, markets and features. KHAS also carries several reports in the noon hour.

You can learn more on their website. 

Weather stories

The weather and results of the weather have been front and center to all of us at Brownfield Ag News in recent days and weeks.  We do our best to tell the stories our listeners and readers need and want to hear.  The impact of flooding is being felt throughout the heartland.  If you are listening to our radio programs or viewing/listening on line, you know what I am talking about.

The role of Brownfield Affiliate Radio Stations in disaster situations such as the ones we have experienced in the Midwest this year is enormous.  Community members trust and rely upon the staff at these stations to keep them abreast of everything the weather's impact means to them - on the farm or in town. 

Our hearts go out to all of you fighting the floods and dealing with the aftermath of storms and floods.  It is often the "worst of times" that bring communities closer together and bring out the best in people. 

The Big Pig Gig

Years ago, a group of us covering World Pork Expo in Des Moines, Iowa dubbed it "The Big Pig Gig," so that is how I fondly refer to the largest pork-related event held in the U.S.A.

Tom Steever and Pete Shinn are reporting from WPX  on line at a special events page on our website, in addition to reporting for the Brownfield Ag News radio network. 

One of our good affiliates, KGRN in Grinnell, Iowa is represented at the event by Ed Clayton.  Tom caught up with Ed in the media room at Expo where both were editing audio from interviews they had conducted earlier. 

My two cents worth

Yes, that is me doing the Brownfield Commentary on the Brownfield Ag News radio network.  There are so many issues important to those of us whose job it is to feed the world and I have a personal opinion on just about every one of them!  I promise to be objective when covering stories for news (which I rarely do anymore) but what I have to say in the Brownfield Commentary is editorial in nature.  The "official" program description goes something like this:

Comments and opinions on agriculture and the ag industry from Brownfield Farm Director Cyndi Young. Using a lifetime of farm experience as her guide Cyndi will educate your listeners daily on issues impacting the farm, farm production and rural life.