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Community radio: Important for addressing climate change
We are adding to the ACDC collection a 2021 research report about this timely subject. Authors analyzed how community radio can create opportunities for geographically spread-out audiences to engage in local debate. Their reflections in the Journal of Community Engagement and Scholarship drew upon the use of community radio during the Gros Morne Climate Change Symposium. It brought together researchers, practitioners, and community members to discuss coastal climate change adaptation in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
They concluded that “community radio can strengthen place-based identities by creating a distinct forum for engagement and is therefore an important tool for climate change knowledge transfer.”
You can read “Engaging diverse audiences: The role of community radio in rural climate change knowledge translation” by open access.
When local newspapers close in outback Australia
A two-month focused ethnography unearthed an array of social, political, and civic impacts when The Ridge News was shut down in Lightning Ridge, a remote town in outback New South Wales. Researchers Marco Magasic, Kristy Hess, and Julie Freeman reported their findings in a 2023 issue of Media and Communication. Following are some of the local impacts identified as news gaps:
- Loss of voice to lobby for political power
- Damaged relationship between council and citizens
- Sense of isolation and loss of social connection
- Lower attendance at sporting events and funerals
- Drop in volunteer numbers
- Decline in civic discussion and participation
Authors identified some follow-up attempts (yielding limited success) to address such impacts and offered suggestions for policy makers and others. You can read “Examining the social, civic, and political impact of local newspaper closure in outback Australia” by open access.
2024 scorecard on high-quality
broadband in rural America
A January 2025 news release from NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association indicated that members “continued to make remarkable strides in delivering on the promise of robust and reliable high-speed connectivity in the most rural parts of the United States.”
“Despite operating in rural areas where the average density is less than seven locations per mile, approximately 89% of respondents’ customers on average can receive download speeds greater than or equal to 100 mbps, up from 84% in 2023. Over 76% of customers on average have access to Gigabit downstream speeds, an increase from 67% in 2023.”
You can read other details in “Rural Broadband Association releases its annual scorecard on delivering high speed to rural areas” by open access.
An umbrella review of food safety
in the minds of consumers and vendors
A 2024 article in the Food Control journal offered an overview of complex interactions across knowledge, attitudes, and practice (KAP) involving food safety.
“Contaminated food is linked to more than 200 different diseases, and remains a leading cause of death and morbidity, particularly among infants, young children, and the elderly,” authors reported in the introduction. Their comprehensive online review incorporated 20 review studies, covering 839 primary articles on food safety KAP across diverse contexts and regions. Vendors in this study involved restaurants, street food, supermarkets, food establishments, and markets.
Findings showed that consumers are generally more knowledgeable and better adherent to food safety guidelines, driven by personal health motivations. However, “vendors often exhibit inconsistent practices due to limited education and resources.”
“Understanding food safety knowledge, attitude, and practices of consumers and vendors: An umbrella review” is not available in full text by open access. However, if you are interested in reading it please invite our help at acdc@library.illinois.edu
Helping young people access health information
Recent research reported in the Australian Journal of Rural Health explored youth health issues in regional, rural, and remote areas of Australia. Researchers noted that young people facing issues such as substance abuse, bullying, and relationships are not likely to read health information in printed form. Also, youth engagement with health issues is primarily through social groups rather than health practitioners or formal sources.
This article described a participatory approach. It involved gaining insight about health perceptions of youth and using applied theatre methods and technology to help them address the issues they face. Researchers concluded that “we need to reconsider how information is provided for young people.”
You can read “No Drama: Using applied theatre to explore youth health issues in regional Central Queensland” by open access.
Communicator events approaching
Here are agricultural communicator event plans you may find helpful, including contact information you can use for details. We welcome suggestions or revisions for this calendar.
April 9-11, 2025
“NAMA Palooza” Conference of the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) in Kansas City, Missouri.
April 14-17, 2025
“From the highlands to the islands: Bridging community learning and development through extension” Conference of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education (AIAEE) in Inverness, Scotland.
April 29-May 1, 2025
Annual meeting of the Turf and Ornamental Communicators Association (TOCA) in Charleston, South Carolina.
June 16-18, 2025
“Say cheese!” Annual conference of the Association for Communication Excellence (ACE) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
June 24-25, 2025
Annual conference of the Agricultural Relations Council (ARC) in Kansas City, Missouri.
On giving and receiving
We close this issue of ACDC News with a post-holiday Danish proverb:
“He who gives to me
teaches me to give”
A friendly reminder:
ACDC is a deep and open resource for you, so please feel free to invite our help as you search for information, local to global. You are welcomed to follow us on Twitter @ACDCUIUC. And please suggest (or send) agricultural communications documents we might add to this unique and valued international collection. We welcome them in hard copy (sent to Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, 510 ACES Library, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801) – or in electronic format sent to acdc@library.illinois.edu