Pattern for FM Profits:

Rural Radio Network

1: INTRODUCTION
Rural Radio Network Sets an Example of Regional FM Operation
To Meet Listener Needs Unsatisfied by AM Broadcasting

The operation of the Rural Radio Network is packed with significance for FM broadcasters. It has demonstrated the soundness of the faith of the most enhusiastic FM zealots. Indeed, it has pushed the FM art over horizons which were considered insuperable barriers only a matter of months ago.

The story of the Rural Radio Network is a simple one. The farmers and the farm organizations of the New York Milkshed (including the States of New York. New Jersey and the upper tier of the counties of Pennsylvania) concluded after twenty years of experience with commercial radio, that even in such a concentrated area radio broadcasting as ordinarily operated would not, and indeed could not, provide satisfactory service for all the rural population.

At long last, they decided to do something about it themselves and, in typical fashion called in technical and organizational advisors and asked "How can radio serve our people better?"

From this question came the Rural Radio Network. On the following pages are presented the details of Rural Radio Network's conception, birth and operation.

Rural Radio Network. Inc., is a New York State business corporation under the Rural Radio Foundation. which represents all farm organizations in the area. It is in business to perform a service and to make enough money to pay for the service. To do this it must have the listening audience it is acquiring. Now, with the six-station net on the air, FM receivers are being bought by farmers in New York State in unprecedented numbers. They asked for this service, they like it. The audience is growing rapidly.

In contra-distinction to the situation two years ago when many “high quality" FM receivers did not have a sensitivity below 250 microvolts, farmers today have a choice of fairly priced table or console models with sensitivities of 25 microvolts or better.

The Rural Radio Network was not satisfied to leave the farmers of the New York Metropolitan area without its service. Hence it entered into an agreement with Captain W. G. H. Finch for the utilization of transmission and studio facilities of radio station WGHF at 40th Street and Fifth Avenue, New York City. A farm station in the heart of the world’s largest city causes raised eyebrows. They drop somewhat when it is realized that within the primary coverage area of WGHF there are more farm homes and more value in annual farm produce than in many entire states of the Union. In addition even the supposedly sophisticated people of the metropolis seem to like the simple and relaxed programming provided by the Network. Other stations in the New York Milkshed meeting the objectives and programming standards of the Network will be added from time to time.

The real significance of the Rural Radio Network lies in a broadening of the concept of the services which can be provided for all parts of the American radio audience. FM, intelligently used, without disturbing the existing and highly competitive pattern of commercial broadcasting, can provide our people with an almost unlimited variety of entertainment, and of cultural, technical, and informational services, designed to meet listener needs which are now unsatisfied.

FM and Television/September, 1948 Miller McClintock/Communications Research Corp. New York, NY/Consultant to RRN, Ithica, NY