Released: December 13, 2002

K-State’s ‘Agriculture Today’ Radio Program To Air on KFRM

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State University officials have announced a partnership with Clay Center-based radio station KFRM to broadcast the popular program, ‘Agriculture Today,’ beginning Jan. 6.

‘Agriculture Today,’ hosted by K-State broadcaster Eric Atkinson, previously aired on KKSU radio. In August, 2002, K-State sold KKSU’s license to Morris Communications, and the station ceased operations on Nov. 27.

KFRM, located at 550 AM, is an agricultural radio station covering 146 counties in Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. Station officials said ‘Agriculture Today’ will air Monday through Friday at 10:03 a.m. until about 10:44 a.m., including news and market breaks.

KFRM is a 5,000-watt station, reaching all of Kansas except a small area in the northeast corner of the state.

‘Agriculture Today’ aired on KKSU for 75 years. The program was known for its daily look at regional and national agricultural issues, and included daily interviews with K-State Research and Extension specialists and others in the agricultural industry.

"With the changes that have come about at KKSU, it affords some new opportunities in agricultural broadcasting in Kansas," said KFRM General Manager Kyle Bauer. "The experience and contacts that Eric [Atkinson] has in agriculture is an opportunity that we don’t want to miss."

Marc Johnson, the director of K-State Research and Extension, said the university is "excited about this new partnership."

"KFRM is a strong voice for agriculture, and K-State provides research results and important commentary on agricultural market conditions and policy proposals," he said. "It just makes sense that we work together for the benefit of Kansas agriculture."

Former KKSU station manager Larry Jackson said he and others at the university continue to meet with radio stations and networks in Kansas "to find media partners who are willing to help us share important, unbiased, research-based information from K-State with the citizens of Kansas."

"We’re glad that KFRM has agreed to be our first major partner in that effort," he said.

Jackson noted that K-State radio staff continue to produce and distribute programming that is provided free to radio stations across Kansas.

The development of new radio services from K-State Research and Extension can be followed on-line at http://www.kksu.com. KFRM’s Website is at http://www.kfrm.com.

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K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.

Story by:
Pat Melgares, News Coordinator
pmelgare@oznet.ksu.edu
K-State Research& Extension News