NAFB Blog

Bob Larson (Ag Information Network of the West, Walla Walla, WA) found his niche working for the student-run college radio station, KBVR 88.7 FM, as a news reporter and eventually news director.  Back in the ‘80s, he graduated from Oregon State University (OSU) with a degree in technical journalism. During his time at OSU, he also wrote for the school paper, The Daily Barometer. “After graduation, I moved to Seattle looking for a career in media or public relations, working for a few different organizations, but I eventually found my way back to radio with a job at KOMO in 1995. I started as a talk show board-op and producer, but I found myself back on the news side when the station went from a talk format to a 24-7 news source a couple of years later. In 2006, as things seemed to happen in radio, there was some reorganization at KOMO, and I found myself lured to News-Talk 710 KIRO. About a year later, the iconic KIRO AM station moved to the FM side at 97.3. Over the years in radio news, I’ve enjoyed assignments as a general news reporter, anchor, and editor.”

Scott Woodson (Farm Broadcaster, EAB Ag Network, Jonesboro, AR) said, “To be honest, I have a much more substantial history in music radio than I do in farm broadcasting.” He grew up in a farming community in north central Arkansas. His father was a construction worker, who retired in the tiny town of Newark, AR.  “We had moved there to finish up construction of a coal burning power plant and loved the area so much, my dad decided to retire early so I could go to high school in one place.”  Scott explained, “We moved so many times in the early years of my life. For instance, I went to five different schools in the fifth grade alone.”  Because of the coal burning plant in the county, Newark Schools received quite a bit of tax funding and started many new programs including a radio and television department. “My first year of high school, I developed asthma and had to quit participating in sports. I had to fill that hour of my day, so I decided to try out radio and television to see if I liked it. It was amazing! I won several state awards in radio during my high school years and decided to study radio programming at the University of Arkansas in 1987.” 

About his career, John Herath (Farm Journal News Director, South Bend, IN) said, “Nearly all of my career circles back to an unplanned internship at a local radio station. Since then, I’ve been fortunate to be surrounded by a lot of very smart people who have been gracious and patient enough to let me learn from them.” It was at that station, WLDS in Jacksonville, IL, where John first worked with Mike Adams, then the station’s farm director. John worked full-time in the station’s news department through his college years. Mike Perrine was the farm director at the cross-town rival. After graduation, John did a brief stint as news director at WIHN (Bloomington, IL) before moving to WFMB/WCVS (Springfield, IL) where he co-hosted a morning political talk show and served as backup to legendary farm broadcaster Peggy Kaye. “Peggy not only taught me how to read a markets screen, but she also shared her tenacious news sense and how to relate on a personal level to the radio audience.

Bill Baker (American Cattle News/Dairy Radio Now, Bend, OR) knew he wanted to be a radio broadcaster early in life. When he was 10 years old, he built a make-shift radio station in his bedroom and broadcast to an audience of one, his dog Moses. Later in high school, he heard about a classmate working a weekend shift at a real radio station. He tagged along and spent time recording his voice in the production room and leaving it for the boss to listen. “The station manager told me I didn’t have much of a voice, but I could read. That was enough encouragement for me,” he recalled. “I filled out my FCC license and was hired as a part-time board operator.”

“It’s been an honor to work at KMA (Shenandoah, IA) all these years,” said Dean Adkins. “It is still a family-owned radio station that’s been going strong since 1925, serving southwest Iowa, southeast Nebraska, northwest Missouri, and northwest Kansas. I’ve had the opportunity to ‘wear many hats’ while working at KMA.” These days, Dean hosts a morning talk show and a buy-sell-trade program while also serving as Ag Services Director. “I also enjoy helping out in the sports department with some wrestling and football reporting.” As Ag Services Director, one of his main passions besides relaying basic market information and general ag news is to get out to the people in his listening area.