05/27/08 Wheat industry to target public radio listeners

Washington Ag May 27, 2008 The Washington Wheat Commission has decided it will use public radio to try and educate the non-farming public about the state's wheat industry. The project was discussed at the Commission's recent annual meeting. In an interview the Washington Grain Alliance's new Director of Communications, Scott Yates, explained why public radio was selected. Yates: "NPR is a great vehicle to reach the decision makers who listen to their news shows. We are going to target Morning Edition and the evening show." Public radio is also less expensive particularly in eastern Washington where the project will begin on Spokane's KPBX. Yates: "For a 13-week period it is $700 and we feel that is well worth it to get the message out to the general public." Those messages will be short, ten seconds in duration. For example; Yates: "Something like brought to you by the Washington Grain Alliance whose members help NPR listeners celebrate birthdays by growing the soft white wheat used in cakes. Things like that. One I like is brought to you by the Washington Grain Alliance who helps feed the world, in the process doing their part to balance the nation's trade deficit." The messages could be on the air for this year's harvest. I'm Bob Hoff.