AgDay
Encyclopedia
AgDay is a syndicated daily half-hour television program presented in magazine format focusing on agriculture news, agribusiness, and country living. It generally airs in early morning timeslots on stations throughout the country and also airs weekday mornings on the digital cable and satellite channel RFD-TV
. It is taped at WNDU
studios in South Bend, Indiana
. It is hosted by Clinton Griffiths.
news stepped into the space age. It was on this date that the first daily nationally syndicated farm news show "AgDay" debuted. The first of its kind to be broadcast via satellite directly into homes and television stations across the United States. Hosted by Wayne Jenkins (WTHI-AM/FM/TV
) and Bob Jenkins
(ESPN
), the half hour ag-report featured a national news segment, "The Helming Report" (a market segment), "Money Matters" with Jim Wilson, CPA (a financial segment), and the morning "AccuWeather Forecast Farm Weather Report" with meteorologists Terry Kelley, and Mike Nelson. The show was taped in the studios of WTHI-TV
in Terre Haute, Indiana
, and broadcast from the uplink facilities at WISH-TV
, Indianapolis, Indiana via video tape.
The original anchor team Wayne and Bob Jenkins
, were not related. Wayne a long time farm director and weatherman for WTHI-TV
, would later give the weather reports as the show evolved. Bob Jenkins
was the farm director for Indianapolis radio station WIRE. Bob Jenkins also appeared at that time on the fledgling cable network ESPN
covering auto racing, and later became the "Voice of the 500". The anchor team was supported by reporters Jayne Dula, Ralph Seely, Bill Pemble (USDA) and Craig Maurer (Washington, DC bureau chief); producer Al Dowbnia; director Jay Strasser; coordinating producer Jim Berry; field producer Heidi Gutman; additional meteorological support from Valarie Jones and Barbara Robertson; production manager Rod Garvin; production assistants Shawn Terrell, Don Green and Kevin Badeaux; camera operators Bob Baskerville and Lucie Horst; graphics Lonnie Bailey; audio Bart Pearson and John Matthews; and secretarial support by Lynn Shanks and Julie Mounts. It was originally the property of Creative Farm Media and Creative Media Productions, and was controlled by executive producers Gerald Badeaux and Neal Nussbaum.
In December 1982 the show moved its office and production to Indianapolis, producing and up-linking AgDay from the studios of WFYI TV. From their new offices at Keystone at the Crossing, it launched into covering the agriculture around the world, traveling to Canada, Rome, Brussels, Paris, and Hong Kong to bring US viewers international developments in key farm issues of the day. It also relied on a network of stringer reporters and videographers to gather news from across the US. As Bob Jenkins
slowly moved away from farm broadcasting to concentrate on motor-sports coverage for ESPN
and to anchor "Speedweek
", reporter Brian Baxter replaced him as the co-anchor, with Bob Jenkins appearing from time to time as his ESPN schedule would allow. Jayne Dula also found a new career path and was replaced with Kathy Shew and Lisa Jackson.
AgDay changed production facilities several more times as the staff evolved. Jim Berry, Shawn Terrell and later Brian Baxter would serve as the show's producer. AgDay's production moved to Nova Production Studios, then to WPDS
(later becoming WXIN
), and eventually back to WFYI Television. A bankruptcy eventually forced the split and sale of assets. This put the program back under the control of Neal Nussbaum, who decided to re-locate the production to WLFI-TV in Lafayette, Indiana. At that point, the remaining Ag Day staff, including anchors Wayne Jenkins and Brian Baxter, remained at WFYI to create and produce a new syndicated program called the "Morning Ag Report". Following the stint at WLFI-TV, with Garth Clark anchoring the show, the "AgDay" production was again moved, this time o South Bend's WNDU
with entirely new staff and on air-talent, with one key exception, former production assistant Don Green returned after leaving the show at the time of its initial move to Indianapolis, returned to produce the new look show, featuring Al Pell.
Publisher Farm Journal Media acquired AgDay in 1998.
The show is distributed on RFD TV and through a network of broadcast stations. As it was with the cutting edge of technology satellite launch in 1982, AgDay continues to ride the technology curve, branching into the Internet and other newly emerging media outlets.
The first segment consists of daily news information related to farm policy as well as producer and consumer news.
The second segment is devoted to agribusiness
, and contains market news as well as a market discussion between agribusiness
director & host Al Pell and a professional involved in agriculture marketing and trading. Tuesday's shows also contain a cotton
report from the National Cotton Council.
The middle segment is Weather with WNDU
meteorologist Mike Hoffman. The report focuses on drought conditions as well as precipitation estimates, and also includes daily temperatures and a look at the jet stream for the week ahead. Monday's weather also includes a 30-day outlook for temperatures and precipitation. The segment concludes with daily forecasts for three random small towns each day.
The fourth segment is "In The Country". This features a report often from either colleges of agriculture or government agencies on programs or events and human interest stories occurring throughout farm country.
The final segment varies from day-to-day. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday's shows contain "Ag For Your Health", a report on a health breakthrough or results of a study. This report is often produced from the Ohio State University
hospital system. Tuesday's show contains "Ag on the Net", a visual tour of a website related to farming, nutrition, health, etc. Thursday's show contains a garden report, often "Gardening In the Zone" produced at Iowa State University
.
On selected holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day, special AgDay programs will air, highlighting features and holiday-related stories from farm country. The Thanksgiving special is known as "Harvest of Thanks", and the Christmas special is titled "Christmas in the Country."
AgDay is the sister program of U.S. Farm Report
, a weekly farm program also produced at WNDU
. Pell and Hoffman also appear in this show along with host John Phipps. AgDay episodes are available free of charge via the Internet.
RFD-TV
RFD-TV, or Rural Free Delivery TV, is a United States satellite and cable television channel devoted to rural issues, concerns, and interests. The channel's name is a reference to Rural Free Delivery, the name for the United States Postal Service's system of delivering mail directly to rural patrons...
. It is taped at WNDU
WNDU-TV
WNDU-TV is a television station in South Bend, Indiana. The station is an affiliate of the NBC television network. Its transmitter is located in South Bend. WNDU-TV broadcasts in HDTV on Channel 42, additionally simulcasting a local Doppler radar image...
studios in South Bend, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. It is hosted by Clinton Griffiths.
Background
It was on August 16, 1982 morning agribusinessAgribusiness
In agriculture, agribusiness is a generic term for the various businesses involved in food production, including farming and contract farming, seed supply, agrichemicals, farm machinery, wholesale and distribution, processing, marketing, and retail sales....
news stepped into the space age. It was on this date that the first daily nationally syndicated farm news show "AgDay" debuted. The first of its kind to be broadcast via satellite directly into homes and television stations across the United States. Hosted by Wayne Jenkins (WTHI-AM/FM/TV
WTHI-TV
WTHI-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station in Terre Haute, Indiana. Owned by LIN TV Corporation, it operates on VHF digital channel 10. Its transmitter is located in Farmersburg, Indiana...
) and Bob Jenkins
Bob Jenkins
Bob Jenkins is an American television and radio sports announcer with NBC Sports Network, also known for his work at ABC and ESPN calling IndyCar and NASCAR telecasts. He is currently the lead commentator for the IndyCar Series on NBC Sports Network.-ESPN and ABC:Bob Jenkins was born in Richmond,...
(ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
), the half hour ag-report featured a national news segment, "The Helming Report" (a market segment), "Money Matters" with Jim Wilson, CPA (a financial segment), and the morning "AccuWeather Forecast Farm Weather Report" with meteorologists Terry Kelley, and Mike Nelson. The show was taped in the studios of WTHI-TV
WTHI-TV
WTHI-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station in Terre Haute, Indiana. Owned by LIN TV Corporation, it operates on VHF digital channel 10. Its transmitter is located in Farmersburg, Indiana...
in Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute is a city and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, near the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a population of 170,943. The city is the county seat of Vigo County and...
, and broadcast from the uplink facilities at WISH-TV
WISH-TV
WISH-TV, virtual channel 8, is the CBS-affiliated television station for Central Indiana licensed to Indianapolis. Owned by the LIN TV Corporation, WISH-TV is part of a duopoly with MyNetworkTV affiliate WNDY-TV and the two share studios on North Meridian Street at the north end of Indianapolis'...
, Indianapolis, Indiana via video tape.
The original anchor team Wayne and Bob Jenkins
Bob Jenkins
Bob Jenkins is an American television and radio sports announcer with NBC Sports Network, also known for his work at ABC and ESPN calling IndyCar and NASCAR telecasts. He is currently the lead commentator for the IndyCar Series on NBC Sports Network.-ESPN and ABC:Bob Jenkins was born in Richmond,...
, were not related. Wayne a long time farm director and weatherman for WTHI-TV
WTHI-TV
WTHI-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station in Terre Haute, Indiana. Owned by LIN TV Corporation, it operates on VHF digital channel 10. Its transmitter is located in Farmersburg, Indiana...
, would later give the weather reports as the show evolved. Bob Jenkins
Bob Jenkins
Bob Jenkins is an American television and radio sports announcer with NBC Sports Network, also known for his work at ABC and ESPN calling IndyCar and NASCAR telecasts. He is currently the lead commentator for the IndyCar Series on NBC Sports Network.-ESPN and ABC:Bob Jenkins was born in Richmond,...
was the farm director for Indianapolis radio station WIRE. Bob Jenkins also appeared at that time on the fledgling cable network ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
covering auto racing, and later became the "Voice of the 500". The anchor team was supported by reporters Jayne Dula, Ralph Seely, Bill Pemble (USDA) and Craig Maurer (Washington, DC bureau chief); producer Al Dowbnia; director Jay Strasser; coordinating producer Jim Berry; field producer Heidi Gutman; additional meteorological support from Valarie Jones and Barbara Robertson; production manager Rod Garvin; production assistants Shawn Terrell, Don Green and Kevin Badeaux; camera operators Bob Baskerville and Lucie Horst; graphics Lonnie Bailey; audio Bart Pearson and John Matthews; and secretarial support by Lynn Shanks and Julie Mounts. It was originally the property of Creative Farm Media and Creative Media Productions, and was controlled by executive producers Gerald Badeaux and Neal Nussbaum.
In December 1982 the show moved its office and production to Indianapolis, producing and up-linking AgDay from the studios of WFYI TV. From their new offices at Keystone at the Crossing, it launched into covering the agriculture around the world, traveling to Canada, Rome, Brussels, Paris, and Hong Kong to bring US viewers international developments in key farm issues of the day. It also relied on a network of stringer reporters and videographers to gather news from across the US. As Bob Jenkins
Bob Jenkins
Bob Jenkins is an American television and radio sports announcer with NBC Sports Network, also known for his work at ABC and ESPN calling IndyCar and NASCAR telecasts. He is currently the lead commentator for the IndyCar Series on NBC Sports Network.-ESPN and ABC:Bob Jenkins was born in Richmond,...
slowly moved away from farm broadcasting to concentrate on motor-sports coverage for ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
and to anchor "Speedweek
SpeedWeek
SpeedWeek is an American television program on ESPN. For 14 years, the weekly show aired multiple times in a week. When SpeedWeek ended in 1997, it was the longest-running motorsports magazine show...
", reporter Brian Baxter replaced him as the co-anchor, with Bob Jenkins appearing from time to time as his ESPN schedule would allow. Jayne Dula also found a new career path and was replaced with Kathy Shew and Lisa Jackson.
AgDay changed production facilities several more times as the staff evolved. Jim Berry, Shawn Terrell and later Brian Baxter would serve as the show's producer. AgDay's production moved to Nova Production Studios, then to WPDS
WXIN (TV)
WXIN, channel 59, is the Fox affiliated television station in Indianapolis, Indiana. The station broadcasts its digital signal on UHF channel 45, using its former analog channel 59 as its virtual channel via PSIP...
(later becoming WXIN
WXIN (TV)
WXIN, channel 59, is the Fox affiliated television station in Indianapolis, Indiana. The station broadcasts its digital signal on UHF channel 45, using its former analog channel 59 as its virtual channel via PSIP...
), and eventually back to WFYI Television. A bankruptcy eventually forced the split and sale of assets. This put the program back under the control of Neal Nussbaum, who decided to re-locate the production to WLFI-TV in Lafayette, Indiana. At that point, the remaining Ag Day staff, including anchors Wayne Jenkins and Brian Baxter, remained at WFYI to create and produce a new syndicated program called the "Morning Ag Report". Following the stint at WLFI-TV, with Garth Clark anchoring the show, the "AgDay" production was again moved, this time o South Bend's WNDU
WNDU-TV
WNDU-TV is a television station in South Bend, Indiana. The station is an affiliate of the NBC television network. Its transmitter is located in South Bend. WNDU-TV broadcasts in HDTV on Channel 42, additionally simulcasting a local Doppler radar image...
with entirely new staff and on air-talent, with one key exception, former production assistant Don Green returned after leaving the show at the time of its initial move to Indianapolis, returned to produce the new look show, featuring Al Pell.
Publisher Farm Journal Media acquired AgDay in 1998.
The show is distributed on RFD TV and through a network of broadcast stations. As it was with the cutting edge of technology satellite launch in 1982, AgDay continues to ride the technology curve, branching into the Internet and other newly emerging media outlets.
The first segment consists of daily news information related to farm policy as well as producer and consumer news.
The second segment is devoted to agribusiness
Agribusiness
In agriculture, agribusiness is a generic term for the various businesses involved in food production, including farming and contract farming, seed supply, agrichemicals, farm machinery, wholesale and distribution, processing, marketing, and retail sales....
, and contains market news as well as a market discussion between agribusiness
Agribusiness
In agriculture, agribusiness is a generic term for the various businesses involved in food production, including farming and contract farming, seed supply, agrichemicals, farm machinery, wholesale and distribution, processing, marketing, and retail sales....
director & host Al Pell and a professional involved in agriculture marketing and trading. Tuesday's shows also contain a cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
report from the National Cotton Council.
The middle segment is Weather with WNDU
WNDU-TV
WNDU-TV is a television station in South Bend, Indiana. The station is an affiliate of the NBC television network. Its transmitter is located in South Bend. WNDU-TV broadcasts in HDTV on Channel 42, additionally simulcasting a local Doppler radar image...
meteorologist Mike Hoffman. The report focuses on drought conditions as well as precipitation estimates, and also includes daily temperatures and a look at the jet stream for the week ahead. Monday's weather also includes a 30-day outlook for temperatures and precipitation. The segment concludes with daily forecasts for three random small towns each day.
The fourth segment is "In The Country". This features a report often from either colleges of agriculture or government agencies on programs or events and human interest stories occurring throughout farm country.
The final segment varies from day-to-day. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday's shows contain "Ag For Your Health", a report on a health breakthrough or results of a study. This report is often produced from the Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
hospital system. Tuesday's show contains "Ag on the Net", a visual tour of a website related to farming, nutrition, health, etc. Thursday's show contains a garden report, often "Gardening In the Zone" produced at Iowa State University
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
.
On selected holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day, special AgDay programs will air, highlighting features and holiday-related stories from farm country. The Thanksgiving special is known as "Harvest of Thanks", and the Christmas special is titled "Christmas in the Country."
AgDay is the sister program of U.S. Farm Report
U.S. Farm Report
The U.S. Farm Report is a weekly syndicated United States television news program, presented in magazine format, which has a focus on agriculture and agribusiness....
, a weekly farm program also produced at WNDU
WNDU-TV
WNDU-TV is a television station in South Bend, Indiana. The station is an affiliate of the NBC television network. Its transmitter is located in South Bend. WNDU-TV broadcasts in HDTV on Channel 42, additionally simulcasting a local Doppler radar image...
. Pell and Hoffman also appear in this show along with host John Phipps. AgDay episodes are available free of charge via the Internet.