Cooperative Partnerships between Early Radio Broadcasting Educators and Commercial Radio Stations: The Hoosier Schoolmaster of the Air Presented to the Faculty Regent University School of Communication and the Arts In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy In Communication by Mary E. Myers Approved By: Stephen Perry, Ph.D., Committee Chair School of Communication and the Arts William Brown, Ph.D., Committee Member School of Communication and the Arts John Keeler, Ph.D., Committee Member School of Communication and the Arts April 2018 School of Communication of the Arts Regent University This is to certify that the dissertation prepared by: Mary E. Myers Titled COOPERATIVE PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN EARLY RADIO BROADCASTING EDUCATORS AND COMMERCIAL RADIO STATIONS: THE HOOSIER SCHOOLMASTER OF THE AIR Has been approved by her committee as satisfactory completion of the dissertation requirement of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Approved By: Stephen Perry, Ph.D., Committee Chair School of Communication and the Arts William Brown, Ph.D., Committee Member School of Communication and the Arts John Keeler, Ph.D., Committee Member School of Communication and the Arts April 2018 ii Copyright Ó 2018 by Mary E. Myers All Rights Reserved. iii Abstract Early radio broadcasting history has thoroughly covered many aspects of the struggle for control of American radio. Many viewed this time as two-sided; however, some educators and commercial broadcasters worked in broadcasting cooperatives. These cooperatives ranged in type from internal or external Radio Committees to large Radio Councils, in which whole regions of the country worked toward a common goal. This case study provides what seems to be an extraordinary example of cooperative partnership by Indiana State Teachers College (ISTC), now Indiana State University (ISU), and local commercial radio station WBOW-AM. After a rough beginning, ISTC appointed Dr. Clarence M. Morgan, as Director of Radio Activities, and he helped lead the radio broadcasting cooperative to local and national acclaim. Keywords: Hoosier Schoolmaster of the Air, Dr. Clarence M. Morgan, Indiana State University, Entertainment-education, WBOW 1230 AM, WISU iv Acknowledgments I write this with an attitude of gratitude, for I have much to be thankful for and many people to thank. First of all, this dissertation is dedicated to Lois Jane Myers, my Mother, who with my Father, encouraged me to pursue this degree with excellence when no one else would. She is my real-life example of a ‘Knight of Faith’ and a true believer that with God, anything is possible. May we all start the day off the same way she once did, by stating, “This is the day that the Lord hast made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Additional gratitude is extended to my ‘Florida parents,’ Tony and Rose Marino, who took me out for a free meal every week, listened to my challenges and stressors, and encouraged and celebrated my successes along the way. I am also grateful to Kendra Muselle who took care of my fur family when I could not, and the many friends, like Christine Gerard, Mary Alice Molgard, Rick Brunson, and others, who supported this journey in various ways. Thank you in not enough, for I would have been unable to do this research without the assistance of the Morgan Family, specifically Doc’s son and his wife, Karen, my dissertation Chair, Dr. Stephen D. Perry, the Rollins College Olin Library and staff, Bob and Susan Davis, Doc’s former students, Bernie Carney and Julie Reder Fairley, Indiana State University Archive staff, especially Dennis Vetrovech, Dr. Joshua Sheppard, Dr. Christopher Sterling, and the early radio scholars who have gone before. They paved the way for this work and amazing narrative to become known. My personal thanks are due to a long list of people, some of whom may have been forgotten on this page; however, I am grateful for all of you and for what you have helped me to achieve. For even though God is the author, I was still the typist! v TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter One: Introduction .............................................................................................................. 2 History of Educators Relationship with Radio ............................................................................... 4 Educating the Everyman ..................................................................................................... 6 Education and Radio ....................................................................................................................... 8 Educators in Radio .............................................................................................................. 8 Educational Radio ............................................................................................................... 9 Commercial Broadcasting. ................................................................................................ 11 Radio Broadcasting Legislation .................................................................................................... 11 Wireless Ship Act of 1910 ................................................................................................ 12 1912 Radio Act ................................................................................................................. 13 Radio Act of 1927 ............................................................................................................. 15 Communications Act of 1934 ........................................................................................... 17 Primary Concepts .......................................................................................................................... 18 Frequency Interference ..................................................................................................... 18 Spectrum Scarcity ............................................................................................................. 19 Public Interest, Convenience or Necessity ........................................................................ 20 Sustaining/Noncommercial Programming ........................................................................ 21 Cooperative Partnerships .................................................................................................. 23 Support for Cooperative Partnerships……………………………………………24 Purpose and Methodology of Study .............................................................................................. 24 Chapter Two: Co-operation .......................................................................................................... 26 Co-operation, the Co-operative Movement, and Co-operatives ................................................... 26 vi History of the Co-operative Movement ........................................................................................ 28 The Cooperative Movement: Europe ................................................................................ 28 The Friendly Societies…………………………………………………………...28 Utopian Socialists…………………………………………………………..........29 Charles Fourier……………………………………………………...........29 Robert Owen……………………………………………………..............30 The Rochdale Equitable Pioneers Society ........................................................................ 30 The Co-operative Movement: United States ..................................................................... 32 New Harmony, Indiana……………………………………………………..........33 Agricultural Cooperatives…………………………………………………..........34 Capper-Volstead Act………………………………………………………..........35 Electrical Power Cooperatives…………………………………………………...35 Cooperative Education……………………………………………………...........36 Indiana State Teachers College…………………………………………..36 Cooperative Public Works…………………………………………………….....37 Radio Broadcasting Cooperatives…………………………………………..........38 Academic Documentation………………………………………………..39 Small Radio Stations………………………………………………..........42 Large Radio Stations……………………………………………………..44 Radio Councils……………………………………………………...........45 Radio Advisory Committees……………………………………………..46 Radio Advisory Boards…………………………………………………..46 Types of Cooperative Ownership Structures…………………………….47 vii Cooperative Partnerships Between Commercial Broadcasters and Educators ............................. 48 Mixed Feelings .................................................................................................................. 49 Educational Radio Program(s) .......................................................................................... 52 Dr. Clarence M. Morgan ................................................................................................... 55 ISTC's Educational Radio Program(s) …………………………………………………..56 Radio Instruction……………………………………………………................................56 Entertainment-education (E-E) …………………………………………………….........57 In Summary ................................................................................................................................... 58 Chapter Three: Historical Methodology ....................................................................................... 60 Case Study ........................................................................................................................ 60 Lenses ............................................................................................................................... 61 Data Collection ............................................................................................................................