SURVEYING THE COMMUNITY OF CROW AGENCY, MT FOR INTEREST IN A COMMUNITY RADIO STATION by Shane Michael Doyle A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Native American Studies MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY Bozeman, Montana May 2005 © COPYRIGHT by Shane Michael Doyle 2005 All Rights Reserved ii APPROVAL of a thesis submitted by Shane Michael Doyle This thesis has been read by each member of the thesis committee and has been found to be satisfactory regarding content, English usage, format, citations, bibliographic style, and consistency, and is ready for submission to the College of Graduate Studies. Dr. Wayne Stein Approved for the Department of Native American Studies Dr. Walter Flemming Approved for the College of Graduate Studies Dr. Bruce McLeod iii STATEMENT OF PERMISSION TO USE In presenting this thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a master’s degree at Montana State University, I agree that the Library shall make it available to borrowers under the rules of the Library. If I have indicated my intention to copyright this thesis by including a copyright notice page, copying is allowable only for scholarly purposes, consistent with “fair use” as prescribed in the U.S. Copyright Law. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this thesis in whole or in parts may be granted only by the copyright holder. Shane Michael Doyle May 2005 iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT....................................................................................................................... ix 1. INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................1 Background/Problem Statement .....................................................................................1 Significance of the Study ................................................................................................2 Purpose............................................................................................................................2 Hypothesis.......................................................................................................................3 Delimitations...................................................................................................................3 Limitations ......................................................................................................................3 Generalizability of Results..............................................................................................4 Review of Related Literature ..........................................................................................4 2. METHODOLOGY ..........................................................................................................9 Participants......................................................................................................................9 Research Design..............................................................................................................9 Methods...........................................................................................................................9 Data Analysis ................................................................................................................10 3. RESULTS .....................................................................................................................11 Data Analysis Procedures .............................................................................................11 Results...........................................................................................................................11 Analysis and Demographic Information.......................................................................12 Indian Radio Qualitative Comments.............................................................................57 4. DISCUSSION ...............................................................................................................58 Summary .......................................................................................................................58 Conclusions...................................................................................................................62 Recommendations.........................................................................................................63 Further Study ................................................................................................................63 REFERENCES ..................................................................................................................64 APPENDIX A: SURVEY INSTRUMENT ......................................................................65 v LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. Respondent Age .....................................................................................................12 2. Yearly Household Income .....................................................................................13 3. Tribal Membership.................................................................................................14 4. County Membership...............................................................................................14 5. AM or FM Preference............................................................................................14 6. Montana or Wyoming Station................................................................................15 7. Frequency of Listening ..........................................................................................16 8. Usual Listening Days.............................................................................................16 9. Listen in Car on Way to School or Work ..............................................................17 10. Listen at Work or School .......................................................................................18 11. Listen at Home Before Work or School ................................................................18 12. Listen at Home After Work or School...................................................................19 13. Listen at Home Between 8am and Noon ...............................................................19 14. Listen at Home Between Noon and 5pm ...............................................................20 15. Listen at Home Between 10pm and 2am ...............................................................20 16. Listen at Home Between 5pm and 10pm...............................................................21 17. Listen at Home Between 2am and 8am .................................................................21 18. Listen Any Time I’m in the Car.............................................................................22 19. Usually Listen to Weather .....................................................................................23 20. Usually Listen to National News ...........................................................................23 21. Usually Listen to Sports.........................................................................................24 vi LIST OF FIGURES - CONTINUED Figure Page 22. Usually Listen to Comedy .....................................................................................24 23. Usually Listen to Live Call-In ...............................................................................25 24. Usually Listen to Historical Pieces ........................................................................25 25. Usually Listen to Community Calendar ................................................................26 26. Usually Listen to Sports Commentary...................................................................26 27. Usually Listen to Local News................................................................................27 28. Usually Listed to Story Reading ............................................................................27 29. Usually Listen to Music .........................................................................................28 30. Usually Listen to Political Debate .........................................................................28 31. Rock Preference .....................................................................................................29 32. Rap Preference .......................................................................................................30 33. Soul Preference ......................................................................................................30 34. Contemporary Preference ......................................................................................31 35. Country Preference ................................................................................................31 36. Gospel Preference ..................................................................................................32 37. New Age Preference ..............................................................................................32 38. Hip-Hop Preference ...............................................................................................33 39. Classical Preference ...............................................................................................33 40. Pop Preference .......................................................................................................34 41. Traditional Indian Preference ................................................................................34 vii LIST OF FIGURES - CONTINUED Figure Page 42. R&B Preference .....................................................................................................35 43. Alternative Preference ...........................................................................................35 44. Oldies Preference ...................................................................................................36 45. Jazz Preference.......................................................................................................36 46. Local Artists Preference.........................................................................................37 47. Would Listen to Programs in Crow Language ......................................................38 48. Would Listen to Political Discussions with Crow Leadership ..............................38 49. Would Listen to Crow Stories at Night in the Winter ...........................................39 50. Would Listen to Interviews with Successful Crow People....................................39 51. Would Listen to Community Calendar of Events..................................................40 52. Would Listen to News Coverage of Rez. Events...................................................40 53. Would Listen to Music by Local Artists................................................................41 54. Would Listen to School Lunch Menus ..................................................................41 55. Would Listen to National Native News .................................................................42 56. Would Listen to Live Call-In Programs about Indian Issues.................................42 57. Would Listen to Children’s Programs in Crow Language.....................................43 58. Would Listen to Traditional Crow Children’s Stories in English..........................43 59. Would Listen to Emergency Broadcasts and Weather Bulletins ...........................44 60. Would Listen to State-of-the-Tribe Address from Chairman ................................44 61. Would Listen to Reservation High School Sports .................................................45 62. Would Listen to Traditional Crow Songs ..............................................................45 viii LIST OF FIGURES - CONTINUED Figure Page 63. Would Listen to Segments About Events in Crow History ...................................46 64. Would Listen to Health Programs about Important Health Issues ........................46 65. How Often Do You Listen to the Radio ................................................................47 66. Stop Listening Because of Programming or Schedule ..........................................48 67. Programming in Crow Language Would Help Bring Back Crow Lang................49 68. Native Radio Station Would Improve Relations with Surrounding Areas ............49 69. Crow Station Would Help the Reservation’s Economy ........................................50 70. Crow Station Would Improve Communication Between Tribal Leadership And Tribal Members..............................................................................................50 71. Crow Station Would Help Children Stay More Interested in Our Culture............51 72. Crow Station Could Provide Emergency Broadcasts that Might Save Lives........51 73. Crow Station Would Help Me Stay More Connected w/ Friends and Family ......52 74. Crow Station Would Educate General Public about Native Issues .......................52 75. Crow Station Could Produce Programming to Attract Young People ..................53 76. Crow Station Would Represent Authentic Native Culture to Non-Indians...........53 77. Crow Station Would Interest Me ...........................................................................54 78. Would Support a Crow Station by Listening Regularly ........................................54 79. Would Support a Crow Radio Station Financially ................................................55 80. Would Listen to a Crow Station More Often Than Other Stations........................55 ix ABSTRACT 90% of the Crow Tribe’s 10,000 members live on or near its 2.5 million acre reservation. There are currently no television or radio stations intended to serve this area and its population with the vital connections and resources available through the information highway maintained by mass media. This study explores the level of interest and support the Crow community has for a Native American radio station. It also identifies areas of need within the community that can be met by the establishment of a Crow radio station and by the implementation of Native American programming. Research found that there was a high level of support for and interest in this venture and that a radio station could met a number of community needs including economic improvement, language revitalization, facilitation of community and cultural cohesion, and disaster preparedness. 1 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Background/Problem Statement Currently the Crow Tribe has more than 10,000 enrolled members and 90% of these members live in either Big Horn or Yellowstone Counties. The reservation encompasses nearly 2.5 million acres and is approximately 60 miles wide and 40 miles long. While a handful of radio stations can be intermittently received within this area, no station originates within this large section of the I90 interstate or is consistently available. Residents on the eastern side of the reservation receive news from Wyoming, the neighboring state, but receive little in the way of local and Montana state news. Even television transmission is limited to satellite systems providing Wyoming information exclusively. There is, therefore, no reliable means of transmitting emergency information and weather bulletins to reach this area. In addition to the practical concerns addressed by communication that can be delivered through radio, the Crow community is experiencing significant language attrition and subsequent cultural decline. Leaders and community members are investigating avenues for language revitalization and cultural cohesion and retention. Radio has tremendous potential to address these concerns by providing a platform for delivery of language and cultural programs as well as community communication that can serve to increase opportunities for language immersion and unite tribal members under a common system of communication. 2 Finally, the youth culture has significant need of media that represents the values and identity of the Crow culture. The biggest icons of Crow pop culture are largely African American as this demographic seems to most closely replicate the feelings and experiences of Native American youth. A Native American radio station is vital to the establishment of a Native American youth identity that supports and recognizes a unique heritage. Significance of the Study Prior to submission of a proposal, most granting agencies providing grant funding for public radio ventures require that the requestor to provide substantial evidence of support and interest within the local community that would ensure the success of a project of substantial magnitude, such as establishing radio where it does not currently exist. While it is valuable to assess the fiscal systems within the community in order to ascertain the level of community contribution one can project, the details of program planning and management strategy cannot be defined within the grant proposal without a survey of the needs and interests of the intended audience. Purpose The purpose of this descriptive study is to determine the level of interest and support for local native radio programming and to identify areas of need that can be met by the implementation of Native American programming. 3 Hypothesis Because of its rural location and unique cultural environment, Crow Agency is isolated in an area of poor communication. Therefore, it is expected that suggesting the implementation of a radio station will be met with substantial support and that residents deprived of many of the proven benefits of radio will respond positively to radio services, which could be applied to meet the needs of the community. It is expected that there will be a direct relationship between the need for native radio and the community’s enthusiasm and hope applied towards this survey. Delimitations This study drew participants from a pool of patrons frequenting one local grocery store and one local gas station. Any interested person was encouraged to complete one questionnaire. The survey was administered during the time of year when grocery store and gas station patrons are made up of community residents rather than tourists. The sample of participants was similar to the general population of the Crow Tribe demographically and included residents from Big Horn and Yellowstone Counties only. Limitations While this study was available to all interested participants, grocery store and gas station patrons may represent a particular segment of society, that of individuals designated within families to complete shopping and refueling responsibilities. In addition, participants were allowed to decline to answer any of the survey questions. 4 This resulted in some missing data, which was appropriately coded and excluded from systematic analysis. Generalizability of Results Since the qualitative and quantitative data acquired from this research are intended to advise the future proposal of a native radio station for the Crow Reservation, the results are generalizable to the population that will be reached by the innovation because the target population randomly supplied a sample population of significant size to reflect the general population of Crow tribal members. Review of Related Literature According to research commissioned by the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth, radio plays a significant role in the cultural lives of American youth (2003). A study conducted in December of 2002 and January of 2003 by the Virtual Media Resources (VMR) found that the alcohol industry routinely overexposed youth to its radio advertising by placing ads when and where youth were more likely than adults to hear them. The Center found that alcohol ads were placed on stations with “youth” formats, and that youth heard more radio ads for beer, and substantially less for wine. Furthermore, the study indicated that because of increased advertising on stations with predominantly young minority listeners, youth in African-American and Hispanic communities were overexposed at an even greater rate than their Caucasian peers. The research demonstrates that alcohol advertisers understand the important fact that, as stated in Radio Daze: Alcohol Ads Tune in Underage, “Through the years and every 5 passing fad, radio has continued to be a basic fact of life for youth in the United States (2003).” The power of radio to influence and educate listeners is further addressed in John Allen’s United Nations Report, The Local and Community Organization of Learning Opportunities (1998). The report describes how the 1990 World Conference on Education for All sparked calls for the improvement of impoverished countries through greater self-reliance and educational services relevant to local conditions and community needs. The author explains how the goals of the Education for All Conference have yet to be achieved, and how part of the reason for this failure can be attributed to a lack of adequate radio transmission. According to the report, the use of radio for distance learning is a necessity for impoverished, underprivileged communities. In fact, the report lists “inadequate means of communication” as one of the three biggest obstacles for adequate and meaningful education, the other two obstacles being financial constraints and lack of human resources. Because central governments throughout the world have been unable to provide radio distance learning to their constituencies, their populations are at a distinct disadvantage for information acquisition. Another example of the power of radio to touch humans throughout the globe comes from The South Sydney Youth Services (SSYS) of Sydney, Australia. Fully understanding the power of radio to influence young people, the author of the article The Anti-Racism Radio Show: Steps to an Ecology of Culture (2002), Ben-Zion Weiss, describes the process of developing an anti-racism project for the purpose of educating youth. An English as a Second Language (ESL) as well as a Drama teacher, the author explains how the radio show has “allowed participants to become more aware of their 6 ‘ecology of culture’.” Although the project was designed as an exercise in Drama and English, it became equally a proactive community outreach project because of the broad audience that radio allowed this important message to reach. In his book entitled, Muck Farming, Song Birds and Man, and Kisimi: A Curricular Case Study of the Claims of Educational Radio and Its Actualized Use in the Classroom, WKAR 1922-1945 (2003), Matthew Militello examines the early history of educational radio in the United States through the study of WKAR in Michigan. According to the author, “… the utility of an innovation for its consumers ultimately determines its survival.” Through the study of WKAR’s history, the book outlines why and how the medium of radio has continued to survive today: because it continues to offer consumers “efficiency and entertainment.” Although the audience for educational radio declined steeply during the 1940’s, WKAR still exists today as an educational and entertainment-oriented station. The author concludes his study by assessing that “…the use of the radio in education and in society as a whole had a deep yet short impact.” Ruth Bennett in her paper Saving a Language with Computers, Tape Recorders, and Radio (2003), establishes concrete examples of indigenous cultures that have been revitalized by the implementation of technology in language education. In her paper Bennett describes the broad impact the implementation of technology has had on attracting community attention towards a language revitalization program, improving both the quantity and quality of a language through its renewed use, and creating sociocultural learning contexts. Bennett cites research in the area of radios in the classroom which have been used to generate an increase in language and to advance the use of quality language. Bennett says these programs are vital especially when an 7 endangered language faces the issue of finding authentic language that can be made available to a large audience. If there are a limited number of native speakers teachers feel the urgency to expand the quantity of language to encompass not only vocabulary and grammar, but also and perhaps more importantly conversational language. In her article Bennett cites the research of Ninno (1999), Hollenbeck (1999), and Consodine (1995) supporting the use of radios in the language classroom. Ninno asserts that radio is in fact more important to a language program than other forms of technology because radio programs generate substantially more language while also requiring the student to practice both critical listening and speaking skills. Hollenbeck supported this assertion using his study to show that broadcast media was effective in developing community language proficiency. Furthermore, Consodine found that involvement in broadcast media exposed students to more language and also caused them to produce more language by developing the essential component of critical listening which lead to language proficiency. Other programs that have attributed their success with language programs to broadcast media include the ESL Radio Station Project described by Geva (2002), Jancewixz’s Naskapi Community Language Development Team (2002), and the Chukotka Indigenous Languages Venture (2002). Geva’s ESL program found that radio activities encouraged students to use language actively and purposefully. The Naskapi Language Development Project in Quebec attributed its successes in literacy improvement and language maintenance to radio. And the Chukotka of northeast Asia attribute both the decline and revitalization of their indigenous language to radio. In the 1930s Russians attempted to assimilate the Chukotka people through their language 8 policy and influence. The oral traditions of the Chukotka were lost to broadcasts and education in the Russian language and the Chukotka began to lose their means of transmitting indigenous culture. The recognition of these losses sparked the Chukotka to form local cultural societies with the goal of indigenous language preservation. Now the Chukotka use radio to reclaim their language and culture. Finally, literature shows that media and racial identity have a correlative relationship and that media can also increase the confidence a population has in its political processes, two issues affecting the Crow Tribe today. Research by Grandy supported the theory that media has a major influence on racial identity and the way that races are perceive both by others and by themselves (2001) . The National Democratic Institution for International Affairs investigated Nepalese civic and voter education and found that “The lack of confidence the people of Nepal feel about their political process is due, in part, to the majority’s unfamiliarity with, and lack of participation in, their democratic institution (2001).” The institution instituted radio as a means of combating the lack of communication about political happenings and processes. In their article The American Indian Perspective in America’s History: Resource Guide, Fox, Nicholas, and Nelson urged instructors all over the nation to supplement their courses with radio in order to offer a fuller picture of the place American Indians have in that history. 9 CHAPTER 2 METHODOLOGY Participants The participants were selected on the basis of self-selection by volunteering to complete a survey distributed at local grocery stores and gas stations in Crow Agency, MT. Seventy-six subjects provided the sample population. This sample population represents the demographic makeup of the general population of the reservation with the population of those persons under 35 exceeding the number of persons 36 and over. Those surveyed were residents of either Big Horn or Yellowstone Counties which reflects the population of the area that would be covered by an FM radio station. Research Design A descriptive frequency by percent design was taken to determine the population percentages of persons in support of various radio-related survey items. Survey items were designed to target and advise the aspects of design and planning that would occur in the proposal stages of grant writing and donor searches. Methods One hundred 18-item questionnaires were distributed to participants at local grocery stores and gas stations, and 76 were returned. Therefore, a sampling of n=76 was selected from a population of σ = 10,000 to achieve a near-alpha degree of representation. 10 This high rate of response can be attributed in part to the method of survey distribution. Participants were encouraged to complete the survey in a prompt and timely manner – helping to insure the return of the questionnaire. The survey was designed to record areas of interest, levels of support, and an assessment of local needs. Data Analysis The results described in this thesis were obtained by using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences to calculate the frequency of answers by percentage. The researcher examined majority and near majority trends in results to determine the areas of greatest interest, support and need within the surveyed population. Qualitative data for question number 18 was also recorded and evaluated. 11 CHAPTER 3 RESULTS Data Analysis Procedures Questionnaire data were collected and analyzed for 76 respondents. Descriptive frequencies by percents were calculated for each survey item response. Human Subjects research requires that all participants be allowed to decline survey items at their own discretion. Therefore, any missing items were coded (-9 = missing) as missing data and these items were systematically excluded from analysis of frequency. This accounts for any n values equaling any number less than 76. Qualitative data offered on question number 18 were also recorded and evaluated. Results The research questions addressed by this study were two-fold. First, is there enough support and interest to allow for the creation of Native radio programming in the Crow Reservation area? And second, are there areas of need within the Crow communities that could be met by implementing locally controlled, indigenous radio programming? These questions were answered first by collecting survey data from the population of interest and second, by analyzing patterns of interest, support, and greatest perceived need. 76 participants completed questionnaires. 12 Analysis of Demographic Information Demographic information was compiled to evaluate the representativeness of the sample population and to look for contributing community characteristic factors. Figures 1 – 4 illustrate the survey’s demographic findings. Figure 1 – respondent age respondent age 30 25 Percent 20 15 10 5 0 0-13 14-18 19-25 26-35 36-45 respondent age 46-55 55-65 66 and older 13 Figure 2 – Yearly Household Income Yearly household income 30 25 20 t n e c r 15 e P 10 5 0 -9 under 10,000- 20,000- 30,000- 40,000- 50,000- 60,000- 70,000 10,000 19,999 29,999 39,999 49,999 59,999 69,999 or more Yearly household income Figure 3 – Tribal Membership A member of the Crow tribe 100 Percent 80 60 40 20 0 no yes A member of the Crow tribe 14 Figure 4 – County Membership County of residence 100 Percent 80 60 40 20 0 Big Horn Yellowstone County of residence These figures indicate that the majority of the sample (67.7%) is under 36 years of age. 75% of the sample has a yearly household income of $29,999 or less and only 9 percent make $50,000 or more. 91% of those surveyed were enrolled members of the Crow tribe and all participants resided in either Big Horn (85.5%) or Yellowstone (14.5%) Counties. Figures 5 – 46 represent data collected about the current listening patterns of the demographic and indicate areas of radio currently being supported. Currently, 94.7% of the survey population tune into a radio station of choice on the FM dial. Only 5.3% tune in to an AM station. At the time of the survey, 86.7% of the stations chosen by surveyed listeners were based in Montana. 13.3% of preferred stations were located in Wyoming. 15 Figure 5 – AM or FM Preference am or fm 100 Percent 80 60 40 20 0 FM AM am or fm Figure 6 – Montana or Wyoming Station station based in MT or WY 100 Percent 80 60 40 20 0 MT WY station based in MT or WY 16 Figure 7 – Frequency of Listening last time radio was listened to 100 Percent 80 60 40 20 0 within last 24 hours within past week within last month 2 months or more last time radio was listened to Figure 8 – Usual Listening Days usually listen to radio 100 Percent 80 60 40 20 0 on weekdays on weekends usually listen to radio both 17 Figure 7 illustrates that 84% of the population surveyed had listened to the radio within the last 24 hours, 10.7% had listened within the past week, 4% had listened within the last month, and 1.3% had not listened to the radio for at least two months. Figure 8 show that 90.8% of the population listens to the radio on both weekdays and weekends. 6.6% of the sample only listen to the radio on weekdays and 2.6% of the sample listen on weekends only. Figure 9 - Listen in Car on Way to School or Work listen in car on way to work or school 100 Percent 80 60 40 20 0 -9 no yes listen in car on way to work or school 18 Figure 10 - Listen at Work or School listen at work or school 60 50 Percent 40 30 20 10 0 -9 no yes listen at work or school Figure 11 - Listen at Home Before Work or School listen at home before work or school 60 50 Percent 40 30 20 10 0 -9 no yes listen at home before work or school 19 Figure 12 - Listen at Home After Work or School listen at home after work or school 60 50 Percent 40 30 20 10 0 -9 no yes listen at home after work or school Figure 13 - Listen at Home Between 8am and Noon listen at home between 8am and noon 70 60 Percent 50 40 30 20 10 0 -9 no yes listen at home between 8am and noon 20 Figure 14 - Listen at Home Between Noon and 5pm listen at home between noon and 5pm 70 60 Percent 50 40 30 20 10 0 -9 no yes listen at home between noon and 5pm Figure 15 - Listen at Home Between 10pm and 2am listen at home between 10pm and 2 am 80 Percent 60 40 20 0 -9 no yes listen at home between 10pm and 2 am 21 Figure 16 - Listen at Home Between 5pm and 10pm listen at home between 5pm and 10pm 70 60 Percent 50 40 30 20 10 0 -9 no yes listen at home between 5pm and 10pm Figure 17 - Listen at Home Between 2am and 8am listen at home between 2am and 8am 100 Percent 80 60 40 20 0 -9 no yes listen at home between 2am and 8am 22 Figure 18 - Listen Any Time I’m in the Car listen any time I'm in the car 100 Percent 80 60 40 20 0 -9 no yes listen any time I'm in the car Figures 9 – 18 illustrate when and where participants listen to the radio. 82.9% of those surveyed listen to the radio in the car on the way to work or school. 53.9% listen during the day while at work or school. 52.6% of surveys reported that participants listened to radio at home before work or school. A smaller percentage (46.1%) listen at home after work or school. Listeners who tune in to the radio while at home listened between 8am and noon 32.9% of the time, between noon and 5pm 31.6% of the time, between 5pm and 10pm 35.5% of the time, between 10pm and 2am 25% of the time, and between 2am and 8am 15.8% of the time. Finally, Figure 18 illustrates that 84.2% of respondents listen to the radio any time they are in the car. 23 Figure19 - Usually Listen to Weather usually listen to weather 60 50 Percent 40 30 20 10 0 -9 no yes usually listen to weather Figure 20 - Usually Listen to National News usually listen to nation news 70 60 Percent 50 40 30 20 10 0 -9 no usually listen to nation news yes 24 Figure 21 - Usually Listen to Sports usually listen to sports 70 60 Percent 50 40 30 20 10 0 -9 no yes usually listen to sports Figure 22 - Usually Listen to Comedy usually listen to comedy 70 60 Percent 50 40 30 20 10 0 -9 no usually listen to comedy yes 25 Figure 23 - Usually Listen to Live Call-In usually listen to live call-in 80 Percent 60 40 20 0 -9 no yes usually listen to live call-in Figure 24 - Usually Listen to Historical Pieces usually listen to historical pieces 100 Percent 80 60 40 20 0 -9 no usually listen to historical pieces yes 26 Figure 25 - Usually Listen to Community Calendar usually listen to community calendar 80 Percent 60 40 20 0 -9 no yes usually listen to community calendar Figure 26 - Usually Listen to Sports Commentary usually listen to sports commentary 100 Percent 80 60 40 20 0 -9 no yes usually listen to sports commentary 27 Figure 27 - Usually Listen to Local News usually listen to local news 50 Percent 40 30 20 10 0 -9 no yes usually listen to local news Figure 28 - Usually Listed to Story Reading usually listen to story reading 100 Percent 80 60 40 20 0 -9 no usually listen to story reading yes 28 Figure 29 - Usually Listen to Music usually listen to music 100 Percent 80 60 40 20 0 -9 no yes usually listen to music Figure 30 - Usually Listen to Political Debate usually listen to political debate 100 Percent 80 60 40 20 0 -9 no yes usually listen to political debate Figures 19-30 explain the types of programming participants are engaged in listening to while they are tuned in to a station. 51.3% of the sample listens to weather when tuning 29 in to a station. 34.2% of the population listen to national news. 32.9% listen to sports programming of some type. 7.9% of listeners listen to historical pieces and 21.1% enjoy live call-in programs. 28.9% of those surveyed listen to comedy programs and 48.7% listen to local news. Listening to the community calendar is common for 21.1% of listeners and sports commentary draws 17.1% of listeners. 11.8% of those surveyed listen to political debates and 6.6% to story reading. The largest percentage of listeners by far (93.4%) listen to a particular station for its music. Figure 31 - Rock Preference I prefer rock 70 60 Percent 50 40 30 20 10 0 -9 no I prefer rock yes 30 Figure 32 - Rap Preference I prefer rap 70 60 Percent 50 40 30 20 10 0 -9 no yes I prefer rap Figure 33 - Soul Preference I prefer soul 80 Percent 60 40 20 0 -9 no I prefer soul yes 31 Figure 34 - Contemporary Preference I prefer contemporary 100 Percent 80 60 40 20 0 -9 no yes I prefer contemporary Figure 35 - Country Preference I prefer country 50 Percent 40 30 20 10 0 -9 no I prefer country yes 32 Figure 36 - Gospel Preference I prefer gospel 100 Percent 80 60 40 20 0 -9 no yes I prefer gospel Figure 37 - New Age Preference I prefer New Age 100 Percent 80 60 40 20 0 -9 no I prefer New Age yes 33 Figure 38 - Hip-Hop Preference I prefer hip-hop 50 Percent 40 30 20 10 0 -9 no yes I prefer hip-hop Figure 39 - Classical Preference I prefer classical 100 Percent 80 60 40 20 0 -9 no I prefer classical yes 34 Figure 40 - Pop Preference I prefer pop 70 60 Percent 50 40 30 20 10 0 -9 no yes I prefer pop Figure 41 - Traditional Indian Preference I prefer traditional Indian 60 50 Percent 40 30 20 10 0 -9 no I prefer traditional Indian yes 35 Figure 42 - R&B Preference I prefer R&B 60 50 Percent 40 30 20 10 0 -9 no yes I prefer R&B Figure 43 - Alternative Preference I prefer alternative 80 Percent 60 40 20 0 -9 no I prefer alternative yes 36 Figure 44 - Oldies Preference I prefer oldies 60 50 Percent 40 30 20 10 0 -9 no yes 9 I prefer oldies Figure 45 - Jazz Preference I prefer jazz 100 Percent 80 60 40 20 0 -9 no yes I prefer jazz 9 37 Figure 46 - Local Artists Preference I prefer local artists 80 Percent 60 40 20 0 -9 no yes I prefer local artists Figures 31-46 deal with music preference. These figures indicate that a majority of listeners (50% or >) prefer to listen to rock (64.5%), hip-hop (50%), and R&B (56.6%). Programs with less than 50% of respondents’ preferences were, in order of support, country (48.7%), traditional Indian (47.4%), oldies (42.1%), pop (28.9%), soul (25%), local artists (22.4%), alternative (22.4%), gospel (17.1%), New Age (15.8%), jazz (13.2%), classical (10.5%), and contemporary (6.6%). It should be noted that definitions for each type of music were not provided and each response is reliant upon the respondent’s definition of each music type listed. 38 Figure 47 - Would Listen to Programs in Crow Language I would listen to programs in Crow language 70 60 Percent 50 40 30 20 10 0 -9 no yes I would listen to programs in Crow language Figure 48 - Would Listen to Political Discussions with Crow Leadership I would listen to political discussions w/ Crow leadership 60 50 Percent 40 30 20 10 0 -9 no yes I would listen to political discussions w/ Crow leadership 39 Figure 49 - Would Listen to Crow Stories at Night in the Winter I would listen to Crow stories at night in winter 80 Percent 60 40 20 0 -9 no yes I would listen to Crow stories at night in winter Figure 50 - Would Listen to Interviews with Successful Crow People I would listen to interviews w/ successful Crow people 80 Percent 60 40 20 0 -9 no yes I would listen to interviews w/ successful Crow people 40 Figure 51 - Would Listen to Community Calendar of Events I would listen to a community calendar of events 100 Percent 80 60 40 20 0 -9 no yes I would listen to a community calendar of events Figure 52 - Would Listen to News Coverage of Rez. Events I would listen to news coverage of rez. events 100 Percent 80 60 40 20 0 -9 no yes I would listen to news coverage of rez. events 41 Figure 53 - Would Listen to Music by Local Artists I would listen to music by local artists 100 Percent 80 60 40 20 0 -9 no yes I would listen to music by local artists Figure 54 - Would Listen to School Lunch Menus I would listen to school lunch menus 60 50 Percent 40 30 20 10 0 -9 no yes I would listen to school lunch menus 42 Figure 55 - Would Listen to National Native News I would listen to National Native News 100 Percent 80 60 40 20 0 -9 no yes I would listen to National Native News Figure 56 - Would Listen to Live Call-In Programs about Indian Issues I would listen to live call-in programs about Indian issues 80 Percent 60 40 20 0 -9 no yes I would listen to live call-in programs about Indian issues 43 Figure 57 - Would Listen to Children’s Programs in Crow Language I would listen to children's programs in Crow language 70 60 Percent 50 40 30 20 10 0 -9 no yes I would listen to children's programs in Crow language Figure 58 - Would Listen to Traditional Crow Children’s Stories in English I would listen to traditional Crow childen's stories in English 80 Percent 60 40 20 0 -9 no yes I would listen to traditional Crow childen's stories in English 44 Figure 59 - Would Listen to Emergency Broadcasts and Weather Bulletins I would listen to emergency broadcasts and weather bulletins 80 Percent 60 40 20 0 -9 no yes I would listen to emergency broadcasts and weather bulletins Figure 60 - Would Listen to State-of-the-Tribe Address from Chairman I would listen to State-of-the-Tribe address from Chairman 80 Percent 60 40 20 0 -9 no yes I would listen to State-of-the-Tribe address from Chairman 45 Figure 61 - Would Listen to Reservation High School Sports I would listen to reservation high school sports 100 Percent 80 60 40 20 0 -9 no yes I would listen to reservation high school sports Figure 62 - Would Listen to Traditional Crow Songs I would listen to traditional Crow songs 80 Percent 60 40 20 0 -9 no yes I would listen to traditional Crow songs 46 Figure 63 - Would Listen to Segments About Events in Crow History I would listen to segments about events in Crow history 80 Percent 60 40 20 0 -9 no yes I would listen to segments about events in Crow history Figure 64 - Would Listen to Health Programs about Important Health Issues I would listen to health programs about important health issues 80 Percent 60 40 20 0 -9 no yes I would listen to health programs about important health issues 47 Figures 47-64 demonstrate areas where respondents indicated a perception of need or an expression of interest that motivated support for a particular type of programming that would be unique to Native radio in the Crow Reservation area. By order of percentage of support respondents agreed that they would listen the following types of programming: news coverage of reservation events (82.9%), National Native News (82.9%), music by local artists (82.9%), a community calendar of events (81.6%), reservation high school sports (81.6%), Crow stories at night in the winter (78.9%), emergency broadcasts and weather bulletins (78.9%), interviews with successful Crow people (77.6%), live call-in programs about Indian issues (77.6%), traditional Crow children’s stories in English (76.3%), traditional Crow songs (76.3%), health programs about important health issues (75%), segments about events in Crow history (73.7%), a State-of-the-Tribe address from the Chairman (71.1%), children’s programming in the Crow language (63.2%), programs in the Crow language (60.5%), school lunch menus (59.2%), and political discussions with Crow leadership (56.6%). Figure 65 - How Often Do You Listen to the Radio How often do you listen to the radio 100 Percent 80 60 40 20 0 every day several times a week just once a week less frequently How often do you listen to the radio 48 Figure 66 - Stop Listening Because of Programming or Schedule stop listening because of programming or schedule 60 50 Percent 40 30 20 10 0 0 because I don't like the programming because of my schedule stop listening because of programming or schedule Figures 65 and 66 suggest that for the most part (84.2%), those surveyed listen to the radio everyday and the main reason (56.1%) they stop listening to the radio at any point during the day is because their own schedules don’t permit them to continue listening at least for some period of time. 42.4% of recorded listeners stop listening because they don’t like the programming. 49 Figure 67 - Programming in Crow Language Would Help Bring Back Crow Lang Programming in the Crow language would help bring the Crow language back 50 Percent 40 30 20 10 0 strongly disagree disagree slightly disagree sligtly agree agree strongly agree Programming in the Crow language would help bring the Crow language back Figure 68 - Native Radio Station Would Improve Relations with Surrounding Areas A Native radio station would improve relations with the surrounding areas 40 Percent 30 20 10 0 strongly disagree slightly disagree sligtly agree agree strongly agree A Native radio station would improve relations with the surrounding areas 50 Figure 69 - Crow Station Would Help the Reservation’s Economy A Crow station would help the reservation's economy 40 Percent 30 20 10 0 strongly disagree slightly disagree sligtly agree agree strongly agree A Crow station would help the reservation's economy Figure 70 – Crow Station Would Improve Communication Between Tribal Leadership And Tribal Members A Crow station would improve communication between tribal leadership and tribal members 50 Percent 40 30 20 10 0 strongly disagree disagree slightly disagree sligtly agree agree strongly agree A Crow station would improve communication between tribal leadership and tribal members 51 Figure 71 - Crow Station Would Help Children Stay More Interested in Our Culture A Crow station would help out children stay more interested in our culture 40 Percent 30 20 10 0 strongly disagree slightly disagree sligtly agree agree strongly agree A Crow station would help out children stay more interested in our culture Figure 72 - Crow Station Could Provide Emergency Broadcasts that Might Save Lives A Crow station could provide emergency broadcasts and bulletins that might save lives 60 50 Percent 40 30 20 10 0 strongly disagree disagree sligtly agree agree strongly agree A Crow station could provide emergency broadcasts and bulletins that might save lives 52 Figure 73 - Crow Station Would Help Me Stay More Connected w/ Friends and Family A Crow station would help me stay more connected to my family and friends 40 Percent 30 20 10 0 strongly disagree disagree slightly disagree sligtly agree agree strongly agree A Crow station would help me stay more connected to my family and friends Figure 74 - Crow Station Would Educate General Public about Native Issues A Crow station would serve to educate the general public about Native American issues 50 Percent 40 30 20 10 0 strongly disagree slightly disagree sligtly agree agree strongly agree A Crow station would serve to educate the general public about Native American issues 53 Figure 75 - Crow Station Could Produce Programming to Attract Young People A Crow station could produce programming that would attract young people 50 Percent 40 30 20 10 0 strongly disagree disagree slightly disagree sligtly agree agree strongly agree A Crow station could produce programming that would attract young people Figure 76 - Crow Station Would Represent Authentic Native Culture to Non-Indians A Crow station would represent authentic Native culture to non-Indian listeners 50 Percent 40 30 20 10 0 strongly disagree slightly disagree sligtly agree agree strongly agree A Crow station would represent authentic Native culture to non-Indian listeners 54 Figure 77 - Crow Station Would Interest Me A Crow station would interest me 50 Percent 40 30 20 10 0 strongly disagree disagree sligtly agree agree strongly agree A Crow station would interest me Figure 78 - Would Support a Crow Station by Listening Regularly I would support a Crow radio station by listening regularly 60 50 Percent 40 30 20 10 0 strongly disagree slightly disagree sligtly agree agree strongly agree I would support a Crow radio station by listening regularly 55 Figure 79 - Would Support a Crow Radio Station Financially I would supprot a Crow radio station financially 40 Percent 30 20 10 0 strongly disagree disagree slightly disagree sligtly agree agree strongly agree I would supprot a Crow radio station financially Figure 80 - Would Listen to a Crow Station More Often Than Other Stations I would listen to a Crow station more often than other stations 50 Percent 40 30 20 10 0 strongly disagree slightly disagree sligtly agree agree strongly agree I would listen to a Crow station more often than other stations 56 Figures 67-80 demonstrate degrees of agreement or disagreement about the benefits of having an Apsaalooke radio station. In general the survey population believes that programming in the Crow language would help to bring the Crow language back (85.7%). Respondents (89.7%) agreed that a Native American radio station would improve relations with the surrounding area and that a Crow station would also help the Reservation’s economy (91.4%). Those surveyed felt other benefits of a Crow radio station would be improved communication between tribal leadership and tribal members (79.7%), heightened interest in the Crow culture among children (92.9%), more efficient transmission of emergency broadcasts and weather bulletins (97.1%), increased senses of connection between friends and family (91.1%), and improved education of the public about Native American issues (95.6%). Survey respondent also agreed that a Crow radio station could produce programming that would attract young people (94.3%) and that it would represent authentic Native culture to non-Indian listeners (97%). Finally, those surveyed evaluated their own personal contributions to a Native radio station. 97% of respondents said a Crow station would interest them. 95.8% pledged their support by listening regularly. 80.6% felt they would be able to financially contribute to a station. 89.7% said they would listen to a Crow station more often than they currently listen to other stations. In addition to quantitative data, participants were also encouraged to offer qualitative comments at the closing of the questionnaire. The following qualitative comments were received in response to question number 18 (Please write any additional comments in the space provided): 57 Indian Radio Qualitative Comments ♦ A Crow radio station would be great for our people. ♦ If it were possible to include some NPR news programming thru some kind of affiliation, it would be the only radio station I would ever listen to. It would be important to have good reception in all the major communities on the Reservation – and Billings area, for that matter. This would be a real contribution to the political, economic & social fabric of the Tribe & the Reservation. ♦ Good Thinking!!! ♦ I doubt a community this size could financially support a radio station. ♦ This would be a good idea! ♦ This radio station should consider all types of music not just Traditional and powwow. Also cover all sports Crows are involved in, no matter what school they attend. ♦ Salary basis shouldn’t be exploid to your concern. Unless your going to give me a tribal job. ♦ Sounds Interesting ♦ This was a good survey. ♦ I marked slightly agree & agree the most, because it depends on how well the programming is carried out. If it is run pretty-good & professionally it could make a difference in address crow culture. ♦ Please keep going with this idea its great 58 CHAPTER 4 DISCUSSION Summary This thesis explored two questions essential to the formation of a comprehensive representation of community support and interest in a Native radio station: 1.) Is there enough support and interest to allow for the creation of Native radio programming in the Crow Reservation area? 2.) Are there areas of need within the Crow communities that could be met by implementing locally controlled, indigenous radio programming? A review of literature pertaining to the development and implementation of radio showed that radio is a basic fact of life for youth in the United States. It has the power to influence and educate listeners, especially in impoverished and underprivileged communities. Radio can act as a proactive community outreach program and has been shown to be effective in the revitalization of culture and language, improving the quantity and quality of language, and creating contexts for sociocultural learning. Results from the questionnaire analysis showed that the majority of respondents were under the age of 36. Surveys clustered in the lower four age ranges are probably due to the significantly younger average age of persons residing on reservations in Montana and to the fact that younger members of families may assume the shopping and refueling responsibilities meaning that older people might not frequent the grocery store and gas stations to the same degree that younger people may. 59 The majority of persons surveyed had household incomes under $30,000 per year. This is consistent with general descriptions of income and poverty for this area and suggests that funding for a station such as that proposed would need to be derived from outside sources. Nearly all of the survey respondents were residents of Big Horn county and those few that were not were residents of adjacent Yellowstone County. Since this survey was not distributed during a tourist season it reflects the usual area patrons who would be affected by radio transmission originating in or near Crow Agency. It is conceivable that a strong argument could be made in request of tribal support for a Native station in this area as 91% of those providing survey feedback were enrolled members of the Crow Tribe indicating that any decision in the direction of radio by the council or Chairman would be in direct relation to tribal constituents. Current listening patterns of those surveyed suggest that an FM station would be most like to be located by area listeners as the large majority of respondents tuned their dials to FM rather than AM stations. In order to maximize the number of listeners, a Native station should be broadcast on FM since the probability of a listener changing from an old station to a new Native station would be substantially greater if the listener does not need to switch tuners, but can simply employ a radio’s seek button. Because the Crow Reservation in located in close proximity to the state of Wyoming, some stations broadcast from this state can occasionally be accessed by area residents. However, since nearly 90% of individuals surveyed listened to stations originating in Montana, it is clear that the best option for transmission is probably from a Montana location. 60 Listening patterns for respondents indicate that most area residents are listening to the radio on a consistent basis and throughout the week. This is promising for the researcher because it indicates that radio can provide ongoing programming that will be accessed consistently by listeners. Listening patterns also indicate that nearly 85% of respondents listen to the radio while they are in their cars. Since the rural nature and location of the Crow Reservation necessitates extensive travel these results also add confidence to the researcher’s venture. A fairly consistent 50% of respondents stated that they listen to the radio before school or work, at school or work, and after school or work so it can be expected that this percentage of the area population could potentially be listening to a Native radio station throughout the day. Survey responses also indicate that there are listeners 24 hours a day although after 10pm and before 8am these numbers are much lower than during daytime hours. In addition a consistent 30% of individuals who accessed radio from home during the day indicated that they would be listening at some time during the day. When examining the analysis of current program preference it is clear that people are listening to radio for the music (93.4%). After music people tune in to radio for local (48.7%) and national (34.2%) news, weather (51.3%), and sports (32.9%). Less popular programs include live call-in (21.1%), historical pieces (7.9%), community calendars (21.1%), sports commentary (17.1%), political debate (11.8%), and story reading (6.6%). One reason some of these programs may be less popular is because since none of the stations originate in Native communities, they do not represent the thoughts and interests of the demographic or do not pertain to the function of their daily lives. 61 Clearly the most popular genres of music in this demographic include rock, hiphop, and R&B followed closely by country, traditional Indian, and oldies tunes. The researcher will employ this information when planning programming that will appeal to the demographic, catering to the majority while also providing listening material for more diverse preferences. Since definitions were not provided for the phrases used to describe the different music genres, it is possible that some individuals may have been uncertain as to what types of music were encompassed within a genre, however, because mainstream media has created and promoted the terms defining these genre it is expected that the majority of persons accessing radio, a form of mainstream media, are familiar with these terms. When surveying areas of need or interest with specific reference to a uniquely Crow station, very high percentages of support were recorded. Programs of greatest support included national news that tied area residents to other tribes; music, events, and sports focused on local people; programs that would help to maintain and reinforce the Crow language; and health, historical, and political programs. Programs showing the least amount of support (although these percentages were still well above 50%) were programs dealing with children’s themes, school lunch, and political discussion. One reason that children’s themes may have received a less significant amount of support is because not everyone completing a survey may have had or been somehow related to a child such that their concerns would reflect an interest in children’s programming. Survey results illustrating why patrons stop listening to radio suggest that it is often because an individual’s schedule no longer permits him/her to listen to the radio. It should be noted and carefully considered, however, that only slightly less often, patrons 62 stop listening to a station because they do not like the programming. This fact is one that will weigh heavily on considerations for sequencing and duration of different types of programming. Finally these qualitative portions of the survey indicate that respondents were quite hopeful about what radio could do for the area. Those surveyed agreed that Indian radio could bring significant gains in public relations, economic transactions, language revitalization, community connectedness, disaster preparedness. Because they perceived significant benefit, participants were highly willing to pledge their time, finances, and patronage to a Native radio station. The primary reason that commitment to financial support was not reported to same degree as patronage support is most likely due to fewer economic resources as noted by the demographic descriptors of household income. The qualitative data submitted by participants suggests that while they don’t like surveys to ask the details of their personal lives, details like income, and while they understand that it would be very difficult for a small community to support a radio station, they are wholeheartedly supportive of the idea of a radio station. Conclusions: In consideration of the proposed research questions the research can conclude from the data that there is evidence of strong support and interest that would allow for the creation of Native radio programming in the Crow Reservation area and that there are areas of need within the Crow communities that could be met by implementing locally controlled, indigenous radio programming. 63 Recommendations: Based on the preceding data and conclusions, it is recommended that plans for a radio station proceed to those of financial and functional feasibility and that the search for public radio assistance and grant funding continue to be pursued. 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September, 2002. 65 APPENDIX A SURVEY INSTRUMENT 66 67 69 68 70