The Quad Cities was recognized as the farm implement capital of the word, home to John Deere as well as host to International Harvester, Case and Caterpillar farm implement plants. Agricultural reports are an important part of local broadcasting and for WOC this was no exception.
WOC Farm Director Daryl Albaugh was born on an Iowa farm and spent his life close to the land. His father was in the feed business and Daryl studied the dairy industry while at Iowa State. When he made the switch to radio, it was to service agricultural accounts in farm advertising. His years spent working with grain dealers, farm implement dealers, elevators and related agri-businesses provided an invaluable background for his market reports and farm features. Daryl lived on a farm and was member of the National Association of Farm Broadcasters according to a 1985 WOC Agri News brochure. Daryl and his wife Carma celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Sunday, Feb. 10, 2008.
Each day 12 features containing farm and market information were broadcast including reports on the Chicago and Peoria markets. This provided valuable information not only to local farm families in the WOC listening area but also to those involved in local manufacturing.
If you have any pictures or memories regarding Daryl Albaugh, J.R. Underwood or anything regarding the golden years of farm broadcasting in the Quad Cities on WOC, WHBF or WQAD please CLICK HERE to email me!
Daryl's farm desk shortly before we moved in 1987
Julie Bothwell, Doug Spettes, Paul Richards and Daryl Albaugh the 1985 WOC news morning crew!
Here is a shot of Daryl in hallway just before you enter newsroom on left. He's coming down the hall from the WOC master control tech room. A.J. Wholeck, salesperson, checks the wall for 5" reel tapes of commercials. I suspect she is looking for some clients commercial in a box on the wall for the continuity department who would have asked for airing.
... and here is J.R. Underwood, the famous WOC Farm Director with his wife in another picture which probably dates from the mid 80's.
- Legendary WOC engineer Jon Book
Steve Sullivan reported that in 1945, Underwood embarked on his second career – director of Scott County Extension. When he retired as extension director in 1966, more than 500 people gathered in Davenport to honor him. Of course, he didn’t really retire. At the age of 70, Underwood began his third career as a farm broadcaster for WOC radio and television in Davenport. He stayed at that job for 15 years.
In a Des Moines Register story written when he finally retired in 1981, longtime agriculture reporter Don Muhm wrote: "J.R. for more than a generation has been in the agricultural center of things in the Davenport area. For 36 years he has been encouraging farmers and others to do better, and deserves some of the credit for helping create the flow of talented rural leaders from Scott County in the Iowa Legislature, commodity organizations and youth organizations like 4-H and the FAA."
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This website is not affiliated in any way to WOC, KWQC or RCA. This is a fan site dedicated to preserving the memory of WOC during the 1960's and 1970's including The Cartoon Showboat. Any images on this site are presumed to be copyrighted by the owners and are used here only for example under the fair use provisions.
