1979 Max Brown

When you talk about a man to a whole roomful of his friends, it's important that you say the right things. Tonight, I'm here to talk about Max Brown, and I'll enjoy very much trying to present a brief but accurate picture of his contributions to agriculture.

I have known Max for a number of years, but some of you have known him much longer, and in some ways, know him better.

If you have had any part in the Nebraska Cooperative Council, you know Max. If you belong to one of Nebraska's farm organizations, you know him. If you represent the news media, you certainly know him. In fact, if you have worked in any way toward the betterment of Nebraska agriculture – and that fits most everyone here – you know about Max Brown, because you have been on the same team with him.

You may even have joined Max in helping to start radio station KRVN in Lexington, Nebraska, if you subscribed to an individual $10 membership in the Nebraska Rural Radio Association which owns this unique station – the only farmer-rancher owned radio station in the free world.

When we talk about Max, we have to say a good deal about KRVN, too. We can't separate them, and we don't want to. Max was instrumental in getting the station started in 1951 and was its only manager until last August when he retired, and his son Eric succeeded him as manager.

It's my understanding that KRVN (that RVN stands for Rural Voice of Nebraska) was founded partly in response to a demand for better weather information for farmers and ranchers after the blizzard of 1949. I also believe the idea came partly from a radio station started by the Ohio Farm Bureau.

Max is an agricultural economist by training and had taught ag economics at South Dakota State University before coming here in 1946 to become Executive Secretary of the Cooperative Council.

According to Max (these are his words), he knew nothing about radio in those years, except that he listened to it a lot while driving back and forth between Brookings, South Dakota, and Minneapolis where he was working on a doctorate at the University of Minnesota.

I heard Max say at a meeting last month that "if we had known much about radio in 1951, we would never have tried to start a station. It wasn't a good time. Radio was in a shambles and TV was coming in. And the idea of a farmer-owned station wasn't really very popular then."

There was an especially unusual twist in the founding of KRVN. It was started in a building that once housed a mortuary. It's still there (the station, that is) and Max says he knows of no other radio station anywhere that is in a former funeral home.

That doesn't mean KRVN is a "deadly" station – far from it. The station is very much alive and has grown consistently under Max Brown's leadership. But growth and prosperity have not come without many disappointments and hurdles to overcome – such as the elements that destroyed the transmitter – and the opposition from some sections of the commercial radio industry in Nebraska to having a non-profit farmer-owned station on the air. That opposition has now largely disappeared.

Max's leadership over the years was supported by a very large measure of his own personal courage.

Despite the problems and setbacks, including the long delay and battle in getting approval of the Federal Communications Commission for a stronger voice through increased power, Max Brown persisted in his dream of providing greater and wider service to Nebraska agriculture.

Well, was it a good idea to start a farmer-rancher owned radio station in 1951 – in those years when Max said he didn't know anything about radio?

Time proved that it was. Today KRVN is one of the dominant radio voices not only in Nebraska but throughout the Midwest, broadcasting as a clear channel station with 50,000 watts of power compared with its original 25,000 watts. It reaches a large part of western United States and has regular listeners in those other states. Then even get mail from Hawaii, Canada and Mexico.

In Nebraska we have solid evidence of KRVN's listenership. A survey of a 54-county area in Nebraska showed that as many as 72 percent of the farmers and ranchers were listening to the station between 9 and 11:30 a.m.

Max is modest about his own contributions to the station. In a report to the KRVN board of directors on a news story about the station, he wrote that "I wish there had been more about the contribution of various organizations and individuals and the Lexington Chamber of Commerce. Also, it sounds like Max Brown had more to do with it than he really did." Well, all of us who know Max will continue to give him that credit and more – credit that Max Brown richly deserves.

But as important as Max has been in agricultural radio, let's not forget that he has other dimensions. And in Lexington itself, he's much more than a recently retired radio station manager.

Dawson County has a most perceptive county Extension agent, so I thought it would be interesting to find out how that agent – Harold Stevens – views the fellow we are describing tonight. Harold speaks straight from the shoulder – what he says is what he thinks. This is what Harold wrote to me:

"I have known and worked with Max Brown for nearly 30 years. I personally believe that Max is probably closer to Nebraska Agriculture than any other individual because of his many contacts with the presidents, managers, and board members of all the agricultural organizations through their programming on KRVN. Max has known and worked with them all on a personal basis.

"Max Brown was a charter member and board member of Ag Builders. I always enjoy riding with him to attend the Builders meetings. I always find out what is going on state-wide because of his broad knowledge.

"The Dawson County Cattlemen, Spare Rib Club, Corn Growers and Sheep and Wool Associations honored Max last summer at the Cattlemen's Big Steak Feed by presenting him a plaque engraved 'service to Agriculture Award for outstanding contributions to Agriculture in marketing and weather information'."

Those programs that Harold mentions add up to about 25 market programs a day, along with 34 weather forecasts, 37 newscasts, and about 16 programs a week from farm industry-related organizations.

KRVN also brings its listeners country western music, religious broadcasts, and Cornhusker football. Max thinks in terms of the whole state, not just Lexington and Dawson County. But if you watch a football game with him, he'll remind you every time Dean Sukup kicks an extra point that Sukup comes from neighboring Cozad.

A sportswriter, (Wally Provost of the World-Herald) mind you, once referred to KRVN as a "friendly 50,000 watter that is an institution as solid as the Statehouse."

A man who worked with the Co-op Council in the early years had much the same thing to say as Harold Stevens about Max's ability to communicate with all segments of the agricultural industry. And he said Max was the kind of leader who could get all the issues on top of the table and get them aired – an open approach to problems.

About those other dimensions – I have an impressive list of activities that Max has somehow found time for – the Lexington Chamber of Commerce, Nebraskaland Foundation, Boy Scouts, VFW, American Legion, the Nebraska Broadcasters – leadership in the Methodist Church. And he served four years in the Air Corps during World War II.

Many of us here have worked with Max in the Nebraska Council on Public Relations for Agriculture. He was chairman of the Council for two terms and he gave it great leadership.

The Nebraska Agribusiness Club recognized Max's leadership in a much broader sense in 1972 when it presented him with its Award for Public Service to Agriculture.

Above all, Max has maintained a deep commitment to agriculture, including farmer cooperatives, farm organizations and the College of Agriculture – now the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

It is accurate and necessary to add that when KRVN went on the air, Max immediately came to the then College of Agriculture and offered unlimited time for agricultural and home economics programs. Throughout his years as manager, he has been most cooperative with the College and now with the Institute. He provided an outlet, without any strings, and times not available on most commercial stations, for dissemination of the results of agricultural research and Extension work. And now KRVN is giving three generous scholarships each year for Ag College students majoring in broadcast journalism. Believe me, we appreciate this support.

It has been nice to have an opportunity to talk about Max Brown, not just because of what he has accomplished, but also because he's a heckuva nice guy.