Ed Johnson's ABN finds new country home

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Dr. Whiplash
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Ed Johnson's ABN finds new country home

Post by Dr. Whiplash »

Ohio’s longest-running farm radio network, the ABN (Agri Broadcast Network) has moved to a new home. AdVance Broadcast & Communication, Ltd., founders of the Buckeye Ag Radio Network (BARN) has taken over operations of the ABN.

Owned by Andy Vance and Lindsay Hill of rural DeGraff, Ohio, AdVance will continue to operate both networks, expanding the company’s programming reach from fifteen stations to over sixty-five stations.

“We’ve branded the BARN as the ‘Next Generation of Rural Radio,’â€
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Post by djMatty »

I thought Clear Channel had taken ABN over for awhile or owned it and was running it out of Findlay?

Or was that another farm network..
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Post by Dr. Whiplash »

Ed Johnson, a great guy who died way too young, was misunderestimated. "Why would that crazy farm boy think that setting up a bunch of satellite dishes for regional radio feeds would make any money?" :lol:

From a history of Radio Sound Network...

RADIO SOUND NETWORK, a division of RadiOhio, was established as a division of Agri Communicators, Inc. in 1977. RadiOhio, Inc., formed in 1924, is closely associated with the Dispatch Broadcast Group, which includes: WBNS AM; WBNS FM; The Ohio News Network; The Ohio State Sports Radio Network; WBNS TV in Columbus, and WTHR TV in Indianapolis. In addition, the parent company of RadiOhio owns: The Columbus Dispatch Newspaper; numerous suburban newspapers in central Ohio; Dispatch Consumer Services, a direct marketing company; Ohio Equities, a real estate and development company; and several other companies. RadiOhio and Agri Communicators completed negotiations in 1995 to transfer ownership RADIO SOUND NETWORK to RadiOhio.

Initially, RADIO SOUND NETWORK distributed radio programming for the Agri Broadcasting Network, another division of Agri Communicators. At first, distribution was accomplished through a system of FM SCA and dedicated phone lines. In 1984, RADIO SOUND NETWORK became one of the first regional networks to convert to a satellite distribution system, transmitting one carrier on Western Union's Westar IV.

In 1986, RADIO SOUND NETWORK signed a distribution contract with WBNS to uplink Ohio State University football and basketball programming. Later that year, we began to deliver network programming for the Cleveland Browns, the Cleveland Indians, and the Cleveland Cavaliers. In fact, for as long as the Cavs and Buckeyes have been delivered via satellite, they have been delivered by RADIO SOUND NETWORK.

In 1994, RADIO SOUND NETWORK completed a major facilities upgrade in, including conversion of transmission circuits to digital using a combination of T1, dedicated digital loops, and ISDN. We also completed upgrades of our satellite transmission facilities to include digital transmission capability, and implemented a complete digital receiver replacement program for our fleet of radio station downlinks. RADIO SOUND NETWORK continues to transmit digital audio carriers to 99° WL, now occupied by Hughes' Galaxy IV-R.

With the additional growth in 1996 into West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana as a result of reaching agreement with Jacor Communications for distribution of the Cincinnati Reds and the Cincinnati Bengals, the need for a new facility became apparent. Construction began in 1997, and operations moved to the new master control/uplink facility on October 12, 1998. This facility provides us the availability to a wide variety of resources providing your network a depth of technical services few are able to match. In 2000, RSN's professional sports focus moved from MLB and the NFL to the NHL with the addition of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Columbus Blue Jackets Radio Networks. In fact, all Columbus Blue Jackets broadcasts are produced right in the RSN Studios in Columbus, OH. More recently, RSN expanded into Michigan through distribution of Hobson Media's "Michigan Golf Live".

In 2003, RADIO SOUND NETWORK, along with all of RadiOhio, completed a major facilities rebuild to incorporate Klotz Digital routing and event handling in our constant quest to improve our quality of service to clients and affiliates. And in 2004, the company has welcomed its newest network client, the Columbus Destroyers AFL Radio Network.
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Post by Dave Allen »

When I was at WJEH in Gallipolis, OH in the early 90's we ran Ed Johnson's ABN report as part of a 30 minute noon newscast. We would tape it, then play it back in one segment. Whoa be on your ass if you missed the taping (which was done on a very old reel-to-reel that was encased in a cabinet the size of a grandfather clock) and the farmer's in Gallia, Meigs and Lawrence Counties missed that report! Not being from a farming area I never knew what the hell he was saying or talking about. The segment was very popular, though, and I believe we had at least three sponsors for just his segment of the news. I wasn't aware he had died.
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