CATCHING THE BIG FISH: THE THREE KEY REQUIREMENTS WE MET TO HOOK ABC AUDIO
It’s been a little over six months since ABC AUDIO — home of ABC Radio — began distributing their news, entertainment content, and advertising inventory with LinkUp Communications as it’s distributor. For any content delivery service, serving a major news outlet is a big deal.
But the process was not that simple. There were steps we had to take — hurdles that had to be jumped — to gain the trust of a top-notch news network with more than 1500 AM and FM affiliates.
There were three non-negotiable ABC AUDIO must-haves that gained us the trust of the nation’s largest commercial radio network:
A SOLID REPUTATION IN THE INDUSTRY
When LinkUp first opened conversations with ABC in the spring of 2023, owning and operating a Network Operations Center had been a fairly new addition to our list of services, but we were not new to content delivery.
For over 20 years our company’s emphasis had been on supplying our customers with the various tools of the trade, allowing networks - large and small - the ability to own and operate their very own content delivery system. Our process had been to install a state-of-the-art satellite delivery system, provide time on the orbital satellite of their choice, then supply ongoing service to these networks from coast to coast.
It is our niche, and we do it well. Our engineering and installation staff are known for their expertise in the field. In fact, some of the largest radio networks in the nation regularly turn to us for our support and advice. We leveraged our reputation and connections when purchasing our NOC in Colorado and, within months, assembled a “dream team” of well known and extremely proficient broadcasters. These accomplished individuals manage the day-to-day operations of the LinkUp NOC with same emphasis on excellence in which our company has been known.
A STATE OF THE ART FACILITY WITH THE ABILITY TO DISTRIBUTE NETWORK CONTENT AND ADVERTISING INVENTORY
There were two big reasons we were so very interested in this specific Network Ops Center. One? It was located in sunny Denver, Colorado, where so many other providers are located. Check Google and you’ll see Denver’s “arid conditions bring only 8 to 15 inches of annual precipitation and more than 300 days of sunshine a year.” Perfect for a tech hub.
But reason two was the clincher: The site provides a full menu of additional services — including our own XDS audio delivery platform. We knew the XDS was the key to future growth for our company since it’s both reliable and easy to integrate. What’s more, it’s THE preferred platform for ABC Audio and so many other top-notch networks.
A PASSIONATE COMMITMENT TO THE PROJECT
By the time the agreement with ABC Audio was signed, we had a transition window of just four months to reassign ABC's roughly 1500 affiliates to LinkUp’s XDS satellite and streaming receivers and Internet file-based distribution.
This is where our terrific staff of experienced, tech-savvy professionals took on legendary hero status. Working very long hours — and even putting in additional time during the week between Christmas and New Year’s — the team paved the way for the conversion of ABC’s AM and FM affiliates to LinkUp’s ultra-reliable XDS platform with overwhelmingly terrific results.
“Again and again, LinkUp has shown their expertise, professionalism, and commitment to service makes them the ideal fit for ABC Audio,” said Liz Alesse, vice president of ABC Audio. “They have made our goal of delivering top-quality content to our valued affiliates with excellence achievable.”
THE LINKUP WAY
There are a lot of rumblings right now in the content delivery industry. Many broadcasters are concerned about the stability and longevity of content delivery companies like us.
No need to worry about LinkUp. We’re a privately held company. With us, the focus is solely on YOU, and not our stock performance. Another company asset is our top notch team of experienced broadcast professionals, whose desire to always get it right. Period.
One last thought: This need for dependability and desire for perfection is not limited to certain high profile customers. The very same team of audio professionals that ABC utilizes is at work for ALL of our clients, large and small. Every broadcaster deserves to know their content provider is rock solid, passionate about what they do, and equipped with the right tools to get the job done right.
Want to know more about the LinkUp Way? Then give us a call. Take advantage of our decades of technology experience and top-notch facility that not only gives you peace of mind, but elevates your content distribution to the next level.