Tracing the History of a National Broadcast Public Relations Leader

Thirty-six years ago, News Broadcast Network (NBN) - then known as News/Sports Radio Network - was founded, the brainchild of the late James L. Hill. Mr. Hill, a Midwesterner who first worked at several Chicago-area newspapers and then United Press International, returned from World War II to do advertising and public relations for Iowa Governor Robert Blue. In the early 1950s, Mr. Hill opened his own advertising agency, laying the groundwork for the discovery of his true love, radio broadcasting.

By the late 1960s, Mr. Hill had moved from advertising to PR and marketing, seizing upon a developing opportunity he saw in corporate sponsorship of sports events. His early work for Miller Brewing Company utilized new radio technology - the cassette recorder - to provide national and localized sports stories about Miller-sponsored events to radio networks and local stations unable to cover many of the new professional sports that were enjoying a surge in popularity.

In the early 70s, the fledgling company focused on establishing its position as a leader in on-scene radio coverage, primarily for corporate-sponsored sports events. The company covered bowling, golf and tennis tournaments as well as major league baseball, NBA basketball, NFL football and Olympic events sponsored by such names as Miller, Firestone, Sears, Chrysler, McDonalds, Gillette, General Electric and American Express.

In the following years, all four of Mr. Hill's sons -- Bob, Michael, James and Thomas -- joined their father in the new enterprise, helping to guide its evolution into a full service, national public relations news operation. In the process, the company broadened its scope to include a wide range of business, consumer and sports news in addition to corporate stories.

The company's name change to News Broadcast Network in 1991 coincided with a decision to bring its editorial and management skill to television and two newly emerging PR techniques -- video news releases (VNR) and satellite media tours (SMT). By capitalizing on its experience and leadership position in radio PR services, the company quickly leveraged its expertise in radio news releases and radio media tours to help define what was to become the prototype for VNR distribution and SMT production. More than a decade later, NBN is still recognized as an industry leader in technical innovation and station placement.

NBN, still a privately owned and family-run organization, has in recent years acquired two firms that have enriched its capabilities and talent pool. In 2000, NBN acquired OnCue, a boutique corporate video and commercial production company that enhanced NBN's video production capabilities. In 2003, NBN acquired TVN Communications Group, a healthcare broadcast public relations company with extensive knowledge and experience in the healthcare production field.