Cumulus Media Networks the market, it was sold in 1943 to businessman Edward J. Noble, owner of Life Savers candy and the Rexall Drug store chain, for the asking price. After Noble took over, the network identified itself on-air as "The Blue Network." It was officially renamed the "American Broadcasting Company, Inc." in June 1945 after the company bought the rights to the name from (what would later become) Storer Broadcasting. With about 65 affiliates, ABC began with few of the big names and popular shows the other networks offered, so counter-programming became an ABC specialty. Industry policy had been to forbid taped
Noble J. Johnson Noble J. Johnson Noble Jacob Johnson (August 23, 1887 – March 17, 1968) was a United States Representative from Indiana and an Associate Judge and Chief Judge of the United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals. Born in Terre Haute, Indiana, Johnson attended the public schools. After reading law to be admitted to the bar in 1911, he commenced practice in Terre Haute from 1911 to 1917. He was a deputy prosecuting attorney for the forty-third judicial circuit of Indiana in 1917 and 1918. He served as prosecuting attorney for the same judicial circuit from 1921 to 1924. Johnson