24 www.sdbj.com MAY 4, 2020 Insecticide from page 6 third the cost of bio-pesticides.” The sustainable factor is likely also to be a selling point for Agragene.

Climate change“ and the way ag is done today is not a sustainable future. GORDON ALTON “Climate change and the way ag is done today is not a sustainable future,” Alton said. “Spraying chemicals all the time leads to chemical resistance.” Alton said that climate change has led to more bugs showing up earlier. They live longer; they are more active. Agragene is work- ing on an eco-friendly solution. Photo courtesy of One America News Network Drone Delivery Liz Wheeler is the host of “Tipping Point with Liz Wheeler” seen nightly on One America News Network. Agragene plans to use drones to de- AT&T TV—a new video product available As a National News Network, How Do liver its sterile insects. for every home nationwide—DirecTV, You Think OAN and Its Mission Will According to Alton, drones can cover OAN Network and AT&T U-Verse. In addition, OAN is Have Changed When the COVID-19 an acre in one to two minutes. They are from page 1 available on streaming products such as Crisis is Over? currently being used in a couple states. KlowdTV.com, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, COVID-19 has reinforced our mission The company says it would partner with They first Herring and Apple TV. to keep our viewers informed with the a drone service rather than operate its launched sister Networks, Inc. latest and most accurate news possible. own UAVs. network AWE What are the Benefits and Challenges of YEAR FOUNDED: We’ve stepped up live coverage briefings, When asked about potential com- (A Wealth of Running a National Media Organization AWE 2004, OAN 2013 especially from the White House. Today, petitors or possible alternatives being Entertainment) From San Diego? developed, Alton said there is nothing formerly known HEADQUARTERS: we have White House correspondents supplanting the technical ability at this as Wealth TV in San Diego The benefits include living in the most working from the West Wing seven days EMPLOYEES: time. 2004. Privately 152 amazing city in the nation. It’s difficult a week. CO. DESCRIPTION: to move out of San Diego after you Agragene was founded in a UC San owned, the Her- You Have a Family History in The San Diego lab by three founders, Valentino rings state Her- A family-owned and truly appreciate the people, weather, and operated independent incredible coastline. As the only national Diego Region. How Do You Think This Gantz, assistant research scientist UC rings Networks, media company Has Benefitted OAN? San Diego; Omar Akbari, associate Inc. has been focused on providing cable news channel in San Diego, there is a professor UC San Diego; and Ethan profitable since high quality national young talent pool, eager for opportunities Our family has resided in San Diego for Bier, professor UC San Diego. 2010. But the television programming to that’s coming out of our numerous uni- nearly 50 years. It’s an amazing place to consumers via its national Alton joined the team in the first cable networks versities. We’ve been fortunate enough to live. No matter how challenging the work cable networks. hire some great local talent. In addition to day may get, at the end of the day, we live year, 2017, and was made CEO and were a second WEBSITE: our San Diego headquarters and studios, in San Diego! If you live here, then you president in 2018. He said he had the career for the el- www.OANN.com OAN operates a news bureau in Wash- understand. “Venn Diagram of skills and attributes der Herring as he NOTABLE: Founder Robert the company was looking for. was formerly a Herring once published a ington DC and a small live hits studio in What are The Benefits to Being a Family- “I’ve been in the life sciences and maker of circuit newspaper in Escondido. New York City. Owned Company and How Do These pharmaceuticals for more than 20 years,” boards. He sold You Have Stated That Your Company is Translate to Your Networks? Alton said. “My background is in bio- Herco Technology Corp. to major supplier Profitable. What Innovations Has Your chemistry. I’ve started my own biotech Synthane Taylor in 2000 for $122 million. Family-owned companies can move Company Embraced to Build on This companies and have a deep background After this, he retired, but he soon realized faster. With all the changes in media, the Success? in oncology and immunology.” retirement was not for him. Wealth TV ability to adapt is critical. Yet, media is He even grew up on a farm. was born in 2004. But even then he was Technology and delivery methods are control by a small group of large cor- Alton said he had experience with thinking about a news network. One of changing rapidly in national news. With porations. As an independent, national CRISPR, is comfortable in a startup and Herring’s first experiences in business was a long history in the electronics industry, news channel, receiving consideration for a can manage a lean situation. He said publishing a newspaper, the Escondido I’ve never been afraid to turn to technol- addition on the big cable companies is he was also comfortable with that key Reporter, and Robert Herring said he has ogy for a better solution. As an example, challenging. We’ve had the best success element of a startup: fundraising. always had an interest in news. today we transmit live feeds across the when there is a ground swell of customers That last one will be important as the “I started with nothing and have had a country with a unit that fits into a small kindly demanding that our channels are company will need to raise money for good run of luck,” Robert Herring said. backpack. But back when we started the added to their lineup. a factory. Alton said the factory likely Available on DirecTV and AT&T sys- company in 2004, a large and expensive would not be in San Diego, but he ex- tems, along with more than 50 smaller satellite truck was needed for live trans- The Media Landscape Has Seen A Lot of pects the lab and corporate headquarters cable companies nationwide, the Herrings mission. We also use Twitter, from authen- Changes Since OAN Started in 2013 and to remain here. say OAN reaches more than 30 million ticated sources, for some breaking news, AWE in 2004. How are Herring Networks The company plans to add two or homes. to compliment traditional direct and Adapting and What Changes Do You See three employees every year. “We realized that people wanted to aggregated sources. Viewers are watching Coming As Consumers Move Away From watch just the news. That is the heart of on every streaming device from phones, to More Traditional Viewing Habits? Marketing our channel,” Robert Herring said. tablets, and even streaming boxes. OAN We’ve seen some big changes in media As for marketing the sterile insect OAN has 152 employees and besides has our product available wherever and over the last several years. Newspapers and approach when the time comes, the San Diego, has studios in both New York however someone is watching. magazines have suffered with more con- company said it is looking at TV ads, City and Washington D.C. Live news is sumers turning to the internet and digital. social media and grower shows and broadcast almost around the clock and Your Ratings Have Been Up Due to the Television is facing the same challenges, as industry conferences. Agragene hopes they also feature such broadcast person- COVID-19 Pandemic. Are You Doing viewers move to digital delivery—including to tap distributors who are already out alities as Graham Ledger, Liz Wheeler Anything Differently Today to Try and apps—and a slow decline in traditional on the farms selling products. and Alex Salvi. OAN also has more than Retain These Numbers After the Crisis television viewing. We’ve launched a Agragene’s exit strategy is straightfor- 600,000 followers on Facebook. is Over? number of streaming products to ensure ward. Alton said it hopes to attract the Recently I had the opportunity to ask With people staying home due to consumers can enjoy One America News attention of big players – such as BASF, Robert Herring some questions exclusive- COVID-19, more people have found our and AWE via streaming devices from con- Bayer and Corteva SU. ly for the San Diego Business Journal. network. Our ratings are up by about 50 nected TVs, to phones and tablets, along Once Agragene is on the market and percent from a year ago. Yet, the key to with the internet. Non-traditional televi- starts taking little bites out of the big How and Where Can San Diegans Find building audience is offering a reliable sion viewing and revenue is substantially players’ sales, one of the big companies and Watch OAN? source of national and international news up over the last couple of years and will be will decide to buy Agragene and bring There are numerous ways to enjoy each and every day. There are no short a big part of our revenue stream moving the company’s tech in to its sales. n OAN in San Diego, including watching on cuts to building loyal customers. forward.n