Kansas Broadcaster Grew Up in Agriculture

Dan Johnson is part of the farm broadcast team with 580 WIBW Radio and the Kansas Agriculture Network in Topeka. You could say Dan has come full-circle in terms of radio and agriculture. Dan grew up on a farm operation in southeast Kansas. During the summer when he wasn’t hauling hay, he was usually listening to the radio as he drove a tractor, truck, or self-propelled swather. In spite of that background, Dan didn’t pursue agriculture or media when he left the farm after graduating from high school.  Like many who aren’t sure what they want to be when they grow up, Dan began a scenic route through higher education by studying business. A couple years later, Dan switched to journalism with a focus on broadcast news. Dan also married his wife around this time. They raised two children. After earning his journalism degree, Dan worked as news director at a Chanute, KS, radio station for a few years before eventually transitioning into sales.  You tend to wear a lot of hats in small market radio, and Dan was no exception. In addition to news and sales, Dan also was heavily involved in sports broadcasting and commercial production.  He won a Kansas Association of Broadcasters award for a commercial he submitted during his time in Chanute.  Dan even hosted the station’s morning show for a while. After about five years in Chanute, Dan’s family made the move to northeast Kansas in late 2000 where Dan landed a Sales position with WIBW Radio. Dan then took over the affiliate relations, traffic, and continuity duties for the Kansas Radio Networks in 2005.  Still a Jack-of-all-trades, Dan was “loaned” to the 580 WIBW and Kansas Information Network news staff for a while. During this time, his on-site reporting was part of a Kansas Association of Broadcasters award winning news broadcast. Dan still handles affiliate relations as well as traffic and continuity duties for the Kansas Radio Networks, but he also was added to the heralded 580 WIBW and Kansas Agriculture Network Farm Broadcast team a few years ago. Dan says, while it is humbling to work alongside 2011 NAFB Farm Broadcaster of the Year Greg Akagi recipient and also with Kansas Association of Broadcasting Hall of Fame honoree Kelly Lenz, Dan has found his “radio” home back on the “farm.”