[citation needed] The network offered live, hourly newscasts via leased broadcast circuits, or dedicated long-distance telephone lines, to 12 charter affiliates.
Once the studio was linked to the broadcast circuits leased from South Central Bell, the first LRN newscast aired in October 1974.
[citation needed] Beginning in the mid-1980s, LRN has at various times offered radio play-by-play broadcasts rights for several Louisiana universities.
The two companies are based in the Court Plaza Building, located south of downtown Baton Rouge and LSU.
Tiger Rag Extra covers recruiting and game analysis, along with the food, fashion and passion of LSU sports.
Engster serves as one of the program's hosts, along with Tiger Rag editor Ron Higgins, associate editor Tyler Nunez and Louisiana Radio Network news and sports director Jeff Palermo and WAFB-TV weekend reporter Chelsea Leblanc.
The new method lowered costs and allowed LRN to sublease its satellite equipment to other companies that still use it for their own communications.
In April 2010, Jim Engster, a long-time Baton Rouge journalist and radio talk-show host, bought a controlling interest in the network after getting final approval from the Federal Communications Commission.
The magazine, known for its extensive coverage of LSU football, also offers game previews, recaps, in-depth interviews and recruiting news.
Tiger Rag is available monthly January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, and December; weekly in September, October and November.
Tiger Rag has been, at times, influential in shaping public opinion on the team's quality of play and administrator's decisions.