still cheaper than paying a contingency of on-site announcers at the local stations, plus freed up big-ticket national advertisers to be sought locally by an affiliate station. This practice ended in 1993, to mixed reactions from affiliate stations. Though affiliates now had to clear commercials like other networks, the format was available entirely through inventory barter, unlike its competitors, which required an affiliation fee plus inventory. In 1996, Jones Media Networks started the cable network GAC (Great American Country). Up against stiff competition from CMT, GAC failed to capture market share and was later sold to The E.W. Scripps Company, owners of Home & Garden Television and Food Network. Earlier the company had launched the cable network Mind Extension University, which mainly featured adult education programs, and later shifted to a technology focus as Knowledge TV before it was discontinued around 2000. Jones Computer Network was offered as a 12-hour channel in 1994. The channel featured in-house productions as well as programming from syndicated CNET TV and Turner Broadcasting. JCN was sold to Vulcan Ventures to eventually create channel space on cable for their network, TechTV precursor Ziff-Davis Television, which removed the Jones Media Networks produced shows and added content from Ziff-Davis' magazine staff, including John C. Dvorak. In 1998, Jones acquired its advertising sales representative, New York-based MediaAmerica from its founders, Gary Schonfeld and Ron Hartenbaum, who continued with Jones as executives. Schonfeld as President of Jones MediaAmerica and Hartenbaum as President of Jones Radio Networks. In 1999, Jones International acquired and absorbed Broadcast Programming, a company that handled syndicated radio shows, including the popular evening program Delilah. Delilah left Jones to join Premiere Radio Networks, a division of Clear Channel, in 2004. In 2002, Jones Radio Networks entered into a deal with the Sports USA Radio Network to distribute nationally syndicated sports programming, primarily National Football League games. In 2008, Jones Radio Networks ceased operations after all of their radio programs and remaining satellite formats were acquired by Triton Media Group's Dial Global. Satellite formats Jones Radio Networks, the largest independent radio network, provided many programming options for local radio stations. The company provided many satellite-driven formats to affiliate stations, mostly in small & mid-size markets and on major market HD Radio subchannels, however they can also be used on some major market stations as alternate or permanent programming. They could operate their stations virtually unmanned with nothing