Black News Channel
Country | United States |
---|---|
Broadcast area | United States |
Headquarters | Tallahassee, Florida |
Programming | |
Language(s) | English |
Ownership | |
Key people | Bob Brillante J.C. Watts (chairman of student affairs) Shahid Khan (investor) |
History | |
Launched | February 10, 2020 |
Links | |
Website | bnc |
Availability | |
Cable | |
Comcast Xfinity | 1116 (X1, Stream) Verizon. = 612 |
Charter Spectrum | 232 |
Satellite | |
DirecTV | 342 (HD) |
Dish Network | 360 (SD) |
Streaming media | |
Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Pluto TV, Redbox TV, Xumo, TikiLive, SelectTV |
The Black News Channel (BNC) is an American broadcast television news channel, targeting the African American demographic. The channel is based in Tallahassee, Florida, and launched on February 10, 2020.[1] The station was co-founded by television executive Bob Brillante and former congressman J.C. Watts; Watts is its inaugural chairman.[1] Charter Spectrum, Comcast Xfinity, Dish Network and DirecTV carry the network.[2][3]
History[]
J.C. Watts had planned to launch a news network focusing specifically on black American cultural topics since the mid-2000s, and had several rounds of unsuccessful capital-raising in developing the project.[4] In the mid-2010s, a partnership with Florida A&M’s School of Journalism & Graphic Communication was announced, and the station was slated to be housed there; however, the channel eventually launched independently of the school, in a building on Killearn Center Boulevard in Tallahassee.[4] The launch of the network was announced in November 2018 for 2019.[4] The actual launch date was pushed from November 15, 2019 to January 6, 2020[5] before being pushed again to its eventual launch date, February 10, 2020.[6] One of the chief investors in the network is Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan.[7]
In July 2020, former CNN executive Princell Hair was named president and CEO of Black News Channel.[8][9]
In March 2021, BNC reached an agreement with CBS Media Ventures to handle advertising sales.[10]
In January 2022, 13 current and former female employees filed a class action lawsuit against BNC, accusing the network of gender discrimination.[11] In response, BNC sent out a memo to their current employees informing them of the network's intent to file a motion for dismissal of the lawsuit.[12]
On-air personalities[]
- Fred Hickman - News Anchor
- Mike Hill - Start Your Day (6 A.M. - 10 A.M.)
- Marc Lamont Hill - Black News Tonight (8 P.M.)
- Charles Blow - Prime (10 P.M.)
- Kelly Wright - The World Tonight (5 P.M. - 7 P.M.)
References[]
- ^ a b Former lawmaker, cable veteran launch 24-hour Black News Channel. UPI, February 10, 2020.
- ^ The nation's first 24/7 network for African American news is now available on Spectrum Charlotte News & Observer, February 24, 2020
- ^ Black News Channel Joins DIRECTV's Line Up Black News Channel press release, August 28, 2020
- ^ a b c Live from Tallahassee, Black News Channel plans national launch next month. Tallahassee Democrat, January 16, 2020.
- ^ Black News Channel will launch broadcast in new year on Jan. 6, 2020. USA Today, November 6, 2019.
- ^ "First 24-hour news channel "by and for" African Americans set to launch during Black History Month". NBC News. Feb 10, 2020. Retrieved Feb 10, 2020.
- ^ Black News Channel looks to shake up US cable TV. BBC, February 10, 2020
- ^ Umstead, Thomas (13 July 2020). "Black News Channel Names Former CNN Exec Princell Hair as CEO". Retrieved 21 March 2021.
- ^ Basanta, Tatianna (21 September 2020). "Alumnus named president and CEO of Black News Channel". Retrieved 21 March 2021.
- ^ Hayes, Dade (2021-03-16). "BNC, After Launch Last Year As The Black News Channel, Sets Ad Deal With CBS Media Ventures". Deadline. Retrieved 2021-03-16.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%21AGZXhOfpBoP0Tvw&cid=1F7AC946C5A92D70&id=1F7AC946C5A92D70%215984&parId=1F7AC946C5A92D70%215917&o=OneUp Cook County, Illinois Circuit Court, January 4, 2022.
- ^ https://www.ftvlive.com/sqsp-test/2022/1/7/we-will-be-filing-to-dismiss FTVLive, January 7, 2022.
External links[]
- Television networks in the United States
- English-language television stations in the United States
- 2020 establishments in Florida
- Television channels and stations established in 2020
- 24-hour television news channels in the United States
- African-American television networks
- African-American news and public affairs television series