Black News Channel

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Black News Channel
File:BNC logo 2020.png
CountryUnited States
Broadcast areaUnited States
HeadquartersTallahassee, Florida
Programming
Language(s)English
Ownership
Key peopleBob Brillante
J.C. Watts (chairman)
Shahid Khan (investor)
History
LaunchedFebruary 10, 2020; 4 years ago (2020-02-10)

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]

References

  1. ^ a b Former lawmaker, cable veteran launch 24-hour Black News Channel. UPI, February 10, 2020.
  2. ^ The nation’s first 24/7 network for African American news is now available on Spectrum Charlotte News & Observer, February 24, 2020
  3. ^ Black News Channel Joins DIRECTV’s Line Up Black News Channel press release, August 28, 2020
  4. ^ a b c Live from Tallahassee, Black News Channel plans national launch next month. Tallahassee Democrat, January 16, 2020.
  5. ^ Black News Channel will launch broadcast in new year on Jan. 6, 2020. USA Today, November 6, 2019.
  6. ^ "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.
  7. ^ Black News Channel looks to shake up US cable TV. BBC, February 10, 2020
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