Black News Channel

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]

Black News Channel
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 (2020-02-10)
Links
Websiteblacknewschannel.com
Availability
Cable
Comcast Xfinity1116 (X1, Stream)
Charter Spectrum232
Satellite
DirecTV342 (HD)
Dish NetworkVOD
Streaming media
Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Pluto TV, Redbox TV, Xumo, TikiLive, SelectTV

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. 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. 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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