24-hour Black News Channel set for November debut: ‘By black people for black people’
A 24-hour news channel created and run by black people for black people is set to air in select markets this fall.
What are the details?
The Black News Channel (BNC) is set to launch in November, according to the network's website as well as the Pasadena Black Pages.
The website explains that the network will be an "innovative and life-changing network."
The network's mission is to "provide intelligent programming that is informative, educational, entertaining, inspiring and empowering to its African American audience."
The network is an independent network which is "minority-owned and operated," and boasts itself as "the nation's only provider of 24/7 cable news programming created 'by people of color for people of color.'"
It also vows to deliver "authentic, genuine, responsible, and responsive news to black Americans," which will address the "priorities, issues, realities, and points-of-view of our black population and communities."
"BNC will be able to make a deep, rich connection to this target audience by being the antidote to today's toxic news environment; our network will provide relevant news, as well as celebrate black lives, culture, and history," the site adds.
The network also aims to:
- Give voice to an underserved community.
- Build bridges to connect the many diverse cultures in our nation.
- Facilitate a more informed national conversation about challenges facing our urban communities.
- Engage African American viewers in our nation's social, economic and political discussions and debates.
- Create a platform for African American newsmakers and policymakers to reach their constituents.
- Showcase African American achievers creating positive role models for black youth.
- Produce educational programming that is culturally relevant to empower African American viewers.
- Inspire African American viewers with uplifting and spiritual messages produced daily;
- Preserve a proud African American heritage.
- Recruit and train aspiring African American journalists.
J.C. Watts Jr., a former Republican congressman from Oklahoma, is the chairman of the network, according to the Pasadena Black Pages.
The outlet also reported that the network is set to make its debut to approximately 33 million households in top African-American markets in Atlanta, Los Angeles, and New York City.
