The Black Heritage Network will be going into the Cable Show
with the imprimatur of the Minority Media & Telecommunications Council's
"incubator company." It is the first cable TV net that MMTC has
designated for that distinction, which means MMTC will, among other things,
help it gain carriage on cable and satellite systems.
"BHN has been in development for several years and is a
programming idea that is long overdue on commercial television. I have
personally reviewed and am impressed by BHN's original programming line-up, its
management team, advisory board and business strategy," said MMTC President
David Honig in announcing the designation. "This is a channel to be proud
of."
BHN was officially unveiled late last month
targeting a "slightly older, educated, affluent audience" than its
competition.
BHN investors include former FCC Commissioner and former
Media Access Project President Tyrone Brown, TIAA-CREF CEO Roger Ferguson,
syndicated columnist Clarence Page and former GE and NBC exec Paul Besson.
The channel, which is headed by former WUSA-TV GM Richard
Reingold, plans a December 2011 launch but has yet to announce any carriage
deals. There is at least one huge potential partner on the lookout for channels
like BHN. The nation's largest cable operator, Comcast, has pledged as part of
its NBCU deal to add three minority controlled nets to its lineup over the next
three years.
"We are very proud that BHN is the first television channel
that MMTC has ever considered worthy of incubating," Reingold told
B&C/Multi. "MMTC's decision validates our business and programming
models and that BHN will fill an important service to African-Americans and all
Americans."
