Family-entertainment-based Major Broadcasting Corp. plans to launch a 24-hour
news network targeting the African-American community, sources close to the
situation said.
The channel will feature news from around the globe with insight from the
African-American perspective, a source said.
The service would help to fill a void created last month when Black
Entertainment Television announced the cancellation of several news and
public-affairs shows, including Lead Story, BET Tonight with Ed
Gordon and the teen-targeted Teen Summit.
At the time, BET said the changes were made so that the 74 million-subscriber
network could concentrate on development and acquisition of entertainment-based
programming.
BET still offers a nightly news show, BET Nightly News, co-produced
with CBS News.
MBC -- which is owned by several entertainment personalities including former
heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield, lawyer Willie Gary, former Major
League Baseball star Cecil Fielder, cable veteran Alvin James and Marlon Jackson
of rhythm-and-blues group The Jackson Five -- is currently in 10 million
homes.
