Multicultural Perspectives: Princell Hair Leads Black News Channel Through Turbulent News Cycle

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Black News Channel president and CEO discusses network's progress eight months after launch

Over the past eight months since its February launch, Black News Channel has had to navigate through an extraordinary news cycle that included a ravaging COVID-19 pandemic, the manifestation of social injustice protests and a contentious Presidential election. 

Currently heading the network charge is its President and CEO Princell Hair, former CNN general manager who knows the cable news business and has positioned the network to fill a void in delivering news and pertinent information targeted to an underserved African-American audience.

Hair recently sat down with Multichannel News for an extensive video interview in which he talks about the Black News Channel brand as well as the shifting cable news environment. Hair also weighs in on the television's diversity and inclusion efforts.

R. Thomas Umstead
R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.