The TV group owner will carry the proposed broadcast network for African Americans in Indianapolis, Hartford-New Haven, Norfolk, Dayton and Mobile-Pensacola for a projected 50% clearance at launch this fall.
DMAS 27, 30, 43, 60, 62
LIN Deal Means More Markets For Bounce TV
LIN TV Corp. will carry Bounce TV, the first over-the-air broadcast television network designed exclusively for African-American audiences, in five markets when the network launches this fall, it will be announced Tuesday. As part of the multi-year agreement, Bounce TV will be seen on LIN stations in Indianapolis (DMA 27); Hartford-New Haven, Conn. (DMA 30); Norfolk, Va. (DMA 43); Mobile, Ala.-Pensacola-Fla. (DMA 60); and Dayton, Ohio (DMA 62).
“We believe that launching Bounce TV utilizes our digital spectrum in a strategic and meaningful manner,” said LIN Media EVP Scott M. Blumenthal. “Bounce TV will be a great vehicle for our stations to serve this underserved audience while delivering the critical adult 25-54 African American demographic to our advertisers.”
The deal is the second major distribution agreement for the newly-announced Bounce TV, coming on the heels of the network’s foundation agreement with Raycom Media. Raycom stations will carry Bounce TV in 26 markets, including Cleveland-Akron, Ohio; Charlotte, N.C.; Cincinnati; West Palm Beach, Fla.; Birmingham, Ala.; Memphis; Louisville, Ky.; and Richmond, Va. Bounce TV said it expects to be in at least 50% of U.S. television households at launch with more distribution agreements to be announced shortly.
The Television Bureau of Advertising supports LIN TV’s decision to carry Bounce TV. “In carrying Bounce TV, LIN TV is giving their local stations and their advertisers the ability to serve and reach the underserved African-American television viewer in a very targeted and efficient manner,” said TVB President Steve Lanzano.
Bounce TV will target African Americans primarily between 25 and 54 with a programming mix of theatrical motion pictures, live sporting events, documentaries, specials, inspirational faith-based programs, off-net series, original programming and more. Bounce TV will air 24 hours a day, seven days a week as a digital terrestrial network designed for carriage on TV stations’ subchannels. The network’s founding group is led by Martin Luther King III, Ambassador Andrew Young and Andrew “Bo” Young III, Rob Hardy and Will Packer, co-founders of Rainforest Films, an African-American production company.
Bounce TV just acquired the television rights to more than 400 African American-skewing motion pictures in four individual, multi-year licensing agreements. Live sports and events will be part of the Bounce TV schedule and the network also has a multi-year rights agreement with Urban Sports Entertainment Group (USEG) to televise both football and basketball games from the nation’s largest African American athletic conference, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA.)
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Comments (18)
Jeffrey Boehme says:
May 23, 2011 at 7:34 pm
Great move on Lin’s part… smart way to reach viewers their station’s aren’t programming to… this is why Scott Blumenthal and Paul McTear are smart “broadcasters” – they make smart deals like this!! Bounce TV sounds like a great network!!
Nelson Simonson says:
May 23, 2011 at 7:59 pm
CONGRATS to Bounce TV for committing to an endeavor that will ensure quality, over-the-air programming for the underserved audiences and additional African American targeted programming. Thanks LIN and Raycom! Looking forward to more broadcasters commit to Bounce TV and the smart use of the digital space.
John Mann says:
May 23, 2011 at 8:32 pm
Very cool to see this concept gain traction.
Kimberly Gari-Luff says:
May 23, 2011 at 8:41 pm
Dual societies. Separate but equal. I thought we chucked that.
Kathryn Miller says:
May 24, 2011 at 12:17 pm
Duial? I don’t think that anybody will forbid you to watch this channel, and you are free to watch Tyler Perry movies. Seen many? How integrated is your church compated to your county? Being able to serve “minority” or “niche” audiences is one of the models of DTV. It’s very good to see what looks like a well-backed group make a play for this niche national audience. The college football deal is very, very interesting.
Kimberly Gari-Luff says:
May 24, 2011 at 6:32 pm
I think Tyler Perry is funny and I’ve watched two of the Madea movies. I don’t go to church, so skip that. San Diego County is well integrated, for whatever that matters. Any other way you want to pigeon-hole me?
I suspect a clone of BET is coming and I’ve never watched that channel. I should hasten to add that I am not much of a TV watcher. My interests are largely in the generation, control and distribution of the signals, the techie side, not talent or content. Plus, I’m out of my element as a social critic, armed only with my opinion. You?
mike tomasino says:
May 23, 2011 at 9:05 pm
Bounce may be a network that features African American talent, but it will have cross ethnic appeal.
Kathleen Mathus says:
May 24, 2011 at 1:29 am
JMin, I agree with you (and I’m black). Separate ethnic targeting breads separatist thinking and separate societies. That’s what many whites wanted in the 50’s/60’s…for blacks not to be part of the normal society, to keep to themselves, and do their own thing. It’s similar to Spanish speakers who don’t want to learn English in America; No need to become part of it and learn the language when they can keep to their own.
We’ve fought too long to make waves, be included in movie/TV roles, and be fairly represented to go the separatist route.
Joe Jaime says:
May 24, 2011 at 9:52 am
I have to agree… it appears that this concept moves the dail backwards 50 years. Looks good on the FCC report and gets the stations great reviews in thier respective communities …. but will these reruns really do anything meaningful except allow broadscasters to move away from a balance of programming on their main outlet in the market? Is LIN or Raycom planning ” all black news” to fill the local information void in these markets?
Kathryn Miller says:
May 24, 2011 at 12:21 pm
I wholeheartedly agree, HiDef-Jeff. This network may sink, it may swim, but it’s a much better idea than, say “Retro”, “Tuff” or “CoolTv.” (I’m not black.)
mike tomasino says:
May 24, 2011 at 2:08 pm
I like “The Cool TV”. If I’m not watching something else, that is what I watch. Since the MTVNs gave up actually playing music videos years ago it’s refreshing to actually see a channel that does.
Chris Van Deusen says:
May 24, 2011 at 5:06 pm
I agree about “The Cool TV”, Snap! And Retro has reintroduced me to some early classic gems-very entertaining, much less “heavy” in subject matter, and much more relaxing “pace”.
Kathryn Miller says:
May 24, 2011 at 5:50 pm
that’s called “least objectionable programming.” Agree MTV doesn’t do music, but my cable system seems to have hundreds of Music Choice channels.
Kimberly Gari-Luff says:
May 24, 2011 at 6:50 pm
Dee-lighted to hear it. Too bad there’s no symbol for a handshake on my keyboard.
Chris Van Deusen says:
May 26, 2011 at 10:05 am
Perhaps. But I don’t have the time for “hundreds of Music Choice channels”, AND I don’t pay a penny for my Broadcast TV programming.
Just Fine says:
May 23, 2011 at 10:00 pm
Wait, you said Norfolk? Which LIN network’s getting it? WAVY or WVBT? Considering the vast multicultural audience that is here in the Seven Cities, it should be a welcome addition. Still . . . I want to see someone bring ThisTV, Me TV, and PBJ around these parts as well, Sinclair’s WTVZ has three stations (MNT on the main network, TheCoolTV on 33.2, and Country Network on 33.3, and I’d honestly think Me TV would be a great counterpart to Local’s WGNT ‘s Antenna TV (27.2). Not a lot of fallout. Just enjoying this digital TV age more than a lot of people are for some reason.
david friend says:
May 24, 2011 at 9:00 am
The “First” over the air African American Broadcast Network? Hardly. We launched Urban America Television on December 3, 2001. I programmed it for the first year and was the operations director. I left at the beginning of year two and by 2004 it was gone. We had owned and operated stations, about 70 affiliates and it never made a dime. Good luck with being the “First”.
Laura Crowe says:
May 24, 2011 at 1:19 pm
I worked for LIN several years ago and it is a great company, but it has a lousy diversity track record! It will be interesting to see how well they sell and market this product!