The new broadcast network targeted to African Americans adds Weigel Broadcasting’s WWME Chicago and WBME Milwaukee as it approaches its Sept. 26 launch.
DMAS 3, 35
Bounce TV Adds Chicago, Milwaukee
Bounce TV, the new over-the-air television network for African-Americans launching Sept. 26, today announced the additions of Chicago (WWME) and Milwaukee (WBME) in a new affiliation agreement with Weigel Broadcasting Co. The news follows the signing of Gannett Broadcasting’s WATL Atlanta last week and Bounce’s signing Toyota USA as the network’s first national advertiser.
“It has been an incredible week and, given the strong demand for Bounce TV, we anticipate more weeks like it as our launch draws closer,” commented Jeffrey Wolf, Bounce TV EVP of distribution. “We are ecstatic to be in business with Weigel Broadcasting Co. Given their strength in the diginet business, Weigel brings a tremendous amount of value and credibility to our efforts with both affiliate and advertiser sales.”
Bounce TV now has affiliation agreements with Weigel, Gannett, Belo Corp., Nexstar Communications, LIN TV Corp. and Raycom Media. The new network expects to be available in at least 50% of the country by its launch. The network will be seen in Chicago, Atlanta, Houston, Cleveland/Akron, Milwaukee, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Hartford/New Haven, Norfolk, Dayton, West Palm Beach, Birmingham, Memphis, Louisville and Richmond, among other markets.
Bounce TV will target African Americans primarily between the ages of 25-54 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 stations’ subchannels.
Comments (7)
Jeffrey Boehme says:
August 8, 2011 at 3:47 pm
Wow, this is a huge get for Bounce, especially since Weigel is the leader in the diginet space!! Bounce has managed to get an incredible list of affiliates and groups in just a few months. I assume MGM’s KIN TV must be dead? If not, then this puts a nail in their coffin especially since Weigel and MGM are partners on This TV and they distribute ME-TV for Weigel.
Michele Essma says:
August 8, 2011 at 4:00 pm
i couldn’t agree more! bounce has really done an amazing job getting nexstar, gannett, belo, raycom, lin and now weigel! bet and tv one better watch out, looks like there’s a better option for african american viewers out there!!
len Kubas says:
August 8, 2011 at 4:24 pm
let’s actually wait for the content, no? Anything would be better than the inauspicious start and travails of BET.
Teri Green says:
August 8, 2011 at 4:36 pm
It’s nothing. WWME can’t be received in the City without an outdoor antenna. The African American community of Chicago is centered in dense flats which are indoor antennas only. You can’t get WWME without an outdoor antenna. So Bounce just signed with another low power station few people can get. It’s better than RTV’s Channel 24 but not by much
Frank Couch says:
August 8, 2011 at 10:56 pm
EricPost, you are very much incorrect. I can receive WWME-LD without any problems 30 miles away from downtown Chicago (in the next county) with rabbit ears. Furthermore, my rabbit ears are used on the first floor of an apartment building with no windows facing south toward downtown Chicago. WWME-LD is one of the strongest low-power television stations in the country. Weigel’s recently signed on other low-power station, WMEU-LD also has a decent signal. WPVN-LD (the RTV affiliate owned by Polent Communications) has a good signal too, but their problem is that the tower is located in Schaumburg, so your antenna has to be pointed toward Woodfield Shopping Center instead of downtown Chicago.
len Kubas says:
August 9, 2011 at 12:11 am
this doesn’t tend to counter what Eric said; close-in reception issues are known with 8-vsb, while distant-field reception is easier, generally. Not being familiar with Chicago per se, I can comment no further.
Frank Couch says:
August 12, 2011 at 2:03 am
I’ve also received WWME-LD without any problems from locations in the city (including downtown and next to Willis Tower) using a portable digital TV.