JC Watts Planning Black Television News Network

[CatWoman]

May 27, 2008 -- FORMER congressman J.C. Watts is behind a major push to launch an all-news channel for black people.

The network, tentatively called Black Television News Channel and slated to launch in early 2009, already has an agreement with Comcast cable to be carried in several cities with large black populations including Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit, Washington D.C., Atlanta and Baltimore.

As yet, there is no deal to carry the channel in New York.

"I'm not so sure that you see anything on CNN or Fox News that specifically targets the African American community," Watts told The Post.

According to recent U.S. census figures, nearly 81 percent of Detroit's population is black, while Baltimore is 64 percent, Atlanta is 61 percent, D.C. is 57 percent, Philly is 46 percent and Chicago is 37 percent. That means each city is a major potential market for the new channel and advertisers.

At least one news report on the new channel called Watts the "black Ted Turner," after the founder of CNN.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/05272008/tv/black_news_net_112648.htm

[gratuitous]

1. Complete this well-known aphorism

A __________ and his __________ are soon parted.

You have five minutes. Go!

How many fools will sink their money into this little venture? Although I note that Comcast is already on the scene, willing to offer it a precious spot on their cable line-up. This will be as popular as a jabanero stand in Hell.

[RethugAssKicker]

3. BET did pretty good !

[gratuitous]

6. Which is part of the reason why . . .

A second slot on the cable line-up is destined to fail. Most of the rest of the reason has to do with a cable channel that caters to about 3% of the 11% of the population that is African American that really thinks the Bush administration is onto something. With that number of viewers, the channel might just as well broadcast through the U.S. mail.

[DadOf2LittleAngels]

17. BET is not a news network

Any more than ABC, NBC, or CBS are

So this will not compete but compliment

[madokie]

2. best I can say for jc is he was a pretty good ball player

and 'bout as crooked as a snake too

[marmar]

4. I sense a Republican-funded indoctrination channel targeting African Americans....

.... featuring the likes of Larry Elder and Armstrong Williams. I'm sure it will be as successful as getting African Americans to vote Repug has been.
:eyes:

[TheDebbieDee]

8. GMTA - I called this the same way when I read the thread topic....

The repukes are trying to start a faux snooze channel aimed at African-Americans.

[Junkdrawer]

9. Well, the propaganda journey of one thousand miles...

begins with the first step.

Or, in this case, a multi-million dollar budget and, I'm sure, the black equivalent of Fox News Babes.

[IsItJustMe]

23. I had the same exact thought.

[Johonny]

24. I agree

[LynneSin]

5. I'll take Black News Programs totally ignored by the Black Population for $300 please Alec

Perhaps JC can get Alan Keyes to co-host his show with special guest appearance from Michael Steele and Condi Rice.

Personally I think the statistics show this is a market with plenty of potential and I wouldn't be challenged over a show that would feature someone like JC with perhaps someone who really has the interests of African-Americans as their best interest like Cythia McKinney, Carol Mosely-Braun or hell let's just go to the top with Jesse Jackson.

But I would suspect JC wants to make a blaxploitation of the Fox News Channel. Do we need that?

[spanone]

7. good. maybe dan quayle can start a news channel for white people.

watts is an ex-athlete turned congessperson turned entertainer

[angstlessk]

10. well, we can rest assured one if his sponsors will be KFC..like his daddy said

a black man voting for a republican is like a chicken voting for Colonel Saunders (of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame)

[electropop]

11. Foxploitation?

There is a niche open for disseminating right wing lies to African Americans. Because we don't have enough outlets for right-wing lies already. :eyes:

[LucyParsons]

12. So I guess, according to Geraldine Ferraro, it will necessarily be Probama 24/7

???

[KamaAina]

13. DUH! Quote O' The Month

"I'm not so sure that you see anything on CNN or Fox News that specifically targets the African American community,"

For Faux Noise, "the African American community" consists of Kindasleazy Rice and Clarence "Yes, Mr. Scalia?" Thomas. The Corporate News Network isn't a whole lot better.

[CatWoman]

15. LOL

Nail, meet head!!

:rofl:

[BlueManDude]

14. ummm....who's paying for this?

[jaysunb]

16. Now THAT'S funny !

A Black show that no Black people care about or will look at.

I guess he'll have Clarence, Condi & Keyes as anchors.

:rofl:

on edit : I rec ed based on the great laugh it gave me....I'd been have a "Monday" on Tuesday. LOL :hi:

[Virginia Dare]

22. Maybe Rush can do special commentary..

about how black guys shouldn't play quarterback...:eyes:

[jmowreader]

25. Don't forget Colin!

[LiberalFighter]

18. White, Black, Yellow, Red... It's all about LOCAL issues (news)

How much different will news targeting black people be from current news programming?

[immoderate]

19. Every time I see JC Watts I am reminded...

of how stupid he is. As noted in many posts above, the concept of a conservative driven news channel, aimed at black people is a potential head explosion. The best I can see for them is that they take out one more channel which could have had some truthful and useful information.

--IMM

[jmowreader]

20. A news channel for black freepers! What a CONCEPT!

Only the 24 Hour Watching Paint Dry Channel will get fewer viewers!

If I was a black man who wanted to start a channel black people would watch, I'd start a Christian channel. Many black people are deeply religious, but all the national-level fundies are white. Lots of people would watch a black Christian channel--even whites who love the fiery preaching black ministers deliver but who already have a church home.

I think JC is starting this as an attack on the so-called "liberal" media. See, if no one watches his reich-wing channel that will prove the television industry hates conservatives and blacks. (Which explains why Fox News has such a severe liberal bias, and Oprah Winfrey can't get a single person to watch her show.) And it won't have a thing to do with the fact he keeps bringing Thomas Sowell on there because he's the only black conservative anyone's ever heard of, and Thomas Sowell is an acquired taste.

[JCMach1]

21. All five of them... can you say LEAD BALLOON?