Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University just made history.
The HBCU known as FAMU has reportedly launched the 24-hour black news program through their journalism school, Blavity reports. The program will broadcast in more than a dozen cities, and is designed to accurately inform the black community without including stereotypical news. Essentially, the new programming hopes to become a staple among black viewers— much like Univision and Telemundo have for the Latino community.
The “Black Television Network Channel” will be stationed at the FAMU School of Journalism and Graphic Design. There, students will have an opportunity to work with professional reporters and producers. The estimate launch of the channel is to set to be February 2018. The network will also create jobs for nearly 100 people, and they’re expecting a viewership of 33 million upon its launch.
With the new opportunities the network will provide, the intent behind it is crucial and necessary in these trying political times, which go against all minorities in America.
“We think we can be educational and informative not just to the African-American community, but to the nation,” said BTNC co-manager and former Congressman J.C. Watts. “There’s a whole lot of different ways to report the news… a lot of different perspectives…and I think the perspective of the African-American community hasn’t been told.”
“This has been a long time coming,” Tallahassee Mayor John Marks told WCTV. “I really feel so proud to be a part of what I know is going to be revolutionary as well as evolutionary.”
