Bounce TV Storms Atlanta

New African-American broadcast network Bounce TV has reached a deal to be carried on Gannett Broadcasting's WATL-TV in Atlanta, the second-largest African American television market in the U.S.

"The addition of Atlanta is significant and shows that important station groups continue to see the enormous value in carrying Bounce TV," said Jeffrey Wolf, executive VP of distribution for Bounce, which is based in Atlanta.

Formed by a group including Martin Luther King III and Ambassador Andrew Young, Bounce TV was announced in April and expects to be available in at least 50% of the country by its launch on September 26.

"We are thrilled to add Bounce TV to the growing list of media properties of The Networks of 11Alive," said John Deushane, president and general manager of Gannett's WXIA-TV/WATL-TV. "Given that Atlanta is the birthplace of civil rights, we're confident that a network for African-Americans will be very well received within this market,"

Bounce TV, the first broadcast network aimed at African American viewers, will be carried on digital channels of local TV stations. The network has already reached carriage deals with stations owned by Raycom Media, LIN TV, Nexstar Communications and Belo Corp.

Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.