ATLANTA: Nexstar Broadcasting Group will carry Bounce TV in 10 markets when the network launches this fall. The carriage agreement was announced today by Jeffrey Wolf, executive vice president of distribution for Bounce TV, an African American over-the-air network developed for digital multicast channels.
As part of the multi-year agreement, Bounce TV will be seen on Nexstar stations in Little Rock, Ark.; Rochester, N.Y.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Peoria and Bloomington, Ill.; Beaumont, Texas; Monroe, La., “and other markets,” according to Bounce. Nexstar owns, runs and/or provides sales for 62 TV stations in 34 markets. The Bounce folks say their network represents the first one Nexstar will deploy “on a large scale in their digital spectrum.”
“Bounce TV is a very attractive programming option for our digital spectrum. It is a meaningful network that will serve the tremendously underserved African American audiences in our communities," commented Perry Sook, Nexstar Broadcasting Group chairman, president and CEO.
The Nexstar deal is the third major distribution announcement within five weeks for Bounce TV, giving the network pre-launch clearance of 32 percent of the U.S. TV market. LIN TV recently announced it would carry Bounce in five markets, including Indianapolis, Dayton, Ohio; Pensacola, Fla.; Norfolk, Va.; and New Haven, Conn. Raycom Media ponied up 26 market,s including Cleveland, Cincinnati, West Palm Beach, Fla.; Charlotte, N.C.; Birmingham, Ala.; Memphis, Tenn.; Louisville, Ky.; and Richmond, Va.
Bounce TV was announced last April, with the intent of creating the first African American over-the-air network. The founders include Martin Luther King III, Ambassador Andrew Young, and Andrew “Bo” Young III, Rob Hardy and Will Packer, co-founders of Rainforest Films. It’s ad split will be 50-50 with affiliates. The programming line-up will include nearly 400 titles from multi-year licensing agreements with NBC Universal, Sony and others.
~ Deborah D. McAdams, Television Broadcast
