As we reported yesterday, iHeart Media’s 850 KHHO Tacoma has flipped to the newly launched Black Information Network – a 24/7 news service that will integrate local newscasts, weather, traffic & all the elements one expects from a local news outlet. The programming will also re-purpose content from iHeart’s other local stations, Total Traffic & Weather network, and 24/7 News Source newswire service. Content from iHeartRadio’s Black culture podcasts will be included and promoted on the network, with a daily podcast to launch in the near future. The format debuted today on 15 of iHeart’s stations with another 60 expected to soon carry the new national format. In addition, HD sub-channels in NYC, Boston & L.A. are airing the network. BIN will also be supplying hourly newscasts to the group’s hip-hop, adult R+B& gospel stations for carriage as well. Radio Insight notes: ‘The on-air product will be funded not just by traditional advertising, but also through financial support of what are being identified as National Founding Partners who will be able to deliver important messages to BIN’s audiences and serve as a platform for philanthropic and community outreach to build brand connection and support the Black community, as well as use it for advertising messages as needed. The launch partners are Bank of America, CVS Health, GEICO, Lowe’s, McDonald’s USA, Sony, 23andMe and Verizon.’ iHeart Media Markets Group Division Pres. Tony Coles has been newly named president of BIN. Coles stated in a release: ““BIN: Black Information Network will fill a void by providing continual news and objective information with full focus on the Black community. We began developing our 24/7 Black news source last year, and events of the last few weeks, especially the senseless and tragic death of George Floyd, highlighted the need for this network. Now is the time for our voice to be heard, and I could not be more proud of our work and the team we are assembling at BIN.”
I’ve been listening off and on since the switch. Some very good voices, but it sounds a bit distorted, maybe overmodulated. Also some good historic vignettes and news items, but they run the same ones over and over and over.
KHHO is now streaming.
https://www.iheart.com/live/seattles-bin-850-8672/
I *was* going to rant about putting the KTAC call letters back on 850, where they belong, but maybe the answer here is to go back one further: KBTI! Tacoma’s Black Information! (I know, in the PPM world, only radio geeks care about call letters…)
‘The launch partners are Bank of America, CVS Health, GEICO, Lowe’s, McDonald’s USA, Sony, 23andMe and Verizon.’
It would be interesting to see Bank of America’s historic and current comparison stats on mortgages, auto loans, lines of credit etc. for loan availability, interest rate, down payment and foreclosure and repossession rates for customers of various skin color and ethnic background.
It would also be interesting to see GEICO’s comparison stats on premium charged, rate of rejection and rate of cancellation on auto, homeowners’ and renters’ policies for customers of various skin color and ethnic background.
Dick – I was thinking along similar lines: “Just how committed are these various corporations to equal treatment of black people, immigrants & those of ethnic backgrounds?” I’ll stick by my comment on the previous thread about BIN – that this is an opportunity to monetize a current social movement & less about equality & noble causes. It’s a new twist on the all-news format & I hope for the sake of listeners that this will provide some alternatives to current news services. We’ll see…
Mike,
Once the ad revenue starts rolling in, will any reasonable percentage (and not just a penny per hundred dollar bill) be used to further the much-needed reforms? As you put it, we’ll see…