Bounce TV Celebrates First Birthday; Nation's First-Ever Broadcast Television Network for African Americans Founded By Martin Luther King III, Ambassador Andrew Young

ATLANTA, Sept. 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Bounce TV (www.bouncetv.com) -- The nation's first-ever broadcast television network designed for African-American audiences -- will turn one on Sept. 26 and its first year on-the-air has been overwhelmingly successful, with accelerated growth and expansion among station groups and distribution, advertisers and viewers alike.

In just 12 months on the air, Bounce TV:

• Is already seen in 80% of African American homes, 17 of the top 20 African American markets and over 60% of U.S. television households.
• Can be seen in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Dallas, Philadelphia, Houston, Cleveland/Akron, Baltimore, Milwaukee, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, New Orleans, Kansas City, Hartford/New Haven, Norfolk, Dayton, West Palm Beach, Birmingham, Memphis, Louisville, among other markets.  Bounce TV will arrive in Detroit, Phoenix, Minneapolis and Orlando within the next 10 days (See below).
• Acquired hundreds of motion picture rights from most major studios, including: The Walt Disney Studios; Paramount Pictures; Miramax; MGM Domestic Television Distribution; NBCUniversal Domestic Television Distribution; Sony Pictures Television; Warner Bros. and Lionsgate.
• Produced three original series; carried live sporting events; celebrated Black History Month with a line-up of powerful documentaries; aired special memorial tributes to African American entertainment figures Whitney Houston, Donna Summer and Don Cornelius and more.
• Has agreements with most major television station groups and advertisers have embraced the network.

"I am very proud of our network and the amazing growth it has enjoyed.  Bounce TV's rapid expansion validates the need for free programming for our under-served community," said Martin Luther King III, a member of Bounce TV's Board of Directors.

In celebrating its flourishing first year on the air, Bounce TV today announced:

• Its first motion picture licensing agreement with Lionsgate®, a leading diversified global entertainment company, that will bring a package of African American-skewing Lionsgate movies to the network.  Among the titles: Halle Berry's Academy Award ®-winning performance in the highly-acclaimed Monster's Ball; Cuba Gooding, Jr. in Boat Trip and Murder of Crows; the inspirational story Pride starring Terrence Howard and Bernie Mac and more.
• A sports rights renewal agreement to televise both football and basketball games from the nation's largest African American athletic conference, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA.) 
• WXYZ-TV, one of the leading ABC affiliates in the country and Detroit's #1 rated television station, will launch Bounce TV on Weds. Sept. 26, the network's official first birthday.
• Bounce TV will be launched on FOX-owned MyNetworkTV sub channels in Phoenix, Minneapolis and Orlando by October 2012. 
• The network is in the final stages of discussions with Nielsen and anticipates having national Nielsen ratings in the fourth quarter of this year.
• Toyota and Nissan have renewed sponsorship agreements while General Motors and Chrysler will become sponsors for year two. 

Bounce TV targets African Americans primarily between the ages of 25-54 with a programming mix of theatrical motion pictures, live sports, documentaries, specials, inspirational faith-based programs, off-net series and now original series. Bounce TV airs twenty four hours a day, seven days a week on the digital signals of local television stations.  Martin Luther King III and Ambassador Andrew Young are among the Founding Group and Board of Directors of Bounce TV. Bounce TV is majority African American-owned. Toyota USA is the signature sponsor of the network.

Bounce TV targets African Americans primarily between the ages of 25-54 with a programming mix of theatrical motion pictures, live sports, documentaries, specials, inspirational faith-based programs, off-net series and now original series. Live sports and events are part of the Bounce TV schedule, including both football and basketball games from the nation's largest African American athletic conference, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA.)

SOURCE Bounce TV