iHeartMedia Debuts All-News BIN: Black Information Network

Coles, Myers

The stunting (NET NEWS 6/29) is ending at noon (ET) and the format change at several iHEARTMEDIA stations is, as expected, the launch of BIN: BLACK INFORMATION NETWORK, a News format that will also provide news for iHEARTMEDIA's 91 Hip Hop, R&B, and Gospel stations.

iHEARTMEDIA Markets Group Division Pres. TONY COLES will add duties as President for the new network. Veteran producer TANITA MYERS, who has served as Dir./Operations for the TOM JOYNER show and Exec. Prod. of the RICKEY SMILEY MORNING SHOW and RICK AND SASHA, will serve as Dir./News Operations. The network will operate as a standalone business unit within the company, supported by iHEARTMEDIA resources; rather than traditional advertising, the network will be supported by "founding partner" clients including BANK OF AMERICA, CVS HEALTH, GEICO, LOWE’S, MCDONALD’S USA, SONY, 23ANDME, and VERIZON. CLEAR CHANNEL OUTDOOR AMERICAS will also serve as a national marketing partner.

Broadcasting, Streaming, Podcasting

Stations carrying the 24/7 format will include WGST-A/ATLANTA, WYNF-A/AUGUSTA, GA, WRFX-HD2-W254AZ (98.7)/CHARLOTTE, WMMS-HD2-W227BF (99.1)/CLEVELAND, WGSY-A-W234BX/COLUMBUS, GA, WDFN-A/DETROIT, WGVL-A/GREENVILLE, SC, WMGE-A/MACON, KQQL-HD2-W227BF (93.3)/MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL, WNRQ-HD2-W248BQ/NASHVILLE, WODT-A/NEW ORLEANS, WNOH/NORFOLK, KFOO-A/RIVERSIDE-SAN BERNARDINO, KKSF-A/SAN FRANCISCO, and KHHO-A/TACOMA, WA, with more to be added within the next 60 days. Programming will also be distributed via streaming and as podcasts via the iHEARTPODCAST NETWORK, including a new daily news update podcast.

“BIN: BLACK INFORMATION NETWORK will fill a void by providing continual news and objective information with full focus on the Black community,” said COLES. “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.”
 
"We are pleased and proud to support the launch of BIN: BLACK INFORMATION NETWORK by contributing resources that will have the greatest impact -- our reach, our multiple platforms, our technology infrastructure and our broad, in-depth relationships with consumers,” said Chairman/CEO BOB PITTMAN.  “The commitment to service, and the immediate need we saw for a news and information destination for the Black community, accelerated the launch of BIN: BLACK INFORMATION NETWORK to serve this community in an important new way.  We are honored to be joined by some of the most important companies in the world that are also committed to this mission."

Words From Some Founding Partners

“When we can invest in opportunities that genuinely serve communities, like BIN, we are living up to our values and achieving the highest and best use of our resources,” said BANK OF AMERICA CMO MEREDITH VERDONE. “Keeping informed about events in our rapidly changing world has never been more important and BIN’s goal of delivering relevant, local news tailored to the needs of Black communities across the country directly aligns with BANK OF AMERICA’s goals to strengthen and better serve local communities across the country.”
 
“We are proud to be a Founding Partner of BIN: Black Information Network,” said SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT Chief Diversity Officer PAUL MARTIN. “There has never been a more important time for Black voices to be heard.  We applaud iHEARTMEDIA for their vision and initiative to create this platform for news coverage with a Black voice and perspective.”

“As a founding partner of the BLACK INFORMATION NETWORK, we feel honored to support such a pivotal moment in journalism that will help to create lasting, meaningful change by providing trusted, authentic information and dialogue that combats racism and discrimination through understanding,” said LOWE'S Pres./CEO MARVIN R. ELLISON. “At LOWE’s, we continue to focus on putting actions behind our commitment to advancing diversity and inclusion, and we look forward to deepening our relationship and connecting with the Black community by sharing stories of philanthropic impact, hiring, workforce development and inclusivity.”

“23ANDME is honored to be part of this important iHEART initiative, giving the Black community a strong, informed voice and providing those outside the community with a deeper understanding of our societal issues,” said 23ANDME CEO ANNE WOJCICKI. “This is the first step in a long journey to continually hold ourselves accountable and be part of changing the future.”

“As a brand, we are in a unique time and position to make sure our marketing is doing more than just selling our product, but that it’s focused on values,” said 23ANDME VP/Consumer Marketing & Brand TRACY KEIM. “We have the opportunity to create content that can better humanity. iHEART’s BLACK INFORMATION NETWORK is the first-of-its-kind to take a stand on creating a trusted news source to address the importance of building toward lasting change.”

“At VERIZON, we're dedicated to uplifting communities. There has never been a more critical time to uplift the Black community. We're proud to build on our relationship with iHEART as a founding partner of the BIN: BLACK INFORMATION NETWORK, to provide a trusted news source that will help start conversations and further understanding," said VERIZON Head of Consumer Media Strategy & Activation KARNA CRAWFORD.  

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