Multicultural Programmers Roundup
More than one-third of the United States population—100 million—are people of color. The variety of linear channels aimed at this audience, consisting of African-Americans, Latinos, Asian-Americans and other groups, continues to grow. A roundup of these services follows; a star next to the service title indicates the service also offers its programming in video-on-demand and subscription video-on-demand formats. On-demand exclusive services, such as BOD VOD and Bollywood Hits on Demand, also represent a growing content market for people of color. —Simon Applebaum
THE AFRICA CHANNEL
Launched: November 2008
Ownership: Independent
Format: Digital
Management: James Makawa, founder/CEO; Bob Reid, EVP/general manager
Subscribers: 1,000,000
Key Original Programs: Africa Journal, Africa Mosaic, Generations, Africa Live
Target Audience: African-Americans
AMERICAN DESI
Launched: January 2005
Ownership: Privately held
Format: Digital
Management: Vimal Verma, chairman/CEO; Divya Ohn, SVP, programming
Subscribers: N/A
Key Original Programs: Prime Time, Turbo Movies, Bhangra Blowout
Target Audience: Asian-Americans (South Asian)
AZN*
Launched: May 2005
Ownership: Comcast
Format: Basic/digital
Management: Rod Shanks, general manager
Subscribers: 15 million
Key Original Programs: Cinema AZN, NBA Timeout, Ivy Dreams
Target Audience: Asian-Americans BET*
Launched: January 1980
Ownership: Viacom
Format: Basic/digital
Management: Debra Lee, chairman/CEO; Reginald Hudlin, entertainment president; Scott Mills, COO
Subscribers: 83,000,000
Key Original Programs: 106 & Park, College Hill, S.O.B.-Socially Offensive Behavior, Baldwin Hills
Target Audience: African-Americans
BET J*
Launched: 1996
Ownership: Viacom
Format: Basic/digital
Management: Debra Lee, chairman/CEO; Scott Mills, COO
Subscribers: 22,000,000
Key Original Programs: My Two Cents, Turnstyle, Real-Life Divas, My Model Looks Better Than Your Model, The Turn-On
Target Audience: African-Americans
BET HIP-HOP/GOSPEL*
Launched: 2002
Ownership: Viacom
Format: Digital
Management: Debra Lee, chairman/CEO; Scott Mills, COO
Subscribers: N/A
Key Original Programs: N/A
Target Audience: African-Americans
BRIDGES TV
Launched: December 2004
Ownership: Privately held
Format: Basic/digital
Management: Mo Hassan, CEO
Subscribers: N/A
Key Original Programs: Bridges News, Talking Points, Passport ENT, The Beat, Profiles in Courage
Target Audience: Arab-Americans/Muslims
CASA CLUB
Launched: July 1997
Ownership: Privatelyheld
Format: Digital
Management: Gustavo Pupo-Mayo, president/CEO
Subscribers: 3,250,000
Key Original Programs: En Casa De Lucy, Cooking Under Fire, Primerios Passos
Target Audience: Latinos
CCTV-4
Launched: September 1997
Ownership: China Central Television
Format: A la carte premium
Management/Subscribers: N/A
Key Original Programs: N/A
Target Audience: Asian-Americans (Chinese)
COLOURS TV
Launched: December 2001
Ownership: Black Star Communications
Format: Basic/digital
Management: Tracy Winchester, president; Bill Saltzgiver, general manager
Subscribers: 12,000,000
Key Original Programs: Latin Eyes, Pacific Fusion, NeoSoul, MHz, Black Life in Japan
Target Audience: African-Americans/Arab-Americans/Asian-Americans/Latinos/Muslims/Native Americans
DISCOVERY EN ESPANOL*
Launched: June 1998
Ownership: Discovery Communications
Format: Digital
Management: Luis Silberwasser, SVP/general manager
Subscribers: N/A
Key Original Programs: Pioneros, A Prueba de Todo, Pesca Mortal,
Target Audience: Latinos
DISCOVERY FAMILIA*
Launched: August 2007
Ownership: Discovery Communications
Format: Digital
Management: Luis Silberwasser, SVP/general manager
Subscribers: N/A
Key Original Programs: Espacio Vital, Nosotras, Relatos Con Sabor, Testigo Ocular
Target Audience: Latinos
ESPN DEPORTES*
Launched: January 2004
Ownership: Disney/ABC Cable Networks
Format: Basic/digital
Management: Lino Garcia, general manager
Subscribers: 3.3 million Hispanic cable homes
Key Original Programs: SportsCenter, Perfiles, Futbol Picante, Cronometro
Target Audience: Latinos
EWTN EN ESPAÑOL
Launched: June 1996
Ownership: Privately held
Format: Basic/digital
Management: Michael Warsaw, president
Subscribers: N/A
Key Original Programs: Mi Angelitos, Galeria, Our Faith Live
Target Audience: Latinos
THE FILIPINO CHANNEL
Launched: October 1998
Ownership: ABS-CBN Broadcasting
Format: A la carte premium
Management: Raffy Lopez, COO/managing director
Subscribers: 200,000
Key Original Programs: Baitang America, Citizen Pinoy
Target Audience: Asian-Americans (Filipinos)
FOX SPORTS EN ESPAÑOL*
Launched: November 1996
Ownership: News Corp.
Format: Basic/digital
Management: David Steinberg, EVP/general manager
Subscribers: 10,000,000
Key Original Programs: Fox Sports Noticias, Jorge Ramos en Vivo, Diario Fox Sports
Target Audience: Latinos
GALAVISION
Launched: 1981
Ownership: Univision Communications
Format: Basic/digital
Management: Joanne Black, general manager
Subscribers: 40,000,000
Key Original Programs: Mision: Reportar, Acceso Maximo, Decorando Contigo, Un Destino
Target Audience: Latinos
HISTORY CHANNEL EN ESPAÑOL*
Launched: June 2004
Ownership: A&E Networks
Format: Digital
Management: Marlena Braga, programming director
Subscribers: 26,000,000
Key Original Programs: Raices de America
Target Audience: Latinos
HITN-TV
Launched: July 1987
Ownership: Privately held
Format: Basic/digital
Management: Jose Luiz Rodriguez, CEO
Subscribers: 15,000,000
Key Original Programs: Dialogo de Costa a Costa, The Black Pearl, Todo Viajes
Target Audience: Latinos
IMAGINASIAN TV*
Launched: August 2004
Ownership: Privately held
Format: Digital
Management: Augustine SC Hong, CEO; J. Edward Lee, COO
Subscribers: 4,500,000
Key Original Programs: Uncle Morty’s Dub Shack, The Lounge, Comedy Zen, Finding My America
Target Audience: Asian-Americans
LA FAMILIA COSMOVISION
Launched: May 2002
Ownership: Inspirational Networks
Format: Digital
Management: N/A
Subscribers: 300,000
Key Original Programs: Casa de Campo, La Buena Vida, La Zona
Target Audience: Latinos
LATV
Launched: September 2001
Ownership: LATV Networks
Format: Basic/digital
Management: Daniel Crowe, president; Howard Bolter, COO
Subscribers: N/A
Key Original Programs: LATV Live, Videos Por Favor, LATV Does Hollywood
Target Audience: Latinos
MBC
Launched: September 2002
Ownership: Munwha Broadcasting
Format: A la carte premium
Management: Shinso Park, president
Subscribers: N/A
Key Original Programs: Jumong, One Fine Day, PD Diary
Target Audience: Asian-Americans
MTV TR3S
Launched: September 2006
Ownership: Viacom
Format: Basic/digital
Management: Lucia Ballas-Traynor, SVP/general manager
Subscribers: N/A
Key Original Programs: Tu Pride, Mi TRL, Indie 101, Road To Menudo, Voces
Target Audience: Latinos
mun2*
Launched: September 2001
Ownership: NBC Universal
Format: Basic/digital
Management: Alex Pels, general manager
Subscribers: 17,000,000
Key Original Programs: The Chicas Project, One Nation Under Hip-Hop, Vivo, The Shift, Have You Cine?
Target Audience: Latinos MYX
Launched: April 2007
Ownership: ABS-CBN
Format: Digital
Management: Raffy Lopez, managing director
Subscribers: N/A
Key Original Programs: Back 2 Basics, Backspin, The Hook, Musicbang, The Nutshack
Target Audience: Asian-Americans
NEW TANG DYNASTY TV
Launched: February 2002
Ownership: Privately held
Format: Basic/digital
Management: Zhong Lee, president/CEO
Subscribers: 5,300,000
Key Original Programs: Asia Brief, NTDTV News, Zooming In, Asia Talk
Target Audience: Asian-Americans (Chinese)
SAIGON BROADCASTING TV NETWORK
Launched: July 2001
Ownership: Saigon Broadcasting
Format: A la carte premium
Management: Truc Ho, CEO
Subscribers: N/A
Key Original Programs: Music With Orchid Lam Quynh, SBTN Nightly News
Target Audience: Asian-Americans (Vietnamese)
SÍ TV*
Launched: February 2004
Ownership: Time Warner/EchoStar/various venture capital firms
Format: Basic/digital
Management: Michael Schwimmer, CEO; Leo Perez, COO
Subscribers: 10,000,000
Key Original Programs: The Drop, Urban Jungle, Jammin, Latino Laugh Factory, Across The Hall, Styleyes
Target Audience: Latinos
SORPRESA!*
Launched: March 2003
Ownership: Firestone Communications
Format: Digital
Management: Leonard Firestone, chairman/CEO
Subscribers: 1,000,000
Key Original Programs: Arcandina, Verano Eterno, Mi Familia Es Un Dibujo
Target Audience: Latinos
STARZ INBLACK
Launched: 1997
Ownership: Liberty Media
Format: Basic/digital
Management: N/A
Subscribers: 17,000,000
Key Original Programs: Martin Lawrence’s 1st Amendment
Target Audience: African-Americans
TBN ENLACE USA
Launched: May 2002
Ownership: Trinity Broadcasting Network
Format: Digital
Management: Paul Crouch, president
Subscribers: 2,031,500
Key Original Programs: Enlace Ora, La Vision, Generacion Victorioso
Target Audience: Latinos
TELEVISION KOREA 24
Launched: March 2005
Ownership: Comcast/other investors
Format: Digital
Management: Eric Yoon, CEO
Subscribers: 750,000
Key Original Programs: TVk Primetime News, Face 24, Hardline
Target Audience: Asian-Americans (Korean)
TV ASIA
Launched: May 1998
Ownership: TV Asia
Format: A la carte premium
Management: H.R. Shah, chairman
Subscribers: N/A
Key Original Programs: TV Asia News, Community Roundup, Jawaan Hoon
Target Audience: Asian-Americans
TV JAPAN
Launched: February 2000
Ownership: Japan Network Group/NHK
Format: A la carte premium
Management: Susumu Tanimura, president/CEO
Subscribers/Key Original Programs: N/A
Target Audience: Asian-Americans (Japanese)
TV ONE*
Launched: January 2004
Ownership: Comcast/Radio One
Format: Basic/digital
Management: Johnathan Rodgers, president/CEO
Subscribers: 35,000,000
Key Original Programs: Turn Up The Heat, Divine Restoration, TV One Access, Stage Black
Target Audience: African-Americans
V-ME
Launched: March 2007
Ownership: Privately held
Format: Digital
Management: Mario Baeza, executive chairman; Carmen DiRienzo, president
Subscribers: N/A
Key Original Programs: Viva Voz, La Plaza, Naturaleza
Target Audience: Latinos
ZEE TV
Launched: July 1998
Ownership: Zee TV USA
Format: A la carte premium
Management/Subscribers: N/A
Key Original Programs: Saat Phere…Saloni Ka Safar, Kasmh Se, Jaab Luv-Hua
Target Audience: Asian-American (South Asian)
ZHONG TIAN
Launched: August 1999
Ownership: CTI-ZHC
Format: A la carte premium
Management: Andy Chuang, general manager
Subscribers/Key Original Programs: N/A
Target Audience: Asian-Americans