iHeartMedia has announced the launch of “BIN: Black Information Network” at 12pm today described as “the first and only 24/7 national and local all news audio service dedicated to providing an objective, accurate and trusted source of continual news coverage with a Black voice and perspective.”
Launching on fifteen stations as well as HD Radio subchannels in other markets including Boston, Los Angeles, and New York, Black Information Network will run as a standalone business unit of iHeartMedia. The network will also power newscasts on iHeart’s 91 Hip Hop, Adult R&B, and Gospel music stations.
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 states that the plan for the network came from a research study of Black listeners that found that 86% believed a service like it is necessary and would be likely to use it as an important news source, 83% thinking that BIN provided a key service and important information they can’t get on radio or TV today, and a strong concept among the 18-34 and 35-54 demos equally.
Black Information Network will be presented similar to all-News stations with local news, weather and traffic included on each station. The programming will also repurpose 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.
iHeartMedia Markets Group Division President Tony Coles will also serve as President of BIN. Coles has been with iHeartMedia since 2004, most of that time in Chicago first as OM and National Hot AC Brand Manager and then SVP of Programming. He then rose to EVP of Programming for the company’s West Region until his rise to Division President in January. He has also programmed in Columbus, Fort Wayne, Los Angeles, Portland and Seattle during his career.
Tanita Myers joins the company as Director of News Operations for BIN. Myers most recently served as Executive Producer of Westwood One’s Rick & Sasha morning show and previously spending fifteen years at Radio One’s Reach Media where she was EP of the Rickey Smiley Morning Show, Director of Operations for the Tom Joyner Morning Show, and then Senior Director of Radio Operations from 2009-2018 overseeing all of the network’s programming.
The company states that additional stations will join the network in the next 60 days. The list of launch stations and their previous formats are:
- Conservative Talk “Fox News 640” WGST Atlanta
- Sports “Fox Sports 1340” WYNF Augusta GA
- Christian AC “Up 98.7” W254AZ/WRFX-HD2 Belmont/Charlotte NC
- Alternative “Alt 99.1” W256BT/WMMS-HD2 Cleveland
- AC “Mix 94.7” 1460 WGSY Phenix City AL/94.7 W234BX Highland Pines/Columbus GA
- Sports “1130 The Fan” WDFN Detroit
- Sports “Fox Sports 1440” WGVL Greenville SC
- Sports “Fox Sports 1670” WMGE Macon GA
- Alternative “Alt 93.3” W227BF/KQQL-HD2 Minneapolis
- Gospel “Hallelujah 97.5” W248BQ/WNRQ-HD2 Nashville TN
- “Sports 1280” WODT New Orleans
- Alternative “Alt 105.3” WNOH Norfolk
- Spanish Oldies “La Preciosa 1440” KFOO Riverside CA
- Liberal Talk “Real Talk 910” KKSF San Francisco
- Conservative Talk “South Sound Talk 850” KHHO Tacoma/Seattle WA
Today marks the launch of BIN: Black Information Network, the first and only 24/7 national and local all news audio service dedicated to providing an objective, accurate and trusted source of continual news coverage with a Black voice and perspective. BIN is focused on service to the Black community and providing an information window for those outside the community to help foster communication, accountability and a deeper understanding.
BIN will leverage the resources, assets and financial support of iHeartMedia, and fills the void for a 24/7 well-distributed all-news audio service for the Black community. A study of Black listeners found that 86% believe a service like BIN is necessary and are likely to use it as an important news source, and 83% think BIN provides a key service and important information they can’t get on radio or TV today. The study also shows that the BIN concept is equally strong among both the 18-34 year old and 35-54 year old segments of the Black community.
Instead of traditional ad supported media, BIN is enabled by the support of National Founding Partners who share and support the mission of BIN: Black Information Network. These partners are Bank of America, CVS Health, GEICO, Lowe’s, McDonald’s USA, Sony, 23andMe and Verizon.
BIN will be distributed nationally through the iHeartRadio app and accessible via mobile, smart speakers, smart TVs and other connected platforms, and on dedicated all-news local AM/FM broadcast radio stations providing local news, weather traffic and sports in addition to national news — all focused on the Black community and from the Black perspective — in markets including Atlanta, Augusta, Charlotte, Cleveland, Columbus, GA, Detroit, Greenville, Macon, Minneapolis, Nashville, New Orleans, Norfolk, Riverside, San Francisco and Seattle, with additional local markets being added over the next 60 days.
BIN will also provide the news service for iHeartMedia’s 91 Hip Hop, R&B and Gospel stations across the country, including Power 105.1 in New York, Real 92.3 in Los Angeles, WDAS and Power 99 in Philadelphia, WGCI and WVAZ in Chicago, WJLB in Detroit, The Beat in Houston, The Beat in Miami, WQUE in New Orleans, KMEL in San Francisco and more.
BIN will be a standalone business unit within iHeartMedia, and its executives and talent will reflect the community they serve. The business will be enabled and supported by the full resources of iHeartMedia, including shared use of technology; data and insights; marketing; digital services; monetization; and corporate resources, including Legal, HR and Finance.
Because iHeartMedia’s broadcast assets alone currently reach 93% of Black Americans – more than any other media outlet, including local and national TV — BIN’s news service will gain immediate brand awareness and audience credibility through respected and successful Black audience-targeted music stations. BIN will also be amplified through iHeartMedia’s 200 million-plus social footprint.
iHeartMedia has a unique news infrastructure that can be utilized by BIN to provide support as needed. iHeartMedia has more news reporters located in more places than any other audio news organization, and each year its local news operations are the recipients of some of the most prestigious awards in broadcasting. In addition to its local news operations, iHeartMedia’s 24/7 News Source newswire service provides text, audio and breaking news to over 1,000 stations in the United States and Canada.
BIN’s unique partner supported business model is tailored to its mission of providing comprehensive, accurate and trusted information and news. The national Founding Partners of BIN: Black Information Network will support building this new platform for Black journalism and trusted news, and this partnership support will enable BIN’s focus to be on providing a reliable, responsible and responsive news service to the Black community without the daily pressure of ratings.
Founding Partners 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.
Tony Coles will be President of BIN: Black Information Network. Coles, who also serves as Division President of the iHeartMedia Markets Group, has more than 35 years’ experience in the radio industry, from on-air to programming and management, with a strong record of success and team-building. He began his career in Ft. Wayne, IN, as a programmer and in Zanesville, OH as an on-air personality, and has since served as National Hot AC Brand Manager; Senior Vice President of Programming for iHeartMedia Chicago; and most recently as Executive Vice President of Programming for the company’s West Region. As Division President, Coles oversees the complete P&L for 21 iHeart markets across America.
Tanita Myers will be Director of News Operations for BIN: Black Information Network. Myers is a seasoned network and local Producer, Broadcaster and News Anchor with 15 years’ experience at Reach Media. She was formerly Director of Operations for The Tom Joyner Morning Show; Executive Producer of Rickey Smiley Morning Show; and a reporter in News, Traffic and Weather for various major market stations.
BIN: Black Information Network will also have an Advisory Board consisting of leaders of the community from both inside the company and externally who will bring their unique and important perspectives as an ongoing resource to the business.
In addition, Clear Channel Outdoor Americas (CCOA) will be a national marketing partner.
“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 enable the 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 Bob Pittman, Chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia. “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.”
Selections of BIN’s broadcast radio content will also be distributed every day as podcasts across iHeartRadio’s podcast network, now the largest in the world. A selection of iHeartRadio’s Black culture podcasts will also be distributed and amplified on BIN’s broadcast radio programming, and a new daily BIN podcast will launch shortly, providing 10-20 minutes of on-demand daily news and culture analysis uniquely for the Black community.
BIN is actively hiring for various positions. For information on these positions, candidates can visit www.iHeartMediaCareers.com. For more information about BIN: Black Information Network, please visit www.BINNews.com.
The company also released the following quotes from its Founding Partners:
Bank of America
“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 Meredith Verdone, chief marketing officer of Bank of America. “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.”McDonald’s USA
“McDonald’s and our franchisees are proud to be a founding partner of the Black Information Network as another step in our journey to support our customers and communities. Our roots run deep in the many neighborhoods we serve, and through the Black Information Network, we are helping to amplify information and diverse perspectives to establish new opportunities for meaningful dialogue and deeper understanding needed to motivate change and progress across the country.” – Vicki Chancellor, Atlanta-based owner/operator and chair of the McDonald’s national franchisee brand committee and Joe Erlinger, President, McDonald’s USALowe’s
“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 Marvin R. Ellison, Lowe’s President and CEO. “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.”Sony
“We are proud to be a Founding Partner of BIN: Black Information Network,” said Paul Martin, Chief Diversity Officer, Sony Pictures Entertainment. “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.”23&Me
“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 Anne Wojcicki, CEO and Co-Founder of 23andMe. “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 Tracy Keim, Vice President of Consumer Marketing & Brand at 23andMe. “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.”
Verizon
“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 Karna Crawford, Head of Consumer Media Strategy & Activation, Verizon.
Original Report 6/29: iHeartMedia is preparing to launch a new network on at least fifteen of its stations, all of which are currently stunting with speeches targeting African American audiences.
The stations come from a variety of formats including Sports, Conservative Talk, and Alternative Rock and all target markets with larger Black populations. The stations are promoting “Our Voices Will Be Heard” and an announcement to take place on Tuesday, June 30 at 12pm eastern.
The list of stations currently stunting include:
- Conservative Talk “Fox News 640” WGST Atlanta
- Sports “Fox Sports 1340” WYNF Augusta GA
- Christian AC “Up 98.7” W254AZ Belmont/Charlotte NC
- Alternative “Alt 99.1” W256BT Cleveland
- AC “Mix 94.7” 1460 WGSY Phenix City AL/94.7 W234BX Highland Pines/Columbus GA
- Sports “1130 The Fan” WDFN Detroit
- Sports “Fox Sports 1440” WGVL Greenville SC
- Sports “Fox Sports 1670” WMGE Macon GA
- Alternative “Alt 93.3” W227BF Minneapolis
- Gospel “Hallelujah 97.5” W248BQ Nashville TN
- “Sports 1280” WODT New Orleans
- Alternative “Alt 105.3” WNOH Norfolk
- Spanish Oldies “La Preciosa 1440” KFOO Riverside CA
- Liberal Talk “Real Talk 910” KKSF San Francisco
- Conservative Talk “South Sound Talk 850” KHHO Tacoma/Seattle WA
With the flip, multiple staffers have exited the affected stations. At WODT New Orleans, 10am-12pm host David Grubb, 12-2pm host Eric Asher, and 4-6pm host Kaare Johnson depart.
WMMS in Cleveland has just launched an HD3 subchannel. My guess is that it will be the new home of ALT as HD2 (where the modern rock had been at) will become the new format along with 99.1.
The stunting with African-American targeted speeches is also now on in Boston on the HD2 channel of iHeart’s Rhythmic CHR/Hip-Hop “Jammin'” WJMN 94.5 FM, replacing iHeart’s soft rock “The Breeze” (though “The Breeze” is still on the RDS text display).