The first US national news channel to cater to African-American viewers has launched in Florida.
The Black News Channel (BNC) will cover news “culturally specific to the African American community”, said the new cable news network.
The BNC said it planned to target the “image gap” in negative black stereotypes depicted in the media.
Network executives said BNC – which hopes to reach 100 million viewers – would not be politically partisan.
The 24/7 channel – which went to air on Monday – plans to offer original programming “created by people of colour for people of colour”, its website says.
The BNC will be run by JC Watts, a black former Republican congressman for Oklahoma and former professional football player, and Bob Brillante, a white TV executive.
John Marks, the former Democratic mayor of Tallahassee, where the network is based, will also be part of the management team.
The top investor in the project is Shahid Khan, the billionaire owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars NFL team and Fulham FC of the English Football League.
“We’re not looking to be Republican or Democrat,” Mr Watts told the Associated Press in October.
“Obviously, there will be current affairs, but we are culturally specific to the African American community.