Bounce TV adds Weigel stations in Chicago, Milwaukee

0

The over-the-air broadcast television network for African-Americans launching 9/26 keeps adding markets and groups: This time it is Chicago’s WWME-CA (Me-TV) and Milwaukee’s WBME-TV in a new affiliation agreement with Weigel Broadcasting. Me-TV stands for Memorable Entertainment Television, which airs classic television shows from the 60’s-80s. In January, Weigel signed to have Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios handle the national distribution for Me-TV. It now competes with RTV and Antenna TV.


In the past week, Bounce TV, a digital multicast network, also added Gannett Broadcasting’s WATL-TV in Atlanta and signed Toyota USA as the network’s first national advertiser.

“Weigel Broadcasting’s Chicago stations have long served a diverse group of underserved communities, especially the African American community,” commented Neal Sabin, president of content and networks for Weigel.  “Chicago’s African American community first saw “A Blacks View of the News” and “Soul Train,” prior to its historic syndication run, on our stations. Affiliating with Bounce TV continues that tradition and enhances the Weigel heritage with an important segment of our viewers.”

Bounce TV also has affiliation agreements with Belo, Nexstar, LIN TV and Raycom Media.

RBR-TVBR observation: Bounce TV has a pretty good OTA signal here. In Chicago, WWME received special permission from the FCC to be able to broadcast with 363 kw of power. Normally UHF Class-A stations are limited to 150 kw. Since it is atop the Willis (Sears) Tower, it pretty much covers the entire market.