As we reported yesterday, iHeart Media’s 850 KHHO Tacoma has flipped to the newly launched Black Information Network – a 24/7 news service that will integrate local newscasts, weather, traffic & all the elements one expects from a local news outlet. The programming will also re-purpose 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. The format debuted today on 15 of iHeart’s stations with another 60 expected to soon carry the new national format. In addition, HD sub-channels in NYC, Boston & L.A. are airing the network. BIN will also be supplying hourly newscasts to the group’s hip-hop, adult R+B& gospel stations for carriage as well.
July 14, 2020 at QZVX
lonergan says:
I’ve been listening off and on since the switch. Some very good voices, but it sounds a bit distorted, maybe overmodulated. Also some good historic vignettes and news items, but they run the same ones over and over and over.
July 9, 2020 at QZVX
Dick Ellingson says:
KHHO is now streaming.
https://www.iheart.com/live/seattles-bin-850-8672/
July 1, 2020 at QZVX
toddmitchell says:
I *was* going to rant about putting the KTAC call letters back on 850, where they belong, but maybe the answer here is to go back one further: KBTI! Tacoma’s Black Information! (I know, in the PPM world, only radio geeks care about call letters…)
June 30, 2020 at QZVX
Dick Ellingson says:
‘The launch partners are Bank of America, CVS Health, GEICO, Lowe’s, McDonald’s USA, Sony, 23andMe and Verizon.’
It would be interesting to see Bank of America’s historic and current comparison stats on mortgages, auto loans, lines of credit etc. for loan availability, interest rate, down payment and foreclosure and repossession rates for customers of various skin color and ethnic background.
It would also be interesting to see GEICO’s comparison stats on premium charged, rate of rejection and rate of cancellation on auto, homeowners’ and renters’ policies for customers of various skin color and ethnic background.
June 30, 2020 at QZVX
Mike Cherry says:
Dick – I was thinking along similar lines: “Just how committed are these various corporations to equal treatment of black people, immigrants & those of ethnic backgrounds?” I’ll stick by my comment on the previous thread about BIN – that this is an opportunity to monetize a current social movement & less about equality & noble causes. It’s a new twist on the all-news format & I hope for the sake of listeners that this will provide some alternatives to current news services. We’ll see…
July 1, 2020 at QZVX
Dick Ellingson says:
Mike,
Once the ad revenue starts rolling in, will any reasonable percentage (and not just a penny per hundred dollar bill) be used to further the much-needed reforms? As you put it, we’ll see…