J.C. Watts to launch African-American cable news channel

Q: Why a news channel?

A: I guess probably in my time in politics, it continued to be affirmed to me that the African-American community, despite being subscription television’s most valuable customers, they are very underserved by cable and satellite television programming options. The African-American community is, I think, news-starved and underserved. You’ve got about 70 successful Hispanic channels. We think we are meeting a need.

Q: What type of programming will the BTNC have?

A: We’ll provide about 16 hours of original news coverage, nonpartisan commentary, information, educational programs that I think represent a diverse African-American viewpoint. When you look at cable, you see African-American faces, but you don’t see African-American news.

Q: Did Barack Obama’s presidential run prompt your decision to deliver news directly to black audiences?

A: I think there’s more news than — obviously, Barack Obama is news. Red, yellow, brown, black or white, what he is doing is news. Now, if he becomes president, then that surely would provide a lot of content, but I think news is more than presidential elections or the war in Iraq.