FAIRFAX, Va. — For longtime cable television executive Curtis Symonds, launching the HBCU Network as a cable television channel represents the pinnacle of a lifelong association with historically Black institutions. A graduate of Central State University, Symonds grew up on the historically Black Ohio campus because his mother was on the faculty. She “brought me over when I was 2 years old on the campus at CSU, and she taught there for 40 years,” Symonds says.
With extensive marketing experience from stints at Black Entertainment Television and ESPN, Symonds, who is the HBCU Network CEO, is leading a team of cable executives working to get the Atlanta-based network off the ground next month. In addition to offering the nation’s 105 HBCUs a television network exclusively devoted to showcasing these schools, the HBCU Network is setting aside 20 percent of the channel’s equity to be collectively shared by all the HBCUs.
The new network also is reaching out to HBCUs, particularly those that own television stations, to enlist them as programming partners to develop original shows for the channel. “The one thing that many of the schools are concerned about, and we are really working with them on that, is maintaining their brands. They want to make sure that their brands do not get blemished in any kind of way,” Symonds says.
Those interested in learning about the channel and watching programs next month can access the HBCU Network at http://HBCUnetwork.com.
DI: Why have you developed the HBCU Network?
CS: Well, I guess it started really a long time (ago) for me. I grew up on the campus of Central State University. And over those 30-some years that I grew up at Central State, I really had a great experience of understanding the importance of historically Black colleges and what it means to our community. (I know) what it means to the development of the character of many African-American females and males, and I really did not want to see this trail begin to start shrinking.
I wanted to create a network for two reasons. Number one (is) to create more exposure for historically Black colleges. Number two (is) to help African-American females and males at a younger age to understand the value of historically Black colleges.
