Black films the focus of new pay channel. (Black Entertainment Television and Encore Media Group create BET Movies STARZ!3)(Special Report: Pay TV)

Broadcasting & Cable, September, 1996 by McConville, Jim

BET/Encore joint venture hopes to launch in February with '60s-'80s movies; target is 5 million subs by 2001 Black Entertainment Television and Encore Media Corp. are targeting the urban and minority market with a black-film pay cable channel. BET Movies/STARZ!3, to launch next February, is a 50/50 joint venture between the two companies.

Officials would not Disclose how much will be spent to launch the channel. BET and Encore are balking on a pent-up demand for such a specialized black film channel among the nation's black American TV households. Unveiling the network at a press conference in New York last week, Robert L. Johnson, chairman of BET Holdings, BET's parent company, cited statistics that showed that black Americans watch 50%...

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