Florida's News Channel Explained

Network Name:	Florida's News Channel
Country:	United States
Network Type:	Cable network
Available:	Florida
Owner:	Bob Brillante
Key People:	Frank Watson, VP/general manager; Harvey Bennett, news director; Gordon Graham, news anchor; Jim Hillger, chief engineer
Launch Date:	September 1998

Florida's News Channel (FNC) was a regional cable news network available on Florida's cable television systems (e.g. Comcast, GTE, TCI Cable, AT&T Broadband, and Continental Cablevision) that operated from 1998 to 2003.^[1] FNC's viewers were the first to see virtual reality news environments with customized local scenery in each of Florida's seven major television markets.^[2]

FNC created nightly newscasts for a black audience.^[3] These newscasts were hosted by anchors Gordon Graham, Val Bracy, and Karla Winfrey.

Frank Watson served as FNC's vice president and general manager.^[4] Partners included Willie E. Gary, Evander Holyfield, Cecil Fielder, Marlon Jackson, and Alvin James.^{[5] [6]}

Comcast dropped FNC due to lack of viewer interest.^[7] The legal dispute between FNC's management and Comcast was settled in 2005.^[8]

Notes and References

1. News: Clifford. Dorothy. Chatting in The Florida Room. Tallahassee Democrat, Style Section. November 8, 1998.
2. News: Straeb. Matt. The Reality of the Virtual Set. Broadcast Engineering. August 1999.
3. News: Jordan. Juana. A Major Step for Florida News Channel: Tuning in Black Viewers. Tallahassee Democrat. February 25, 2003.
4. News: Ensley. Gerald. New Chief at Florida News. Tallahassee Democrat. April 27, 2000.
5. News: Deggans. Eric. A 'CNN' for black viewers. St. Petersburg Times. February 24, 2003. November 13, 2012.
6. News: Umstead. R. Thomas. Startup Preps Startup: MBC to Try News Net. Multichannel News. February 10, 2003.
7. News: Scott. Rocky. Comcast to Drop Florida News Channel Due to Lack of Viewer Interest. PC World. December 3, 2003.
8. Circuit Court, Fourth Judicial Circuit, in and for Duval County, Florida, styled Florida's News Channel v. Media One, et al.; Case No.: 02-05864 CA; Division CV-G (the "Action")