By Stacy M. Brown | NNPA
(NNPA) – In a seismic move set to redefine the streaming landscape, James DuBose, the visionary former General Manager of Fox Soul, has unleashed his revolutionary ad-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) platform, In The Black Network (ITBN). Dubose started the streaming service in October and has intentionally designed it to magnify Black voices and showcase original narratives.
In The Black Network is not merely a streaming platform; “it is a cultural phenomenon set to house a rich tapestry of entertainment meticulously curated from the vault of Fox Television Stations,” DuBose told the National Newspaper Publishers Association’s (NNPA) Let It Be Known morning news show.
The NNPA is the trade association of the 250 African American newspapers and media companies that comprise the 197-year-old Black Press of America.
Offering an expansive collection of free entertainment content, the new platform will be easily accessible through a dedicated app on iOS and Android devices, Apple TV, YouTube, and Samsung media players, with plans to forge additional distribution partnerships shortly.
A luminary in the television and filmmaking realms, DuBose’s mission goes beyond entertainment. He told Let It Be Known that it’s about creating a Black-owned streaming powerhouse that becomes the epitome of Black pride. The ITBN service promises a kaleidoscope of multi-genre content, ranging from sports, music, scripted dramas, and talk shows to children and family programs and feature films.
He said there are plans to use news and entertainment host, Niele Anderson, to host political town halls and to inform and educate voters ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
“I love everything about our culture: our faith, our resilience, our rhythm, our minds, and our love,” DuBose asserted. “These pillars are the focus of our curated content, which honors and elevates black culture and cultivates pride within our community. Throughout my career, I’ve always aimed to uplift Black voices, so bringing this new network to fruition is extremely personal and important to me. We want viewers to feel connected to authentic stories that speak to our culture and gain a shared sense of self from enjoying our entertainingly inspiring content.”
DuBose has strategically aligned with content powerhouses such as pocket.watch, Black Waterhorse, Maverick Entertainment, and he’s chosen shows from Fox Soul’s licensed library.
“We want folks to go to one place,” he said. “If you want to watch Netflix, you go to Netflix. We want that for In The Black.”
DuBose added that he envisions challenging industry giants like Tubi and Netflix in the free streaming TV space, not just in the United States but globally. “We want to be a place that’s easier to get through the greenlight process. Too many talented creators in our culture don’t get their voices or vision seen.”