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African-American television network Bounce TV has just signed a major distribution deal to partner with Univision Communications Inc., the leading media company serving Hispanic America, to broadcast Bounce TV as a multicast channel of their stations in San Francisco, Boston, Miami, Denver, Sacramento, Raleigh, and Tampa. This might be the first time an African-American broadcast company and a Hispanic media company have joined forces at this level. Univision Television Group owns and/or operates 62 television stations in major US Hispanic markets and Puerto Rico, will carry Bounce TV.

This deal, according to a press release, will drive Bounce TV’s coverage to 86 percent of African-American television homes and 68 percent of the total United States. Bounce TV will now also be in available all of the top ten markets and 24 of the top 25 African-American markets. All this comes on the heels of Bounce’s one-year anniversary operation on Sept. 26. Bounce TV, which is majority African American-owned, airs 24 hours daily, seven days a week on the signals of local television stations. Its founding group and board of directors include Martin Luther King III and Ambassador Andrew Young.

While all of the terms of the Bounce-Univision deal have not been disclosed, both sides seem excited about the joint venture. “This unique agreement brings together the leading over the air broadcaster targeting the Hispanic viewer and the only over the air network targeting African Americans,” commented Jeffrey Wolf, executive vice president of distribution, Bounce TV in the press release. “Our partnership with Univision extends Bounce TV’s extraordinary reach even further, reinforcing our position as the fastest growing African-American network.”

Univision Television Group president, Kevin Cuddihy, added, “Bounce TV is the perfect companion for Univision as we continue to serve the New American Reality. It is a meaningful network that will serve African American audiences in our communities joining Univision to create a powerful one-two combination for viewers and advertisers.”

This year, Bounce also announced its first motion picture licensing agreement with Lionsgate through which the network broadcast a package of African American-skewing Lionsgate movies.

Bounce is continuing to rise fast. This latest deal should speed up its growth even more.

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Flip through the channels tonight and see if you can catch Magic Johnson’s Aspire, a new television network aimed at reaching black families with quality content. Johnson’s network, which launched on Wednesday, is currently available in about 7 million homes and in 16 of the top 25 African-American markets, including New York, Atlanta, Chicago and Washington. Some Time Warner Cable and Comcast customers may also have access to the channel as well.

Johnson partnered with the GMC, formerly known as the Gospel Music Network, in Atlanta to help launch the network. GMS provides Aspire with operational infrastructure. Although Johnson won’t release exactly how much he’s spending to launch the network, according to Bloomberg Businessweek, he does states that “it takes $100 (million) or $150 million just to turn the lights on and really get it going — and we’re gonna be in that neighborhood.”

But Johnson has already secured big names advertisers Coca-Cola Co., Chrysler, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., L’Oreal and Nationwide Insurance. He even projects his network may break even in a year.

“I’ve been doing business almost as long as I’ve been playing basketball,” he said to Bloomberg Businessweek. “I bought a radio station when I was 19 years old, when I first got drafted by the Lakers.”

In addition, to Johnson it’s more about the mission of the network than its cost.

“Focus groups told us African-Americans want more family content on TV,” Johnson said on Wednesday a few hours before the launch party. “If they would have told me, ‘We don’t need another channel, there’s not an opportunity for you,’ we wouldn’t be sitting here.”

Johnson notes that the family driven content and positive African American images, as well as the targeted age group will separate his network from others in the African American demographic. He says that his network will skew older than both BET and TV One.

“Blacks want options; they want variety, like everybody else,” he said. “There’ll be enough viewers for all of us. So everybody wins.”

Aspire’s current lineup consists of acquisitions such as “The Bill Cosby Show,” “Julia,” and “The Flip Wilson Show.”  It will also include movies, documentaries, music, comedy and faith and inspirational programming.

Johnson foresees Aspire will be able to reach 12 million homes by the end of the year, 20-30 million homes by the end of 2013, and 40 million homes in two years.

More on Madame Noire Business!

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• Entrepreneur Spotlight: Shafonne Myers, Founder and Owner of Pretty Pear Bride Magazine
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The media industry is opening up a host of new networks and programs to entertain the black community, but if you still haven’t found one that you enjoy, try National Black Television (NBTV1.com) which boasts that it’s the world’s first 24/7 Internet television network.

Its slogan declares “TV that Cares!” With its recent launch the network says its online streaming content is dedicated to empowering African Americans. The network covers news, sports and information from the African American perspective. The network is based in Atlanta and has bureaus worldwide with a team of nearly 2,000 news professionals.

Founder, president and CEO Stanley Everage Jr., notes that NBTV1.com is a firm supporter of historically black colleges and universities as well as the advancement of young African Americans.

“NBTV is proud to showcase college life,” Everage said in a press statement. “To give young people a view of what life can be if they stay focused on their goals, and dreams.”

Its website allows members to chat while watching shows, share information with other members and upload videos online.

“We will never come off the air, brothers and sisters. We won’t stop,” Everage said. “I want the world, especially young people, to experience the influence and power of the leaders within the African-American community.”

More on Madame Noire Business!

• Bar Owners, Party Throwers & DJs: African-American Women Making It In The Nightlife Business
• How She Made It: Maria Lee-Driver Discusses The Success of Her Skincare Line Oria’s O’Shay’s
• Entrepreneur Spotlight: Shafonne Myers, Founder and Owner of Pretty Pear Bride Magazine
• Behind the Click: Shellye Archambeau, CEO of MetricStream
• Do Black Designers Skip Over Black Models to Gain White Customers?
• How She Made It: Alia Jones-Harvey, Producer of A Streetcar Named Desire