Mutual Black Network
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The Mutual Black Network (MBN) was founded by the Mutual Broadcasting System in 1972 as the first national full-service radio network aimed at African Americans; it was initially branded as Mutual Reports Network (MRN)[1] before the branding change to MBN. With 98 affiliated stations across the United States, including flagship WNJR in New York,[2] the network broadcast an hourly five-minute newscast at 50 minutes past the hour. It also aired sports and feature programs, and for one year beginning in the spring of 1974, a 15-minute daily soap opera called Sounds Of The City.
Some of its special programming focused on African-American history, much of which was researched, written and narrated by MBN news anchor Ben Frazier. Other MBN news anchors included Glen Ford, John Askew and Ed Castleberry; Castleberry also hosted a celebrity interview program, Soul of Entertainment.
In 1979, the Mutual Black Network was purchased by Sheridan Broadcasting, an African American-owned company which had been a minority stockholder in MBN, and renamed the Sheridan Broadcasting Network. In 1991, SBN merged with the rival National Black Network, forming the present-day American Urban Radio Networks.
Affiliates
- WNJR,[2] Newark, New Jersey, in the New York City market --flagship station
- WDAS-FM and WDAS in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- KCOH in Houston; Texas
- KJET in Beaumont, Port Arthur, Texas
- KOKY in Little Rock, Arkansas
- KPRS AM‐FM in Kansas City
- KYAC AM‐FM in Kirkland and Seattle, Washington
- KWK in St. Louis, Missouri
- WABQ in Cleveland, Ohio
- WERD in Jacksonville, Florida
- WIGO in Atlanta, Georgia
- WRBD, Broward County, Florida and its sister FM station WCKO[2]
- WVKO in Columbus, Ohio
- WWIL-FM in Wilmington, North Carolina
See also
References
- Pages with broken file links
- African-American radio
- Defunct radio networks in the United States
- Defunct radio stations in the United States
- Mutual Broadcasting System
- Organizations established in 1972
- Organizations disestablished in 1991
- Radio stations established in 1972
- Radio stations disestablished in 1991
- Pages with script errors