The Mutual Black Network (MBN) was founded by the

Mutual Broadcasting System The Mutual Broadcasting System (commonly referred to simply as Mutual; sometimes referred to as MBS, Mutual Radio or the Mutual Radio Network) was an American commercial radio network in operation from 1934 to 1999. In the Old-time radio, golden ...

in 1972 as the first national full-service

radio network There are two types of radio network currently in use around the world: the one-to-many (simplex communication) broadcast network commonly used for public information and mass media, mass-media entertainment, and the two-way radio (Duplex (telecomm ...

aimed at African Americans; it was initially branded as Mutual Reports before the branding change to MBN. With 98 affiliated stations across the United States, including flagship WNJR in New York, 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 African-American history began with the arrival of Africans to North America in the 16th and 17th centuries. Former Spanish slaves who had been freed by Francis Drake arrived aboard the Golden Hind at New Albion in California in 1579. The ...

, 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 1981, 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. A decade later, SBN merged with the rival National Black Network, forming the present-day

American Urban Radio Networks American Urban Radio Networks (AURN) is the only African-American owned and operated Nielsen RADAR-rated radio network in the United States. Privately held for the last three years with new ownership, AURN reaches an estimated 25 million listen ...

Affiliates

* WNJR, Newark, New Jersey, in the New York City market -- flagship station * KCOH in Houston; Texas *

KJET KJET (105.7 Hertz, MHz) is a commercial radio, commercial FM broadcasting, FM radio station city of license, licensed to Union, Washington, and serving the Olympia, Washington area. The station airs a contemporary hit radio format and is owned by ...

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 WERD was the first radio station owned and programmed by African Americans. The station was established in Atlanta, Georgia on October 3, 1949, broadcasting on 860 AM (now used by WAEC). The National Black Radio Hall of Fame Atlanta Chapter is ...

in Jacksonville, Florida * WIGO in Atlanta, Georgia * WRBD, Broward County, Florida and its sister FM station WCKO * WVKO in Columbus, Ohio * WWIL-FM in Wilmington, North Carolina

References

Defunct radio stations in the United States African-American culture Defunct radio networks in the United States African-American mass media Organizations established in 1972 Mutual Broadcasting System {{US-bcast-stub

Affiliates

See also

References