The Hip Hop Music Channel launches at a time when minority ownership in TV as dropped 70%.

The Hip Hop Music Channel launches when media ownership among African-Americans in TV is dimal at best. Only five African-Americans own full-power commercial TV stations; they collectively own eight out of 1,379 commercials stations nationwide

PRLog (Press Release) – Mar 15, 2009 – The Hip Hop Music Channel launches at a time when the most dismal rate of media ownership among African-Americans is in TV. Only five African-Americans own full-power commercial TV stations; they collectively own eight out of 1,379 commercials stations nationwide. The minority-ownership rate in TV has plummeted in recent years, falling nearly 70% in the past decade, according to a 2007 Free Press study. Some of the biggest names in black media today actually are owned by corporate titans. The most notable example is BET, which founder Bob Johnson sold to Viacom for $3 billion in 2000. Then there’s Essence: Time Warner’s publishing arm took full ownership of the legacy brand in January 2005. Recent declines in TV ownership are attributed to the bankruptcy in May 2007 of a single company: New York-based Granite Broadcasting, which operated nine stations in seven states. That’s not to say that TV ownership among African-Americans was ever strong.

The Hip Hop Music Channel, co-founded by childhood friends Shawn Granberry, Shakir Stewart and famed movie producer Robert Watts III is set to reverse the tide of the media black-out of African Americans. "We are focused on building a global broadcasting company that uses a mix of traditional broadcast mixed with web 2.0 community focused internet broadcast that focus on hip hop fans worldwide. The lack of African American owned media companies is a shame, but we are during our part to bridge the gap," says Shawn Granberry, CEO of The Hip Hop Music Channel.

The Hip Hop Music Channel, the first fully integrated web and TV platform where users can participate in shaping an ongoing stream of hip hop music and information that is compelling, authentic and relevant to them. The Hip Hop Music Channel is the only interactive channel on the web and broadcast that allows viewers to decide the hits. Music fans control the future of music. And music fans control (HHMC). The Hip Hop Music Channel is a broadcast network for people who love to hear and watch Hip Hop music television. It's interactive entertainment that keeps up with the pace of the brain. The Hip Hop Music Channel will launch on April 12th, 2009, the birth date of co-founder Shakir Stewart who passed away on November 1st, 2008.