MBC Tackles SWAC Programming Deal

Major Broadcasting Cable Network will be the future television home for
Southwestern Atlantic Conference college-sports events as part of a five-year
deal reached between the basic network and the conference.

The deal calls for MBC to air around 100 athletic events from the conference
-- made up of historically black colleges and universities -- beginning this
fall with 25 SWAC college-football and basketball telecasts, network executives
said.

The network will also showcase SWAC championship games, as well as classic
programming from the conference.

"Except for select games and championships, black college sports has not had
a consistent presence on broadcast nor cable television," MBC chairman and CEO
Willie E. Gary said in a prepared statement. "That is why this partnership is a
natural fit. MBC's commitment to provide quality programming to urban families
will be enhanced with this agreement."

R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.