Soul of the South Network

Soul of the South Television Network (SSN) is an African-American-focused regional broadcast network owned by SSN Media Group, LP. SSN will primarily broadcast in the Southern USA and secondarily in other high African-American populated cities in the north.^[1]

SSN uses the C.A.S.H. system, Central Automated Satellite Headend, and a computer server “cloud based system” originally constructed by the defunct Equity Broadcasting to send its feed to its affiliated stations. SNN sought affiliations from full power television stations, Class A low power TV stations, digital subchannels and cable outlets.^[1]

History

Soul of the South Network was founded in 2011 by Edwin Avent, Carl McCaskill and Larry Morton. SSN purchased assets from the bankrupted Equity Media Holdings including the studio and production facilities of KKYK-TV and the C.A.S.H. system. SSN was planning to broadcast five hours of news per day with assistance from Independent News Network with four regional bureaus. SSN was also seeking to purchase TV stations. Expected original programming was a hip hop music show, family reunion featured program and Drum Majors, concerning music at mostly black colleges, and Radioface, an unscripted comedy and Southern Soul Stories, a documentary series about southern African-American icons and southern events.^[1]

By April 2012, Soul of the South was working to get additional affiliates to reach 50 markets for a two wave launch.^[2]

Originally planned to launch in the first quarter of 2012^[3] and moved to fall 2012, SSN instead launched on May 27, 2013 with an announced 30 market launch.^[4] However, according to RabbitEars.info, SSN only has 11 broadcast affiliates covering 14% of the nation.^[5]

The network agreed to carry some games from the first season of the Fall Experimental Football League in October and November 2014.^[6]

In April 2015, the network began dropping affiliates due to financial distress and began winding down operations.^[7] The network's social media channels have been defunct since late June. The network mostly airs infomercials during the day.

Affiliates

Current Affiliates

Former Affiliates

Soul of the South

SSN Funding, LP, also known as SSM Media Group, SOS Media Holdings, and doing business as Soul of the South, is a limited partnership that owns SSN Networks, Southern Soul Broadcasting and Gateway Media Technologies. The institutional investors include Arkansas Development Finance Authority, Arkansas Economic Development Commission, and Arkansas Capital Corporation.^[8]

SSN Funding purchased the former Equity Plaza building from One Bank & Trust in December 2013 for the Soul of the South businesses. In May 2014, the building ownership moved from SSN Funding to Rock City Media LLC. Rock City Media was "a funding vehicle to support Soul of the South’s tax-credit financial package".^[9] By April 2006, the FBI started looking into the flow of government money into the Soul of the South venture.^[10]

Southern Soul Broadcasting

Southern Soul Broadcasting is the station operating unit operating stations in Chicago, Philadelphia, Tallahassee, Montgomery, Jackson, MS, Raleigh, NC, and its Little Rock full power flagship station.^[8]

In February, 2015, KM LPTV, which operates stations in Chicago and Milwaukee, filed a lawsuit claiming breach of contract and not making required payments.^[11]

Gateway Media Technologies

Media Gateway, formerly Gateway Media Technologies and SSN Gateway Media Technologies, is a TV outsourcing company owned by Matthew Davidge. The company provides TV control panel and news casts.

Gateway had 60 television stations, three TV networks and two radio network as clients as of June 2017.^[12] Two of the three TV networks are Youtoo America (formerly America One)^[13] and Soul of the South Network.^[12]

Jeffrey Lyle was chief technology officer for Soul of the South^[14] and co-owner of SSN Media Gateway, LLC with Dr. Sev Hrywnak of Chicago, an entrepreneurial podiatrist; Edwin Avent and two Little Rock businessman long-associated with the property, Larry Morton and Greg Fess.^[9] By June 2015, SSN Media Gateway, LLC had acquired Independent News Network. At that time INN had hired Anne Imanuel, the wife of Mike Preston, the new director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, as an anchor. The Commission had a past due loan from the Soul of the South company group.^[15]

With financial difficulties, SSN Funding partners' ownership interest in SSN Gateway Media Technologies was purchased by Matthew Davidge, owner of client station WRDE, as of February 6, 2016. He also purchased from Rock City Media the former Equity Plaza, where Gateway Media Technologies was based to continue operation there, while taking over the mortgage. Gateway had 12 television stations, three TV networks and a radio network as clients as of June 2016.^[9] By June 2017, Gateway increased the number of TV station clients from 12 to 60 and added another radio network.^[12]

See also

• Aspire
• BET
• Centric
• Revolt
• TV One

References

1. 1 2 3 Block, Alex Ben. (10/31/2011) New Network Targeting African Americans to Launch Next Year. Hollywood Reporter.
2. ↑ Albiniak, Paige. (April 28, 2012) For TV, black is the new green. Variety.
3. ↑ Associated Press. (November 24, 2011) Soul of the South’ TV. South Florida Times. Beatty Media LLC.
4. ↑ Malone, Mike. (April 18, 2013) Soul of the South Sets Launch Date. Broadcasting & Cable.
5. ↑ Stations for Network - Soul of the South. RabbitEars.info. Accessed on October 4, 2013.
6. ↑ "FXFL To Be Carried on ESPN3" (Press release). New York: FXFL. PR Newswire. October 1, 2014. Retrieved October 20, 2014 – via NBC Right Now. 
7. ↑ Beherc, Sean (April 6, 2015). "Soul of the South Mulls ‘Winding Down'". Arkansas Business. Retrieved June 20, 2015. (Subscription required (help)). 
8. 1 2 "Soul of the South Network Set to Launch Memorial Day Weekend After Securing Nearly $10 Million Investor Infusion" (Press release). SNN Funding, LP. Marketwired. April 18, 2013. Retrieved July 7, 2016. 
9. 1 2 3 Waldon, George (June 27, 2016). "Media Gateway Emerges From Soul of the South". Arkansas Business. Retrieved July 3, 2016. 
10. ↑ "FBI Peers Into Soul of the South Finances". Little Rock Sun Times. 2016-05-03. Retrieved 2016-07-08. 
11. ↑ Beherc, Sean (February 18, 2015). "Soul of the South Sued for Alleged Breach of Contract". Arkansas Business. Retrieved March 3, 2015. 
12. 1 2 3 Massey, Kyle (June 26, 2017). "Coming to You Live from 1 Shackleford Drive". Arkansas Business. Retrieved July 3, 2017. 
13. ↑ "Matthew Davidge Buys Television and Media Facility at 1 Shackleford Drive, West Little Rock: Media Gateway to Expand, New TV Show "Frixxer" Will Be Based There" (Press release). LITTLE ROCK, Ark.: Media Gateway. PRNewswire. Retrieved 2016-07-06. 
14. ↑ "Soul of the South Network Targeting African-Americans Launches May 27". Hollywood Reporter. 2013-04-18. Retrieved 2016-07-08. 
15. ↑ "AEDC Director's Wife Hired as Anchor for SSN Media". Arkansas Business. Arkansas Business Publishing Group. July 27, 2015. Archived from the original on July 4, 2016. Retrieved July 5, 2016.