Little Known Black History Fact: National Black Network | Black America Web

[dropcap]The[/dropcap] National Black Network became the first coast-to-coast radio network fully owned by Black Americans on July 2, 1973. The NBN was the brainchild of white media executive Robert Pauley, who eventually handed over the idea to a trio of Black executives. [mc4wp_form id=”6042″]

Pauley, a president of both ABC Radio and Mutual Broadcasting System, looked for a way to utilize Mutual’s unused network lines to create 117 stations to serve a Black audience. When Pauley failed to raise the $1 million in capital he needed, he turned to Eugene Jackson, an electrical engineer and Black business consultant.