TV One Cancels Roland Martin’s NewsOne Now

The only Black daily newscast on television is no more.

TV One is canceling Roland Martin’s morning show “NewsOne Now” due to budget cuts.

“They called a meeting on Wednesday and told the staff they were canceling the show. They’re having significant financial problems and they have to scale back,” a source told The New York Post.

“After four years of award-winning programming and distinguished service to our viewers as the only Black daily newscast on television, the network has made the difficult decision to suspend the production of NewsOne Now as a daily morning news show. The last live show is scheduled Thursday, December 21, 2017,” TV One’s Interim General Manager Michelle Rice wrote in a memo.

The news shocked staffers – including Martin – as the network had just expanded the morning show to two hours in September, according to Page Six.

“There were lots of tears … The staff was completely caught off guard,” Page Six reported a source as saying.

Neither Martin nor his producers returned calls on Wednesday seeking comment.

TV One management did not return messages on Wednesday.

“For me, my voice will not be silenced,” said Martin during his on-air announcement of the memo.

“The most important thing for us to understand is that we move forward … speaking to our issues and our concerns. I understand that a lot of people are hurt and disappointed by this … between now and December 21 we’re going to keep doing our jobs, keep giving folks hell, keep holding folks accountable and doing and saying what is required.”

By Stacy M. Brown
(The Washington Informer/NNPA Member)