NEW YORK, March 11, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HC2 Broadcasting, the broadcasting subsidiary of HC2 Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: HCHC), announces today the launch of the Cheddar News network on more than 40 of HC2 Broadcasting’s free, over-the-air (OTA) TV stations across the United States, including stations in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Francisco, Tampa Bay and Seattle. The channel is now available in more than 20 markets and will rollout to additional stations in the coming weeks; overall, the HC2 Broadcasting stations carrying Cheddar News will reach approximately 10 million OTA households across the U.S.
Cheddar News is an innovative, digital-first, general news network focused on young professional and millennial audiences. The Cheddar networks are currently available in approximately 40 million pay-tv homes, including on cable television systems like Optimum and Spectrum, and distributed over the internet as an over-the-top streaming network on platforms like YouTube TV, Hulu Live, Sling TV, the Roku Channel, and Pluto. Cheddar also has a large social following across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other platforms, generating hundreds of millions of video views a month.
“We are excited to welcome Cheddar to the HC2 Broadcasting lineup and to introduce the Cheddar News network to millions of viewers in 40+ markets,” said Phil Falcone, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of HC2 Holdings, as well as Chairman and CEO of HC2 Broadcasting. “The addition of Cheddar News to our platform underscores HC2’s best-in-class OTA distribution and the value that we bring popular content providers like Cheddar by delivering their content to audiences across the U.S. who watch television over-the-air.”
Cheddar is now available in the following 20 markets with the corresponding station call sign and channel position:
- Los Angeles, CA, KSKJ-CD, Channel 45.5
- Houston, TX, KBMN-LD, Channel 40.4
- Tampa - St Petersburg - Sarasota, FL, WXAX-CD, Channel 26.5
- Detroit, MI, WUDL-LD, Channel 19.6
- Denver, CO, K05MD-D, Channel 5.3
- Orlando - Daytona Beach - Melbourne, FL, WFEF-LD, Channel 50.7
- Cleveland - Akron - Canton, OH, KONV-LD, Channel 28.3
- Charlotte, NC, W21CK-D, Channel 21.2
- St. Louis, MO, KPTN-LD, Channel 7.4
- Baltimore, MD, WQAW-LP, Channel 69.4
- Salt Lake City, UT, KPNZ, Channel 24.4
- San Antonio, TX, KSSJ-CD, Channel 47.1
- Hartford - New Haven, CT, WRNT-LD, Channel 32.4
- Columbus, OH, WDEM-CD, Channel 17.6
- Las Vegas, NV, K36NE-D, Channel 43.6
- Jacksonville, FL, WKBJ-LD, Channel 20.4
- Louisville, KY, W27DH-D, Channel 27.4
- New Orleans, LA, WTNO-LP, Channel 22.4
- Memphis, TN, W15EA-D, Channel 42.5
- Richmond - Petersburg, VA, WFWG-LD, Channel 38.5
The additional 20 markets, which will launch in the near future, include:
- Philadelphia, PA, W36DO-D, Channel 36.1
- Dallas - Ft. Worth, TX, KNAV-LP, Channel 22.2
- San Francisco - Oakland - San Jose, CA, KQRO-LD, Channel 45.1
- Phoenix - Prescott, AZ, KTVP-LD, Channel TBD
- Seattle, WA, KUSE-LD, Channel 46.6
- Minneapolis - St. Paul, MN, KMBD-LD, Channel 43.2
- Indianapolis, IN, WUDZ, Channel 28.6
- Raleigh - Durham - Fayetteville, NC, WNCB-LD, Channel TBD
- Birmingham - Anniston - Tuscaloosa, AL, WUOA-LD, Channel 46.7
- Buffalo, NY, WVTT-CD, Channel 34.4
- Fresno - Visalia, CA, K17JI-D, Channel 12.5
- Des Moines - Ames, IA, KAJR-LD, Channel 36.6
- Columbia, SC, WDRF-LD, Channel 21.1
- Rochester - Mason City - Austin, NY, WGCE-CD, Channel TBD
- Flint - Saginaw - Bay City, MI, WFFC-LD, Channel 25.6
- Madison, WI, W23BW-D, Channel 23.7
- Paducah, KY - Cape Girardeau, MO - Harrisburg, IL, W29CI-D, Channel 29.7
- Charleston, SC, WBSE-LD, Channel 20.1
- Boise, ID, K31FD-D, Channel 31.7
- Evansville, IN, WUCU-LD, Channel 33.5
- Tyler - Longview- Nacogdoches, TX, KKPD-LD, Channel 30.4
- Macon, GA, W21DA-D, Channel 21.4
- Bakersfield, CA, KXBF-LD, Channel 14.6
- Santa Barbara - San Luis Obispo, CA, KSBO-CD, Channel 42.6
- Wilmington, NC, WQDH-LD, Channel 49.4
- Corpus Christi, TX, K29IP-D, Channel 29.3
About HC2 Broadcasting
HC2 Broadcasting Holdings Inc. is the broadcasting subsidiary of HC2 Holdings, Inc. As of December 2019, HC2 Broadcasting owns and operates 195 operational stations. In addition, HC2 Broadcasting has approximately 250 silent licenses and construction permits. The total HC2 Broadcasting footprint, including construction permits, covers approximately 130 U.S. markets, including 34 of the top 35 markets across the United States. For more information, please visit www.hc2broadcasting.com.
About Cheddar
Cheddar is a leading news network, with programming available on Altice USA’s Optimum, Suddenlink and Altice One platforms, Sling TV, AT&T TV NOW, Hulu, YouTube TV, Comcast X1, Charter Spectrum, Verizon Fios, fuboTV, Philo, Amazon, The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, Twitch, Twitter, 60% of smart TVs in the U.S., and Facebook. Cheddar currently broadcasts two live video news networks: Cheddar Business, which covers the most innovative executives, founders, products, and technologies transforming our lives and economy, and Cheddar News, a fast-paced, young, non-partisan general and headline news network. Cheddar was founded by Jon Steinberg, President and Chief Operating Officer of BuzzFeed from 2010 to 2014, and is owned by Altice USA (NYSE: ATUS). Learn more at www.cheddar.com.
CONTACTS:
Investor Relations
Garrett Edson
HC2 Holdings
ir@hc2.com
(212) 235-2691