Bounce TV to Launch ‘Brown Sugar’ SVOD Service

Bounce TV today has launched an over the top streaming service featuring the popular African-American-themed movies from the 1970s and 1980s.

The service, dubbed Brown Sugar, will feature an unedited and commercial free library of 1970s films often referred to as “Blaxploitation” movies like Black Caesar, Shaft, Super Fly, Uptown Saturday Night and CleopatraJones, said company officials. The service will cost $3.99 per month with a free initial trial period for subscribers.

Veteran actors Fred Williamson and Pam Grier have been named officials ambassadors for Brown Sugar, which was initially the official name of a Saturday night movie programming block on Bounce.

Grier in a statement said that the service is “just like Netflix, only blacker.”

Subscribers can download Brown Sugar to mobile phones and tablets in the Google Play Store and iTunes App Store, or access the service via the www.BrownSugar.com site, said company officials.

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.