NBC’s Darlene Rodriguez helps celebrate BronxNet’s 25th year
(L-r) Honorees Fernando Ferrer and Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., BronxNet board members Edwin Mejia and Kenneth Knuckles, MC Darlene Rodriguez, honoree and BronxNet board
member Madaha Kinsey-Lamb, BronxNet board Mmmber Nick Lugo, BronxNet chairman Paul T. Gentile, BronxNet board member John Collazzi, BronxNet executive director Michael Max
Knobbe.
It’s been 25 years since BronxNet
began broadcasting to Bronx cable
TV audiences, featuring innovative
programs for by and about Bronxites.
To celebrate 25 years of growth and
achievement, BronxNet recently held
a celebration luncheon at Marina del
Rey, hosted by NBC 4 New York’s Today
in New York Host Darlene Rodriguez.
Rodriguez started her television
reporting career at BronxNet.
Hundreds of Bronxites including
organization leaders, elected offi cials
and independent BronxNet producers
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BRONX TIMES REPORTER, N 34 OVEMBER 1-7, 2019 BTR
joined BronxNet chairman Paul T.
Gentile and BronxNet board member
Kenneth Knuckles in honoring three
outstanding individuals. “On behalf
of our board of directors I thank everyone
who has contributed to our 25
years of BronxNet success. Today, we
are a twenty-four hour per day broadcasting
network and we are unique in
that we provide content specifi cally related
to the Bronx,” said Gentile during
his address.
Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr.
was honored with the Quarter Century
Award for his vision and his role
in the station’s expansion. Mind-Builders
Creative Arts Center president and
BronxNet founding board member Madaha
Kinsey-Lamb received the Public
Service Award for helping BronxNet
become a leader in community programming,
media training and workforce
development. Former Borough
President Fernando Ferrer received
the Founder’s Award for his foresight
and tireless work launching Bronx-
Net. Each honoree received a unique
award, a work of art created by Bronx
artists Melissa Calderon, Michael Ferris
and Dennis Redmoon Darkeem.
“BronxNet ramped up…out of a
need…after seeing news accounts of us
by people who didn’t know us…to tell
our own story in our own way,” said
Ferrer.
Regarding the people who work
with her to provide unique performing
arts programs for youth, teenagers and
adults at Mind-Builders, Kinsey-Lamb
stated: “It takes a special kind of person
to be a mind builder, a special kind of
person to nourish the spirit and have it
have an impact for a lifetime.”
Diaz commented on BronxNet’s
impact on community development
and the opportunities the station provides,
students, residents and up-andcoming
leaders. “It all started because
an institution like BronxNet provided
a platform so that some of us could go
out there and get the message out, and
now, that platform is resonating all
over the City of New York,” he stated.
BronxNet executive director Michael
Max Knobbe shared BronxNet
history and future plans. “The Bronx
went from lacking channels and being
devoid of media spaces, to attaining
the public service multi-media multichannel
multi-site TV Network that
BronxNet has become. There are multitudes
of different people and organizations
that helped get BronxNet to
where it is today,” Knobbe stated.
Since 1993, BronxNet has been providing
television production training
and equipment and channel access for
Bronx residents, workforce development
via internships for high school
and college students and signature
programs that contribute to community
development.
The BronxNet 25th Anniversary
Celebration was made possible thanks
to support from BronxCare, Mountco,
Diversifi ed, Mercury LLC, New York
Botanical Garden, Lehman College,
Montefi ore Health System, Hutchinson
Metro Center, Lyft, Fordham University
and Hostos Community College.
BronxNet is the independent notfor
profi t organization serving the people
of the Bronx with media production
training, access to technology, and television
channels. BronxNet programs
six channels – 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 and 38 on
the Verizon Fios system and six channels
– 67, 68, 69, 70, 951 and 952 – on the
Optimum system in the Bronx.
BronxNet’s ultra-local programming
helps connect the Bronx with the
world while our training programs
and partnerships are a part of community
development through media. For
more information visit: www.bronxnet.
org.
/www.bronx-net.org
/www.bronx-net.org
/www.bronx-net.org