Many times of driven South Elm-Eugene street and taken note of the world headquarters of Ashtae Products and its sister company Black Network Television. Today’s N&R has a front-pager on the BNT sitcom ‘Watcha Cookin,’ which they hope will become the network’s first nationally-syndicated show.
BNT’s backed by the success of Ashtae’s hair care business, and Kim “Tootie” Fields — the show’s director and executive producer— describes owners Michael and Ramona Woods as ““stellar business people, creative visionaries … and people of faith.”
Cool, I thought to myself—here’s the the creative class that Richard ‘Mr. Creative Class’ Florida keeps talking about. Then the other shoe dropped:
To help with the $1 million cost of the first 13 episodes, the network will ask the Greensboro City Council for a $300,000 loan. It would be repaid over 10 years, with interest only to be paid in the first year.
The City Council will consider the request at its meeting Tuesday.
The show and BNT will create more than entertainment, Michael Woods pointed out.
They create jobs, economic development and exposure for Greensboro, he said.
Interesting request to say the least —-not from the usual artsy types around here. Stay tuned.
