Black TV networks Bounce TV, BET and TV One all announced today that they will each carry Muhammad Ali’s memorial service live, this Friday, June 10.
Bounce TV’s coverage (in partnership with its Louisville affiliate WAVE-TV), which will be uninterrupted and commercial-free, will begin at 9 AM ET with the procession through the streets of Louisville, which will take Ali on a final journey through his beloved hometown of Louisville, passing memorable landmarks in his life, including his childhood neighborhood and the Muhammad Ali Center.
Bounce TV will also air the memorial service scheduled for 2 PM ET, which will include eulogies by President Bill Clinton, Bryant Gumbel and Billy Crystal.
Between the procession and the service, Bounce TV will present “The Greatest,” the 1977 movie starring Ali as himself. A dramatization of Ali’s life, “The Greatest” begins with Cassius Clay winning gold at the 1960 Olympic Games and then follows his stunning victory over Sonny Liston, his conversion to Islam and name change, Ali’s refusal of the military draft on religious grounds and subsequent nearly four-year long court battle to fight again. Ali wins the legal victory and then returns to the ring and takes part in what many consider some of the greatest boxing matches of all time.
Bounce TV will also include several special tributes to the late icon and his tremendous impact on boxing throughout the telecast of “Premier Boxing Champions – The Next Round” Sunday night, June 12 starting at 9 PM ET.
BET Networks will commemorate Ali’s legacy with the BET News special, “BET Remembers Muhammad Ali: The Memorial Service” on Friday, June 10, kicking off at 2 PM ET on BET and Centic, also commercial-free and live stream on BET.com and the BET Now App.
BET News correspondent Marc Lamont Hill will anchor live coverage of the memorial service. Hill will be joined in studio by special guests to share reflections and provide cultural commentary.
BET Networks will also broadcast an encore airing of BET News’ “The Truth Series” documentary “Muhammad Ali: The People’s Champ” at 1PM ET on BET and Centric.
BET Digital will celebrate and honor the global icon’s contributions to sports, music, pop culture and beyond on its digital and social platforms using the hashtags #BETRemembersAli and #CENTRICremembersAli.
Finally, TV One kicks off its coverage at 2 PM when Ali’s memorial service begins at Louisville’s KFC Yum! Center.
Roland S. Martin, the host of “News One Now,” will anchor TV One’s coverage from the show’s Washington D.C. studios, where guest panelists will join him to provide commentary.
“Muhammad Ali was an iconic figure who was an unapologetic Black man and a world figure. We are proud to continue our week-long coverage since his death by carrying his funeral live on TV One,” Martin said in a statement. “In the past, TV One has broken into coverage to carry the funerals of Coretta Scott King, Dr. Dorothy Height and the memorial service for the Charleston 9. We believe the homecoming service of ‘The Greatest’ is deserving of such an honor.”
At 7 p.m. ET on Friday TV One will also re-air, “Muhammad Ali: Fighting Spirit,” a one-hour documentary that includes archival footage of Ali practice fights, as well as interviews with Prince and Will Smith.