Christopher “Play” Martin decided it was time for a new brand of news — one that didn’t focus on negative news in neighboring communities and the world.

So he created Brand Newz (brandnewz.com), an online entertainment and news station with a show that airs on My RDC/CW22.

Host and lead anchor Martin said, “There’s as much good news as there is bad news to air about our communities, but the present mass media communications have twisted reporting to disproportionately highlight negative activity in certain sectors of society.”

“We started out as a two-minute segment on a 7:30 p.m. commercial slot,” said Siegfried “Ziggy” Leyh, mass communication junior and a Brand Newz correspondent.

“Now, starting in the spring, we will be starting on a 30-minute segment.”

Brand Newz features individuals who are telling their stories in order to have an optimistic, inspiring influence on different communities.

Story themes cover topics like education, inspiration and health.

“We go around the world to find positive news instead of negative things,” said Leyh.

“It’s a turn-around for news all together.”

Leyh said a lot of issues get covered, but not as well as they should be.

He said the goal of Brand Newz is to tell community stories and empower individuals.

“Everything that is aired or displayed on the Web site has to get the approval from me,” said senior producer and director Jeffonda “Jae” Evans.

“I’m present at all of the interviews, and I do the line producing and field producing as well,” she said.

Evans said he and Play have worked together for the past four years, when he was starting out as an intern at a local radio station.

“Play is like a brother to me,” said Leyh. “We work close together and I believe in his business.”

“He is a teacher, but I consider him as a father because he teaches us as if we were his sons and daughters.”

“He has a lot of patience for what he does and gives us the opportunity to make mistakes; then he corrects us so we can see what we did wrong.”

NCCU is a major sponsor for Brand Newz, along with Mechanics and Farmers Bank, Hp4 Digital Works and others.

Brand Newz encourages community members and groups to participate by submitting information about events and ideas that they are trying to promote.

Leyh said Brand Newz’s target audience are middle schoolers and college students who want positive news.

“We’ve even had an elementary student who interviewed Barack Obama and was very professional about it,” he said.

Brand Newz hopes to dismiss inaccurate stereotypes by giving victims of typecasting the opportunity to prove their critics wrong.

The station seeks new broadcasters, journalists and industry interns, as well as apprentices and experienced people, to fill various crew positions.

Details are available at brandnewz.com.