Whitney Houston's funeral will be held at the New Hope Baptist on Saturday, February 18, at 12 noon EST, but the Newark police director is asking fans to stay home and watch the service on television.
CNN is reporting that the services are expected to be made available for television and web streaming from the New Jersey church where she grew up.
Washington Post is reporting that Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder will perform at the funeral and Houston’s “Bodyguard” co-star Kevin Costner, ex-husband Bobby Brown and Oprah Winfrey are expected to attend, as are Tyler Perry, Rickey Minor, Alicia Keys and Dionne Warwick. Many more are expected to fill the 1,500 invitation only seats.
The eulogy is to be given by Gospel singer and pastor Marvin L. Winans.
More from CNN:
Asked why no public memorial service was planned, Winans told CNN's Anderson Cooper on Wednesday night the family didn't "want to have a parade."
"I don't think knowing Cissy (Houston's mother) and the Houston family ... it was a matter of public or private as it was this is my daughter, this is my sister, this is my mother, this is my friend and we want to do this with dignity."
The family's thinking, Winans told "AC360," is "we loved her when she was Nippy (a nickname) in New Jersey. The world loves her because of her voice. But if Nippy could not sing, the Houston family would love her."
Although the family is not commenting on Houston's burial location, her death certificate filed Wednesday in Los Angeles lists it as Fairview Cemetery in Westfield, New Jersey.
Washington Times provides a list of several cable television networks and one prominent radio station that plans to cover it live.
Black Entertainment Television (BET) will begin coverage at 11:30 a.m. EST, The Homegoing of Whitney Houston. On-air correspondents April Woodard and Lola Oguinake will provide commentary.
Bounce TV, a newly launched cable network targeting an African-American audience, will carry the funeral live in its entirety, uninterrupted and commercial free starting at 12 noon EST.
The all music cable network Fuse will offer live coverage of the funeral as part of its 24-hour music tribute to Houston beginning at 6 a.m. EST Saturday.
CNN will bring together Piers Morgan, Soledad O'Brien and Don Lemon to anchor CNN and CNN International's live global coverage of the funeral special, Whitney Houston: Life, Death Music, beginning at 11 a.m. EST. CNN Digital will also live stream the funeral on the web and via mobile at www.cnn.com/live from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. EST.
Fox News Channel will stream the funeral live via its website online, The cable network will air portions of the service live between 11.30 a.m. and 2 p.m. EST as part of its regular news programming with anchors Uma Pemmaraju and Rick Folbaum.
New York’s powerhouse soul and R&B radio station WKRS/98.7 KISS FM will broadcast live from the New Hope Baptist Church, beginning at 12 noon EST.
RIP Whitney
Related:
Whitney Houston Dies At 48: RIP Video Tributes, Music Videos Of Greatest Hits
