Byron Allen Inducted into the 2019 Class of Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame


It’s been a very busy year for Byron Allen. According to TheGrio, the media mogul has been inducted into this year’s Class of Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame last week. The founder, chairman, and CEO of Entertainment Studios was acknowledged and recognized for all the achievements over his career from being a comedian to becoming a serial entrepreneur.

The Broadcasting Hall of Fame also honored 60 media professionals and executives including Jean Dietze, president, affiliate relations, NBC Broadcasting; Channing Dungey, VP, original series, Netflix; Alan Elkin, CEO, Active International; David Nevins, chief creative officer, CBS Corp. and chairman and CEO of Showtime Networks; Kelly Ripa, host and executive producer, “Live with Kelly and Ryan”; Meredith Vieira, journalist, producer, and host; Susan Zirinsky, president, senior executive producer, CBS News, and Dateline, NBC’s signature newsmagazine.

Last year, Allen’s Entertainment Studios purchased The Weather Channel for $300 million. In July 2019, the black media mogul acquired four local TV stations from Bayou City Broadcasting, located in Evansville, Indiana, and Lafayette, Louisiana. Plus, in May, he partnered with Sinclair Broadcast Group to acquire 21 Regional Sports Networks (RSNs) from Walt Disney/FOX Corp. Entertainment Studios has recently purchased 11 television stations for $290 million in a new acquisition.

On Nov. 7, The Weather Channel will air 2020: Race to Save the Planet, a one-hour, primetime special featuring conversations with the network’s meteorologists and nine presidential candidates on climate change, including Sen. Cory Booker, Sen. Kamala Harris, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and Mayor Pete Buttigieg. They will discuss how climate change is impacting jobs, the economy, national security, extreme weather, and the black community.

Allen has filed a $20 billion lawsuit against Comcast in addition to a $10 billion suit against Charter Communications.  Later this month the Supreme Court will hear the case on Nov. 13.


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