Byron Allen Prepares to Launch TheGrio.TV in January, Right In Time For MLK Weekend


Comedian and entrepreneur Byron Allen continues to expand his television profile. Allen’s Allen Media Group has recently announced the launch of TheGrio.TV.

The recently acquired MGM over-the-air broadcast television network Light TV will be transitioning to TheGrio.TV television network in the upcoming calendar year on Jan. 15, at the start of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend. TheGrio.TV will feature Black-focused content that will reach more than 100 million U.S. households via over-the-air broadcast television stations: cable/telco/satellite platforms and free digital streaming.

“The Grio—which means ‘storyteller’ in West African society—is the first platform to offer an online digital news destination, a free streaming app providing local news, weather, sports, traffic and entertainment content geofenced to the user’s zip code and an over-the-air broadcast television network,” said Allen, founder, chairman and CEO of Allen Media Group in a written statement.

“TheGrio.TV is especially important to me as it will both serve and uplift all viewers. TheGrio.TV is the first and only 100% African American-owned and targeted broadcast television network and free digital platform—making us truly authentic, without being filtered or controlled by others outside of the community.”

As its brand slogan states, “Our Culture Forever,” the network will feature movies, sitcoms, dramas, concerts, talk shows, variety shows, game shows, news and lifestyle content.

TheGrio.com, which was once owned by NBCUniversal, was acquired in 2016 by Allen when the website averaged less than 1 million monthly active users. Just this past summer, the website reached a peak of more than 10.5 million monthly active users, making TheGrio.com one of the most visited news and entertainment sites for the Black community and it employs the largest number of Black journalists.

In the past two years, Allen Media Group has invested more than $1 billion in acquiring media assets which include The Weather Channel, and 16 ABC-NBC-CBS-FOX broadcast network affiliate television stations across the country.


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