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Byron Allen Acquires HBCUGo.TV to Add 5,000 Hours of Streaming Programming About Black Colleges, Universities

Aubrey Chorpenning
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Aubrey Chorpenning

Byron Allen has made another addition to his media portfolio with the acquisition of HBCUGo.TV in a deal with Symonds-Evans Media. HBCUGo.TV reaches 105 historically Black colleges and universities throughout the nation.

By acquiring HBCUGo.TV, Allen Media Group has added 5,000 hours of programming, featuring HBCU’s students and alumni, to its media library. This year, HBCUGo.TV reached an agreement with the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association. 44 football games will be televised this season, as well as men’s and women’s basketball games.

This move comes as research reveals a greater desire for representative content among the Black audience. 60% of Black audiences watch content specifically produced for them at least weekly.

“The HBCU brand represents over 184 years of historic excellence, dating back to 1837, which helped cultivate some of the world’s greatest minds and talent including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Spike Lee, Alice Walker, Samuel L. Jackson, Earl Graves, Oprah Winfrey, Chadwick Boseman, Justice Thurgood Marshall, Common, Booker T. Washington, Taraji P. Henson, Judge Kevin Ross, Langston Hughes, Katherine Johnson, Kenya Barris, and Vice President Kamala Harris, to name a few,” said Allen.

Allen continued, “HBCUGo.TV positions us to speak to the heart and soul of Black America 24/7, and helps us stay strongly connected with one of the most valuable, untapped audiences in the world.”

Curtis Symonds, co-founder of HBCUGo.TV, said, “We are thrilled to be a part of Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group and his vision to make HBCUGo.TV the ultimate destination celebrating the excellence of HBCUs and their alumni. Our pioneer platform offers a global audience all aspects of the HBCU culture and positions the millions of brilliant young minds and alumni throughout the HBCU universe to help change the world for the greater good.”

In 2016, Allen Media Group acquired The Grio, a digital media site delivering news, opinions, health, and entertainment content to African Americans. TheGrio.TV, a free over-the-air network, was launched by the company in January. Allen Media Group now owns the company’s free streaming app and web platform.

To further bulk up The Grio.TV’s selection, Allen Media Group has recently made more moves, including buying The Weather Channel and several local television stations. In April, Allen Media Group and Gray Television inked a $380 million deal to acquire seven stations. Now, Allen Media Group has acquired a total of 32 mid-sized market TV stations.

Black-focused Streaming Options

  • BET+ (Black entertainment) - $9.99 / month
  • ALLBLK (formerly UMC - Black entertainment) - $4.99 / month
  • kweliTV (Black entertainment) - $5.99 / month
  • Brown Sugar (classic Black films) - $3.99 / month
Aubrey Chorpenning
Read full bio ›
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