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where it all started
1993
In 1993, comedian, producer, media mogul, and philanthropist Byron Allen founded his Los Angeles-based global media company, Entertainment Studios. The company has additional offices in New York, Chicago, Atlanta, and Raleigh. Allen now owns one of the largest cable network portfolios in the industry, featuring ten, 24-hour HD television networks (THE WEATHER CHANNEL, COMEDY.TV, CARS.TV, ES.TV, JUSTICECENTRAL.TV, MYDESTINATION.TV, PETS.TV, RECIPE.TV, LOCAL NOW, and THE WEATHER CHANNEL EN ESPAÑOL).
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2022
2015
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Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures
2015
Further distinguishing Entertainment Studios is its status as the first African-American owned multi-platform media studio producing and distributing wide-release motion pictures and content for all platforms. In 2015, Allen purchased Freestyle Releasing, now called Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures, a full-service theatrical movie distribution company.
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1993
2016
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TheGrio
2016
In 2016, Entertainment Studios purchased TheGrio, a digital, video-centric news platform devoted to providing compelling entertainment, news and lifestyle content for African-Americans TheGrio features aggregated and original video packages, news articles, and blogs on topics that include breaking news, politics, health, business, and entertainment and remains focused on curating engaging digital content and currently has more than 20 million annual visitors.
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2015
2017
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47 METERS DOWN
2017
Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures released 2017’s highest-grossing independent movie, the shark thriller 47 METERS DOWN. In 2018, Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures released the critically-acclaimed and commercially successful Western HOSTILES and the historic mystery-thriller CHAPPAQUIDDICK.
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2016
2018
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The Weather Channel
2018
In the spring of 2018, Byron Allen acquired the #1 weather news television network, The Weather Channel. In 2018, The Weather Channel was named the 2018 Harris Poll EquiTrend TV News Brand for the eighth consecutive year. It also deployed cutting-edge storytelling with its IMR (Immersive Mixed Reality) technology which draws viewers into detailed and visually stunning weather and climate events.
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2017
2019
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growing strong
2019
In 2019 ESMP released 47 METERS DOWN: UNCAGED, the very successful second film in the potential franchise. To date, 47MD: UNCAGED has earned nearly $47M across all distribution platforms.
In 2019, Byron Allen formed ALLEN MEDIA BROADCASTING and began building the broadcast station group which includes four, “BIG 4” stations. In February 2020, Allen Media Broadcasting acquired an additional 11 stations from the purchase of USA TELEVISION. In August 2019, Mr. Allen personally partnered with Sinclair Broadcast Group to acquire 21 Regional Sports Networks (RSNs) from Walt Disney/FOX Corporation for $10.6 billion. In July 2019, Byron Allen acquired Bayou City Broadcasting, which included 4 television stations.
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2018
2020
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Satellite stations
2020
In August 2020, Allen Media Broadcasting added Honolulu ABC affiliate KITV, boosting his Allen Media Group’s owned and operated big-four network affiliates to 16 stations in 12 markets.
As with other major television stations in Hawaii, KITV-ABC 4 also operates multiple satellite stations and translators to rebroadcast its programming outside of metropolitan Honolulu – including KHVO-ABC 13 in Hilo and KMAU-ABC 12 in Wailuku – to cover all of the Hawaiian islands. The KITV portfolio also includes carriage of digital cable networks MeTV, Hawaii TV, Start TV and Heroes & Icons, as well as a Washington, D.C. news bureau and correspondent.
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2019
2021
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TODAY & BEYOND
2021
In April 2021, ALLEN MEDIA BROADCASTING added 23 ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox network affiliate stations with its acquisition of most of the Gray Television facilities. The affiliate stations picked up by Allen Media include NBC’s KVOA in Arizona, KWWL in Iowa and WREX in Illinois; ABC’s WKOW in Wisconsin, WSIL/KPOB in Kentucky/Illinois and WAOW/WMOW in Wisconsin. learn more
2020
2022
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TODAY & BEYOND
2022
In 2022, Allen Media Group made significant progress in Byron Allen’s Black Owned Media Matters movement. In the second year of its Black Owned Media Matters upfront presentations which brought together a coalition of black business executives and their staffs to present their best in class offerings to the advertising community. Global brands have “leaned in“ to committing more advertising dollars to black owned media companies going forward. The focus on this industry changing initiative continues with plans for 2023.
Also in 2022, Byron Allen’s The Weather Channel launched The Weather Channel en EPAÑOL, an all Spanish-speaking, 24 hour weather and climate news channel. This initiative especially, spearheaded by the Emmy award winning team at Allen’s The Weather Channel in Atlanta Georgia, ensures that our Spanish-speaking population throughout the United States, and Mexico… Have vital, life-saving weather alerts in their native language.
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2021
1993
