Byron Allen: Last News

Billy Porter may soon have a chance at an Oscar with an upcoming biopic about renowned author and civil rights icon James Baldwin. The star is not only set to portray Baldwin, but he has also been tapped to co-write the upcoming film alongside Dan McCabe.

Paramount Global is “deep into the marketing process” for publisher Simon & Schuster and can see a path to closing a deal this year, CFO Naveen Chopra said today, putting the first timeframe on a sale.

Kyle Bowser Recent news reports suggest Paramount Global may be considering a sale of its cable channel BET. Further reports identify media moguls Tyler Perry, Byron Allen, Sean “Diddy” Combs and a partnership comprised of Shaquille O’Neil, 50 Cent, and Kenya Barris as prospective buyers of the platform, which was originally created to offer programing targeted toward Black viewers. Each of these potential suitors is more than worthy of the opportunity to helm such a significant portal of Black imagery. Still, a greater agenda raises additional considerations and a distinctive option for ownership. Founded by Robert L. Johnson in 1980, BET has been a primary hub for Black-themed content since its inception. Johnson sold the cable channel to Viacom in 2001 for $3 billion, resulting in an infusion of capital and infrastructure expansion, to include the addition of BET+ and BET Her. The broadcast schedule is populated with original scripted and unscripted programming, as well as acquired off-net fare, with daily viewership currently hovering near 1.7 million and annual ad revenues exceeding $215 million. While the mere existence of BET has demonstrated the power of the Black economy, its celebration of Black culture further highlights its prominence and influence.

While CEOs often make cameos on the upfront stage in a bid to bolster the pitch to ad buyers, Byron Allen went a step beyond Wednesday by serving as emcee for his company’s lunchtime presentation.

Princell Hair has been named president of Allen Media Broadcasting, the broadcast television station division consisting of 27 ABC-NBC-CBS-FOX network affiliate broadcast television stations in 21 television markets nationwide. 

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer Princell Hair has been tapped as president of Allen Media Broadcasting, the broadcast television station division of Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group. In his new role, he will oversee Allen Media’s 27 ABC-NBC-CBS-Fox network affiliate broadcast television stations in 21 television markets nationwide. Hair has also been named to an executive vice president role at parent company Allen Media Group. Most recently, Hair served for two years as president of Black News Channel, which was purchased by Allen in 2022 and rebranded as TheGrio Television Network. Previously, Hair was senior vice president and general manager for NBC Sports Boston, and prior to that role, Hair was senior vice president, news and talent for NBC Sports Group, where he served as lead negotiator for all talent contracts, including the NBC Sports Network, NBC Broadcast Network, The Golf Channel, eight regional sports networks, the Olympics, Premier League and NASCAR.

Billy Porter has got his next role lined up, and the “Pose” star will be stepping into some big shoes after signing on to play legendary gay Black writer and civil rights activist James Baldwin.

Billy Porter (Pose) and frequent collaborator Dan McCabe (Fruits of Thy Labor) have been tapped to script a James Baldwin biopic for Byron Allen‘s Allen Media Group Motion Pictures, with the former also to realize his longtime dream of portraying the cultural icon.

Diddy has reportedly teased that he wants to purchase BET, after commenting on the network and how he thinks it should be Black-owned.According to Variety, BET Media Group’s parent company, Paramount Global, wants to unload brands such as BET, BET+, BET Studios, and even VH1.A source, who is allegedly someone close to Diddy — real name Sean Combs — said the mogul is “exploring the opportunity to purchase BET as a part of his strategy to build a Black-owned global media powerhouse.”Combs’ recent Instagram post suggested that these claims can be true. He posted a video explaining the power of media and why Black people need a specific network by @earnyourlesuire.A post shared by LOVE (@diddy)“Media is the most powerful industry in the world but it’s the industry where we have the least amount of ownership, influence and control!” he wrote. “It’s time for @BET to be Black-owned again so we have the power to tell our own stories, control our own narrative! This is not about me it’s about WE!!!!”The caption concluded with Combs stating that he’s “building a team of leaders” to “pursue ownership in BET”.

Sean “Diddy” Combs on Wednesday bolstered recently media reports that his is kicking the tires of BET Networks, which is in the early stages of being shopped by parent Paramount Global.

Diamond Sports Group, operator of the largest string of regional sports networks in the U.S., has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

BET, joining fellow media moguls Tyler Perry and Byron Allen as they vie to purchase a majority stake of BET Media Group amid reports that owner Paramount Global is exploring a sale of the asset, Variety has confirmed. Run by CEO Scott Mills, BET Media Group includes BET, BET+, VH1 (which was moved under the group in a restructuring at Paramount last November) and BET’s production arm, BET Studios. A source close to Combs tells Variety that the global music icon and record executive turned multi-industry entrepreneur is “exploring the opportunity to purchase BET as a part of his strategy to build a Black-owned global media powerhouse.”

Elizabeth Taylor Allen Media Group founder, chairman and CEO Byron Allen brought together Oscar night glitz and glamour for good with a little help from legendary singer Diana Ross Sunday night. It was a supreme affair for the philanthropic media mogul whose annual gala returned for a fifth year to the Beverly Wilshire to benefit Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. The host, standing beside his family, welcomed a bevy of luminaries to the lavish gathering, including Smokey Robinson, Vivica A. Fox, Jeff Ross, Garcelle Beauvais, Adam Carolla, Candy Spelling and Johnell Young to the event, which all started as a way for Allen to give back to the organization that rescued him as a child.

Lashan Browning and her Antoinette Media banner is going further into business with Paramount.

Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish decided to, in his words, “cross the line” and address a recent bid the company received for Showtime.

BreAnna Bell Polaris, the television network and digital platform owned by radio personality Sway Calloway and Rahman J. Dukes, is partnering with Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group (AMG) free-streaming digital platform, HBCU GO in an exclusive deal to create content for the video on demand service as well as AMG’s other properties including The Grio. The programming will be focused on culture, music and news with special coverage around cultural moments including a special celebrating the 50th year anniversary of Hip Hop, and an investigative series around Jam Master Jay. “It’s important for us to showcase not only the amazing sports and news programming, but also the heartbeat of the HBCU and Black Experience – our culture,” said Byron Allen, founder, chairman and CEO of Allen Media Group. “This new partnership with Polaris will provide amazing programming for our HBCU GO and TheGrio audiences highlighting music, Black culture and more.”

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Just days after Warner Bros. announced the cancellation of “Judge Mathis” after 24 seasons, Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group has scooped up the services of Judge Greg Mathis to host a new first-run one-hour strip for fall 2023. “Mathis Court with Judge Mathis” has been given a “firm go” by Allen Media Group, which is now pitching the show for broadcast, cable and distribution platforms.In addition to broadcast syndication, the show will join Allen Media Group’s eight court series are carried on its television network Justice Central, available in more than 50 million U.S. homes. Allen Media Group’s “America’s Court with Judge Ross” (which premiered in fall 2010), as well as “Justice for All with Judge Cristina Perez,” “Justice with Judge Mablean,” “Supreme Justice with Judge Karen,” “The Verdict with Judge Hatchett,” “We the People with Judge Lauren Lake” and “Equal Justice with Judge Eboni K. Williams.” (“Equal Justice” also premieres in fall 2023.) “Judge Greg Mathis is an outstanding, charismatic, and iconic television host, and we are extremely confident that our eighth and newest court series with Judge Mathis will be very successful for years to come as he joins our outstanding roster of talent, including Judge Kevin Ross, Judge Mablean Ephriam, Judge Christina Perez, Judge Karen Mills-Francis, Judge Glenda Hatchett, Judge Lauren Lake, and Judge Eboni K. Williams,” said Byron Allen, Founder/Chairman/CEO of Allen Media Group, which produces and distributes globally.

Days after it was revealed that Judge Mathis would end its long run in daytime syndication, Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group has announced that it will launch Mathis Court with Judge Mathis in the fall.

Scott Satin, a television producer with credits on Funny You Should Ask and the NBC clip show Most Outrageous Moments, died Thursday after a long battle with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). He was 64 years old.

EXCLUSIVE: Johannes Roberts — the filmmaker behind the shark thrillers 47 Meters Down (2017) and 47 Meters Down: Uncaged (2019) — is reteaming with Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group Motion Pictures on a new film in the genre titled The Red Triangle.

Animated fairy tale The Amazing Maurice voiced by Emilia Clarke, Hugh Laurie, David Thewlish, Gemma Arterton and Himesh Patel, jumps from Sundance to 1,700 screens via Viva Pictures, the distributor’s widest release to date and a big one for any independently produced animated film.