Allen Media Group
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Formerly |
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Company type | Private |
Industry | |
Founded | 1993 |
Founder | Byron Allen |
Headquarters | , United States |
Key people | Byron Allen (chairman,CEO) |
Total assets | $1 billion (2017) |
Number of employees | 200 (2017) |
Divisions | |
Subsidiaries | |
Website | allenmedia |
Footnotes / references [1][2][3] |
Allen Media Group,alternately known by its former name ofEntertainment Studios, Inc.is an American media and entertainment company based inLos Angeles.Owned and founded in 1993 by businessmanByron Allen,the company was initially involved in the production and distribution of first-run television series forU.S.television syndication.Under theEntertainment Studios Networksdivision, it also operates a group ofdigital cableandsatellitechannels, which broadcast a mix of original programs and the company's syndicated content.
In the late 2010s, the company made several major expansions to its operations, including entering thefilm distributionmarket; acquiringThe Weather ChannelfromNBCUniversalandBain Capital;partnering withSinclair Broadcast Groupto operate theregional sports networkchainBally SportsviaDiamond Sports Group;and its acquisition of television stations from another minority-owned media group,Bayou City Broadcasting.
History
[edit]With television experience as being a former co-host of theNBCseriesReal Peoplefrom 1979 until 1984,stand-up comedianByron Allen launched his own weekly syndicatedlate-night talk show,The Byron Allen Show,in 1989. It was produced by his BYCA Productions andAllbritton Communications,and distributed by Genesis Entertainment.[4]By 1991, Allen had created BYCA Television Distribution to take over distribution of his talk show as well as syndicate other programs.[5]
By early 1993, Allen's talk show, which became a weeknightstripthe previous fall,[6]had been cancelled, and BYCA Television Distribution had been embroiled in a lawsuit filed by former employees who claimed they hadn't been paid by Allen.[7]Amidst the legal and financial issues, BYCA filed forChapter 7 bankruptcy.[8]The same year, Allen foundedCF Entertainment.[9][10]Following a similar business model to BYCA, Allen was able to succeed where he had failed before by focusing on producing low-cost, syndicated non-fiction programming, including interview series andcourt shows(largely scripted from actual testimony). Allen served as host for some of these programs.[11]In December 2003, CF became Entertainment Studios.[10]
Entertainment Studiosgreen-litits first film and stage projects in December 2011, when it acquired the rights to develop abiographical filmandtheatrical playon the life ofSammy Davis Jr.from his daughter,Tracey Davis.[12]
The company ventured into scripted programming in 2012, with the third-quarter launch of the sitcomsMr. Box OfficeandThe First Family.[13]Both were set for 104 episodes[13]over two years under a model of accelerated production similar toDebmar-Mercury's10-90 Model.[14]The two half-hour shows were picked up as a two-hour weekend primetimeprogramming blockwith two episodes of each show back to back byTribune,WeigelandCBS Television Stationgroups.[13]The company launched its eighth cable channel and first ad-supported service, Justice Central.TV, on December 10, 2012.[15]
In 2015, the company separately suedAT&T,Comcast,andCharter Communicationsfor racial discrimination in being biased against minority-run entertainment companies in not carrying its cable channels. AT&T settled in December with the addition of 7 of Entertainment Studios' channels added to AT&T'sDirecTVlineup. Entertainment Studios added similar suits against Charter and the FCC.[16]The Comcast case, though initially dismissed at the district court, was allowed to go forward by the Ninth Circuit; Comcast was able to successfully petition theSupreme Courtto hear its case inComcast v. National Association of African-American-Owned Mediain November 2019.
In October 2015, Entertainment Studios acquiredFreestyle Releasingfor an undisclosed amount "said to be sealed for high-eight figures". Freestyle also had an output deal withNetflix.[9]The Freestyle purchase was used to bolster an expansion intofilm distribution,via its new Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures division.[17][18]Its first release,47 Meters Down,took in $44 million in box office revenue.[11]
In June 2016, Entertainment Studios acquiredTheGrio,a news website focusing on stories of interest to African Americans.[19]In mid-September 2017, the company announced plans to launch anover the topsports streaming service known as Sports.tv.[20]
On March 22, 2018, Entertainment Studios announced its intent to acquireThe Weather Channel's television assets from anNBCUniversal/Bain Capital/Blackstone Inc.partnership. The actual value was undisclosed, but was reported to be around $300 million; the channel'snon-television assets,which were separately sold to IBM two years prior, were not included in the sale.[3]
In September 2018, Entertainment Studios announced that it had arranged $500 million worth ofcredit facilitiesthroughDeutsche BankSecurities,Jefferies Financial Group,Brightwood Capital Advisors andComerica.Allen explained that these funds were to be used for further "large-scale" acquisitions, productions, and other general expenses.[11][21]In an interview withVariety,Allen stated that he was "not a seller", and that he was "one or two acquisitions away from being a fairly large company".[11]On May 3, 2019, it was announced that, under the subsidiary Diamond Sports Group, Entertainment Studios would be an equity and content partner inSinclair Broadcast Group's acquisition ofFox Sports Networks(now known asBally Sports).[22]
On May 6, 2019, Entertainment Studios announced that it would expand into television station ownership by establishing the new unit, Allen Media Broadcasting.
In June 2020, Comcast agreed to carry Entertainment Studios' Comedy.TV, JusticeCentral.TV, Recipe.TV, and The Weather Channel, and to retransmission consent for the Allen Media Broadcasting television stations, as part of a settlement of the Supreme Court racial discrimination lawsuit.[23]
In May 2021, Allen sued fast food chainMcDonald'sfor $10 billion, alleging that the company "intentionally discriminated against Entertainment Studios and Weather Group through a pattern of racial stereotyping and refusals to contract" for advertising across its properties.[24][25]
In July 2022, Allen Media Group acquiredBlack News Channelout of bankruptcy fromShahid Khanfor $11 million;[26]it was discontinued as a separate service, with its carriage merged into TheGrio.TV.[27][28]
Beginning in late April 2024, Allen Media Group laid off about 300 employees, or around 12 percent of its staff, throughout all of its operating divisions. The company's explanation for the staff reduction is to better position themselves for further growth.[29]
Television series distributed by Entertainment Studios
[edit]Entertainment Studios has historically been known for itssyndicatedprograms, which are distributed using abarteredmodel that does not require stations to pay a rights fee. The company sells national advertising inventory guaranteeing an audience in aggregate across all of its programs, andshares the revenuewith stations.[30]Allen explained toBloombergin 2013 that this business model was attractive to stations that cannot afford to acquire programs from the syndication market, and that "we offer, across all our television shows, probably 20 million to 25 million viewers a week".[30]
The company has employed various cost-cutting techniques, including using non-union staff, and streamlining productions to reduce their complexity—a technique that also allows it to produce programming at an accelerated pace.[30]A prominent example of these practices are present in the company'scourt shows,which are dramatized with actors rather thanarbitration-basedlike other popular entries in the genre; Allen explained that with this model, "we don't have the cost of airfare, hotels, security; we don't have the costs of the claims, the settlements."[30]The studio's first production—Entertainers with Byron Allen—bypassed budget constraints by filming interviews atpress junkets,using equipment that was provided byfilm studiosfor use by the media.[31]
These practices have allowed some of Entertainment Studios programs to bring in sizable amounts of advertising revenue, even with clearances inlesser-viewed time slotssuch aslate night,or without having produced new episodes in an extended period.[30]
Court shows
[edit]- America's Court with Judge Ross
- Equal Justice with Judge Eboni K. Williams
- Justice for All with Judge Cristina Pérez
- Justice for the People with Judge Milian[32]
- Justice with Judge Mablean
- Mathis Court with Judge Mathis
- Supreme Justice with Judge Karen
- The Verdict with Judge Hatchett [33]
- We the People with Judge Lauren Lake(originally withGloria Allred) (2011-2012; 2022-present)
Sitcoms
[edit]- The First Family(September 2012–April 25, 2015) syndicated
- Mr. Box Office(September 2012–April 25, 2015) syndicated[34]
Game shows
[edit]Syndicated specials
[edit]- Comedy Jam
- Feel the Beat
- Happy Holidays America
- We Have a Dream
Talk and magazine series
[edit]- Beautiful Homes & Great Estates
- Career Day
- Comics Unleashed
- Designers, Fashions & Runways
- Entertainers with Byron Allen
- Global Business People
- The Gossip Queens
- Latin Lifestyles
- Kickin' It with Byron Allen
- Urban Style
- The Writer's Hot List
- The Young Icons
Other shows
[edit]- The American Athlete
- The World's Funniest Weather
Assets
[edit]Entertainment Studios Networks
[edit]Cable and digital
[edit]Television channels
[edit]- Justice Central.TV,[36]launched December 10, 2012, on AT&T U-verse's family tier.[15]
- Weather Channel Group
Allen Media Broadcasting
[edit]Allen Media Broadcasting, LLCis an American television station operating company owned by Entertainment Studios.
On May 6, 2019, Entertainment Studios announced that it would expand into television station ownership by acquiring the stations ofBayou City Broadcastingfor $165 million, includingEvansville, Indiana'sWEVV-TVandWEEV-LD,andLafayette, Louisiana'sKADN-TVandKLAF-LD.The stations would operate under the new unit, Allen Media Broadcasting.[37]The sale was completed on July 31, 2019.[38]
On October 1, 2019, Allen Media agreed to purchase 11 stations from USA Television, a subsidiary ofHeartland Media,for $290 million.[39]The sale of the Heartland stations was approved by the FCC on November 22, 2019,[40]and it was completed on February 11, 2020.[41]
In March 2020, Allen Media made an offer for theTegnaTV station group as the third known bidder.[42]
On August 17, 2020, the company announced its purchase of Hawaii ABC affiliateKITVfromSJL Broadcastingfor $30 million.[43]
On April 29, 2021, it was announced that Allen Media would purchase 10 stations in seven markets fromGray Televisionfor $380 million, from a divestiture of stations owned byQuincy Media,as a condition of Gray's purchase of Quincy. These are stations where Gray already owned a station, and are mostly in the Upper Midwest.[44]In a separate deal with Gray, announced in July, Allen has acquiredWJRT-TVinFlint, Michigan,while Gray retained competingWNEM-TVthrough its merger withMeredith Corporation's broadcasting division.[45]
On December 15, 2021, it was announced that Allen Media would purchaseWCOV-TV,WIYCandWALE-LD,all servingMontgomery, Alabama,from Woods Communications Corporation for $28.5 million, pending FCC approval; at the time, the deal was expected to close in the first half of 2022.[46]The sale would give the stations an in-state sibling inHuntsville-basedABCaffiliateWAAY-TV.
Television stations
[edit]Stations are arranged in Alpha betical order by state andcity of license.
Television networks
[edit]The following over-the-air specialty networks were acquired by Allen Media Group fromMGM Televisionin October 2020.[47]
- TheGrio,a network focusing on African-American culture.
- This TV,a network that primarily focuses on movies from the MGM library.
Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures
[edit]Year | Release Date | Film title | Director | Gross[48] | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2017 | June 16, 2017 | 47 Meters Down | Johannes Roberts | $44.3 million | [49] |
September 22, 2017 | Friend Request | Simon Verhoeven | $3.7 million | [50] | |
December 22, 2017 | Hostiles | Scott Cooper | $40.9 million | [51] | |
2018 | March 9, 2018 | The Hurricane Heist | Rob Cohen | $15.8 million | [52] |
April 6, 2018 | Chappaquiddick | John Curran | $18 million | [53] | |
2019 | January 11, 2019 | Replicas | Jeffrey Nachmanoff | $8.1 million | [54] |
August 16, 2019 | 47 Meters Down: Uncaged | Johannes Roberts | $22.2 million | [55] | |
September 20, 2019 | The Wedding Year | Robert Luketic | — | [56] | |
November 1, 2019 | Arctic Dogs | Aaron Woodley | $3.6 million | [57] |
In 2016, Entertainment Studios began to make major expansions into film distribution; at theSundance Film Festival,the company made a surprise $20 million bid forThe Birth of a Nation,losing toFox Searchlight.[17]In July 2016, Entertainment Studios signed a multi-year home video and on-demand distribution deal withAnchor Bay Entertainment,covering future theatrical releases by the company.[35]The studio acquired its first film later that month, with the North American rights to47 Meters DownfromDimension Films.[49]At the 2017Toronto Film Festival,Entertainment Studios also boughtChappaquiddick,Replicas,andHostiles.[51]Entertainment Studios aimed to distribute at least 18 films in 2018. In January of that year, on his film distribution model, Allen said:[18]
We're chasing the studio crumbs. They don't want movies that do $40 million to $60 million. We totally will be good with those numbers, and that is what we're pursuing. Our thing is we are really big on slow roll-outs and small releases. Our philosophy—we believe in wide releases. We like to have movies that are 1,500–4,000 screens and we are chasing what the studios don't want. They're chasing much bigger. And we're going to take their crumbs and make a gourmet meal. And then eventually we'll move on to chasing more than their crumbs. But today we're chasing the crumbs.
Diamond Sports Group
[edit]A subsidiary of theSinclair Broadcast Groupoperated in partnership with Entertainment Studios, Diamond Sports Group is themass mediacompany that operatesBally Sports,a group ofregional sports networksformerly known as theFox Sports Networks.The company was founded in 2019 to acquire the networks fromThe Walt Disney Company,which was required to sell the chain as part of itsacquisitionof21st Century Fox.[58][59][60]
References
[edit]- ^Siegel, Tatiana (December 20, 2017)."Byron Allen on" Chasing Studio Crumbs, "Weinstein's Future and Christian Bale's 'Hostiles'".The Hollywood Reporter.RetrievedDecember 26,2017.
- ^Andreeva, Nellie; Fleming, Mike (March 22, 2018)."Byron Allen's Entertainment Studios Acquires The Weather Channel TV Network For $300 Million".Deadline Hollywood.RetrievedMarch 22,2018.
- ^abAlbiniak, Paige (March 22, 2018)."Byron Allen Acquires The Weather Group in $300 Million Deal".Broadcasting & Cable.Archived fromthe originalon March 22, 2018.RetrievedMarch 22,2018.
- ^"Genesis tests waters with weekend, late night talk show"(PDF).Broadcasting Magazine.January 9, 1989. p. 54.RetrievedMay 8,2024– via WorldRadioHistory.
- ^"Syndication Marketplace"(PDF).Broadcasting Magazine.June 17, 1991. p. 32.RetrievedMay 8,2024– via WorldRadioHistory.
- ^"First-run Byron"(PDF).Broadcasting Magazine.December 9, 1991. p. 25.RetrievedMay 8,2024– via WorldRadioHistory.
- ^"Lawsuits hit talk show host".Variety. January 12, 1993.RetrievedMay 8,2024.
- ^"In re Folks, BAP No. CC-95-1957-ZOH".RetrievedMay 8,2024– via vlex.
- ^abBusch, Anita (October 22, 2015)."Byron Allen's Entertainment Studios Acquires Indie Freestyle Releasing".Deadline.RetrievedOctober 3,2017.
- ^abAlbiniak, Paige (December 12, 2003)."CF Entertainment Gets New Name".Broadcasting & Cable.RetrievedOctober 5,2019.
- ^abcdMarich, Robert (January 25, 2019)."Byron Allen Is Still 'Very Acquisitive' After Transformative Year".Variety.RetrievedMay 5,2019.
- ^Block, Alex (December 8, 2011)."Sammy Davis Jr. Biopic, Stage Show Planned".The Hollywood Reporter.RetrievedDecember 27,2016.
- ^abcAndreeva, Nellie (May 21, 2012)."Byron Allen's Entertainment Studios Clears Syndicated Sitcom Block For Fall '12 Launch".Deadline.RetrievedOctober 12,2017.
- ^Andreeva, Nellie (May 3, 2012)."Comedy Series Starring Bill Bellamy Eying 100-Episode Order, Fall Launch".Deadline Hollywood.RetrievedOctober 12,2017.
- ^abBlock, Alex Ben (December 10, 2012)."Byron Allen's Entertainment Studios Launches Legal Digital Network".The Hollywood Reporter.RetrievedOctober 7,2017.
- ^Littleton, Cynthia (January 28, 2016)."Byron Allen's Entertainment Studios Files $10 Billion Discrimination Lawsuit Against Charter Communications, FCC".Variety.RetrievedOctober 3,2017.
- ^abDonnelly, Matt; Waxman, Sharon (January 26, 2016)."Inside Sundance Bidding War for 'Birth of a Nation'".The Wrap.RetrievedOctober 4,2017.
- ^abFleming, Mike (January 5, 2018)."'Hostiles' Distributor Byron Allen, On Growing A Movie Company In Difficult Times For Indies ".Deadline Hollywood.RetrievedMarch 22,2018.
- ^Evans, Greg (June 15, 2016)."Byron Allen's Entertainment Studios Acquires TheGrio, African-American Focused Digital News Platform".Deadline Hollywood.RetrievedDecember 27,2016.
- ^Lafayette, Jon (September 19, 2017)."Entertainment Studios to Launch Streaming OTT Sports Platform".Broadcasting & Cable.RetrievedOctober 4,2017.
- ^Fleming, Mike (September 4, 2018)."Byron Allen Announces $500M In Credit Facility For Entertainment Studios Expansion".Deadline Hollywood.RetrievedSeptember 17,2018.
- ^Littleton, Cynthia (May 3, 2019)."Sinclair Clinches Disney-Regional Sports Networks Deal, Byron Allen Joins as Partner".Variety.RetrievedMay 5,2019.
- ^Littleton, Cynthia (June 11, 2020)."Byron Allen and Comcast Settle Racial Discrimination Lawsuit, Set Carriage Deal for 3 Channels".Variety.RetrievedJune 11,2020.
- ^Stempel, Jonathan (May 21, 2021)."McDonald's is sued for $10 billion for alleged bias against Black-owned media".Reuters.RetrievedMay 22,2021.
- ^Guzman, Joseph (May 22, 2021)."Media mogul Byron Allen sues McDonald's for $10 billion over racial allegations".TheHill.RetrievedMay 22,2021.
- ^Randles, Jonathan (July 20, 2022)."Media Mogul Byron Allen Buys Black News Channel Out of Bankruptcy".The Wall Street Journal.RetrievedJuly 20,2022.
- ^Staff, TheGrio (July 20, 2022)."Byron Allen's Allen Media Group acquires Black News Channel".TheGrio.RetrievedJuly 22,2022.
- ^"Black News Channel is now theGrio"(Press release). TheGrio. August 1, 2022.RetrievedAugust 4,2022.
- ^Koshman, Josh (May 3, 2024)."Layoffs at Byron Allen's media company will hit 12% of workforce: sources".New York Post.RetrievedMay 5,2024.
- ^abcde"Byron Allen, Former Stand-Up Comic, Runs the 'Walmart of Television'".Bloomberg.December 13, 2013.RetrievedMarch 12,2023.
- ^Appleford, Steve (August 22, 2022)."How Byron Allen Got the Last Laugh".Los Angeles.RetrievedMarch 7,2023.
- ^Rice, Lynette (April 6, 2023)."'The People's Court' Judge Marilyn Milian Launching New Legal Show With Allen Media Group ".Deadline Hollywood.RetrievedJuly 12,2023.
- ^"Entertainment Studios Orders 130 More Episodes For Each Of Its Five Court Shows".Deadline Hollywood.September 26, 2013.RetrievedSeptember 27,2018.
- ^Block, Alex (April 4, 2013)."BET Networks Nabs Two Sitcoms in Multimillion-Dollar Reverse-Syndication Deal".The Hollywood Reporter.RetrievedOctober 12,2017.
- ^abcBusch, Anita (July 14, 2016)."Anchor Bay And Byron Allen's Entertainment Studios Join In Multi-Year Deal".Deadline Hollywood.RetrievedDecember 27,2016.
- ^"Home - Justicecentral.tv".February 5, 2024.
- ^Littleton, Cynthia (May 6, 2019)."Byron Allen Expands Into Broadcasting, Buys 4 TV Stations for $165 Million".Variety.RetrievedMay 6,2019.
- ^Mills, Wes (July 31, 2019)."FCC Approves Evansville TV Station Sale".Inside Indiana Business.Grow INdiana Media Ventures, LLC.RetrievedAugust 8,2019.
- ^Lafayette, Jon (October 1, 2019)."Allen's Entertainment Studios Buying USA Stations for $290M".Broadcasting & Cable.Future Publishing Limited.RetrievedOctober 1,2019.
- ^"Notice of Consent to Transfer of Control",CDBS Public Access,Federal Communications Commission,November 22, 2019, Retrieved November 27, 2019.
- ^Bennett, Anita (February 11, 2020)."Byron Allen's Entertainment Studios Acquires 11 Local TV Stations For $305 Million".Deadline.RetrievedFebruary 12,2020.
- ^Littleton, Cynthia (March 12, 2020)."Byron Allen Makes Acquisition Offer for Tegna Station Group".Variety.RetrievedMarch 12,2020.
- ^Goldsmith, Jill (August 17, 2020)."Byron Allen's AMG Buys Honolulu ABC Affiliate For $30 Million".Deadline.RetrievedAugust 17,2020.
- ^Hipes, Patrick (April 29, 2021)."Byron Allen's Allen Media Acquires 7 Gray TV Stations For $380M".Deadline.Deadline Hollywood.RetrievedApril 30,2021.
- ^"Allen Media Group Pays $70M To Acquire Gray Television's WJRT, An ABC Affiliate In Michigan".MSN Entertainment.July 14, 2021.RetrievedJuly 14,2021.
- ^"Allen Media Buying Three Montgomery, Ala., Stations For $28.5M".TVNewsCheck.NewsCheckMedia. December 15, 2021.RetrievedDecember 16,2021.
- ^"Allen Media Group Buys Two Networks From MGM,"fromDeadline,October 28, 2020
- ^"Entertainment Studios All Time Box Office Results".BoxOfficeMojo.IMDb, Inc.RetrievedJune 6,2018.
- ^abMcNary, Dave (July 25, 2016)."Mandy Moore's Shark Tale '47 Meters Down' Bought From Weinsteins".Variety.RetrievedOctober 3,2017.
- ^Busch, Anita (January 14, 2016)."Freestyle Releasing Gets 'Friend Request'".Deadline.RetrievedOctober 7,2017.
- ^abFleming, Mike (October 3, 2017)."Byron Allen's Entertainment Studios Hostiles; Christian Bale-Starrer Gets Oscar Season Berth".Deadline.RetrievedOctober 4,2017.
- ^Ramos, Dino-Day (July 17, 2017)."Rob Cohen's 'The Hurricane Heist' Acquired By Entertainment Studios".Deadline Hollywood.RetrievedOctober 4,2017.
- ^Busch, Anita; Fleming, Mike (September 8, 2017)."Ted Kennedy Scandal Film 'Chappaquiddick' Lands $20M Commitment From Byron Allen At Toronto".Deadline Hollywood.RetrievedMarch 25,2018.
- ^Fleming, Mike (September 8, 2017)."Keanu Reeves' 'Replicas' First Big Toronto Deal: Byron Allen Pays $4 Million".Deadline Hollywood.RetrievedMarch 25,2018.
- ^Busch, Anita (October 26, 2017)."Byron Allen's Entertainment Studios Will Distribute Indie Sequel '48 Meters Down'".Deadline Hollywood.RetrievedDecember 26,2017.
- ^Billington, Alex (August 28, 2019)."Sarah Hyland in First Trailer for Romantic Comedy 'The Wedding Year'".First Showing.RetrievedSeptember 4,2019.
- ^Wiseman, Andreas (December 3, 2018)."Byron Allen's ESMP Takes On U.S. Distribution Of Animation 'Arctic Dogs' Voiced By Jeremy Renner, Alec Baldwin".Deadline Hollywood.RetrievedDecember 3,2018.
- ^Mirabella, Lorraine (May 7, 2019)."Sinclair stock soars over sports deal".The Baltimore Sun.RetrievedSeptember 22,2020.
- ^Littleton, Cynthia (May 3, 2019)."Sinclair Clinches Disney-Regional Sports Networks Deal, Byron Allen Joins as Partner".Variety.RetrievedSeptember 22,2020.
- ^Hayes, Dade (August 23, 2019)."Disney, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Byron Allen Close Regional Sports Network Deal".Deadline.RetrievedSeptember 22,2020.
External links
[edit]- Allen Media Group
- Television production companies of the United States
- Television syndication distributors
- Entertainment companies based in California
- Companies based in Los Angeles
- Entertainment companies established in 1993
- 1993 establishments in California
- Privately held companies based in California
- Black-owned companies of the United States