TV One to be Home of NAACP Image Awards

For the first time ever, the NAACP Image Awards will move to cable from broadcast, with TV One signing a 5-year deal for the rights, beginning with the live airing of the 45^th NAACP Image Awards in Feb.

“It puts us in the awards show business in a big way with instant credibility,” TV One chmn/CEO and Radio One pres Alfred Liggins told us Mon. TV One has been the TV home of the Trumpet Awards for several years, but it is less entertainment-focused, honoring men and women who have significantly contributed to enhancing the quality of life for all. Last year, the Image Award delivered 3mln viewers on NBC, the event’s biggest overall audience in four years. With an entertainment-focus, the Image Awards should have wider appeal—that also can be trumpeted on Radio One’s radio stations. The Image Awards honor actors, authors, directors, writers, performing artists, as well as television, motion picture, recording, and literary projects.  Submissions are now being accepted until Nov 15.

TV One will air live broadcasts of the Image Awards and red carpet arrivals in 2014. In addition it will provide promotional support on TV One, Radio One and Reach Media, Interactive One, and via a multi-platform marketing campaign.  Also look for dedicated coverage on the net’s new daily news program, “News One Now.” “It’s a great place for us as we go into our 10^th year at TV One in January,” Liggins said, promising that TV One will be supporting NAACP efforts year-round. TV One also plans to take advantage of the expected increase in eyeballs, and will use the event to launch a new programming series. It’s fresh off its best quarterly total day performance ever across key demos in 3Q, with HHs up +11%  vs a year ago, 25-54s up 25% and 18-49s up 21%.