Byron Allen

What a year it has been for Allen. After years of fighting with Comcast for carriage and filing a racial discrimination lawsuit that found its way to the US Supreme Court, the two settled in June with Comcast (which denies the allegations) launching four of Allen Media Group’s cable networks. Meanwhile, Allen keeps growing the company’s portfolio, which now includes 16 ABC-NBC-CBS-FOX network affiliate stations. They join Weather Channel, which he purchased in 2018, as well as a robust slate of cable networks under Entertainment Studios. It’s clear M&A will continue to be a priority for the billionaire. Allen has been calling for support of more African American-owned businesses for years. “The best way companies can show a sincere commitment to diversity and inclusion is to make sure that African American-owned companies are included in their budgets in a significant way,” he says. “Don’t do it as tokenism, don’t minimize it, but rather, invest as a long-term, sustainable partnership.”

The conversation about racial injustice in 2020 has been…
long overdue and much needed. Martin Luther King, Jr, taught us over 50 years ago that two Americas cannot survive. We must achieve ONE America by completely eradicating racial injustice. 

In what ways can companies best show a sincere commitment to diversity and inclusion?
The best way companies can show a sincere commitment to diversity and inclusion is to make sure that African American-owned companies are included in their budgets in a significant way. Don’t do it as tokenism, don’t minimize it, but rather, invest as a long-term, sustainable partnership. 

What are some of the tough conversations this industry needs to have?
One of the tough conversations this industry needs to have concerns the greatest trade deficit in America — the trade deficit between corporate America and Black America. White corporate America needs to stop with the excuses and start doing business with Black America. This will start to put an end to the economic genocide. 

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