TV One (American TV channel)

History

Launch and early programming

In January 2003, Radio One and Comcast announced an agreement to a joint venture to create a television network aimed at African Americans aged 25 to 54. TV One would launch on January 19, 2004, on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and was positioned as an older-skewing competitor to BET. At the time of its launch, the channel was in approximately 2.2 million homes in 16 markets. Initially launched in 2.2 million households, TV One's coverage would increase to 42.2 million homes by the end of 2007.

On July 7, 2008, the channel's president and CEO Johnathan Rodgers announced that TV One would provide extensive coverage of the Democratic National Convention that August.

In 2011, TV One's original co-owner Comcast acquired NBCUniversal, effectively integrating TV One and the other Comcast Entertainment Group channels into NBCUniversal's portfolio. Radio One's ownership stake in TV One would then grow from 36.8% to 50.8%.

Rebrand and programming shift

In August 2012, TV One updated its on-air look and logo, as part of a plan to "tell stories about how African-American life unfolds and to distinguish it from a growing number of competitors." By this point, TV One had reached 57.4 million homes.

On July 9, 2013, TV One announced that it would debut its first live one-hour, weekday morning news program that would be hosted by commentator Roland S. Martin. The program, NewsOne Now, premiered on November 4, 2013.

In December 2014, Brad Siegel was hired as president of TV One. Siegel was formerly president of Turner Entertainment Networks, and vice chairman of Up TV, which he co-founded in 2004.

In March 2015, Radio One announced a deal to buy out Comcast's 47.9% share of TV One for $550 million.

In February 2016, TV One updated their logo again, along with a new slogan: "Represent."

Programming

Main article: List of programs broadcast by TV One

As of 2024, TV One's current original programming includes true crime shows (such as Fatal Attraction and ATL Homicide), documentaries (including Unsung, the network's longest-running series), scripted films, and award show telecasts. The network previously produced reality shows, talk shows, and sitcoms.

TV One's main programming consists of reruns of popular Black sitcoms from the 1970s through the 2000s.

Cleo TV

1080i (HDTV)

Cleo TV (stylized as CLEOTV) is an American cable television network owned by Urban One targeting young millennial and Generation X African American women. It takes its name from the Ancient Egyptian Queen Cleopatra.

Cleo officially launched on January 19, 2019, after a week-long soft-launch period highlighting its programming offerings. At launch, Comcast Xfinity and Charter Spectrum served as the network's main debut base.

Cleo primarily airs original and acquired lifestyle programming. Original shows produced for the channel have included New Soul Kitchen, Lens of Culture, Cleo Speaks, and the Jazz and Jake Smollett-hosted Living by Design. Like TV One, Cleo TV also carries syndicated sitcoms, dramas, and Black film telecasts.

References

References

1. Prince, Richard. (January 19, 2004). "TV One Launches, With Adding Markets a Challenge". The Robert C. Maynard Institute.
2. "Radio One's Buyout Of Comcast…". Urban Insite.
3. "Radio One Closes on TV One Cable Channel". Radio & Television Business Report.
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5. (May 14, 2024). "U.S. cable network households (universe), 1990 – 2023".
6. Staff Writer. "Membership - CCTA Associate Members".
7. Seth Schiesel, [https://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/13/business/comcast-and-radio-one-in-tv-joint-venture.html "Comcast and Radio One in TV Joint Venture"], ''The New York Times'', January 13, 2003.
8. Felicia R. Lee, [https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/11/arts/television/11one.html?_r=1& "A Network for Blacks With Sense of Mission,"] ''[[The New York Times]]'', December 11, 2007.
9. Rob Owen, [http://old.post-gazette.com/pg/06012/636304.stm "Tuned In: TV One aims to be BET for grown-ups"], ''[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]'', January 12, 2006.
10. Balta, Victor. (July 9, 2008). "Network Commits to Obama-only Coverage". Comcast.net.
11. Wayne Barrett, [http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/07/28/al-sharpton-comcast-nbc-merger-another-new-conflict-of-interest.html "Al Sharpton's Radio Power Play"], [[The Daily Beast]], July 28, 2011.
12. (June 20, 2012). "TV One Rebrands Around Storytelling". [[The Hollywood Reporter]].
13. Bibel, Sara. (July 9, 2013). "Roland S. Martin to Host 'News One Now', TV One's First Daily News Program". TV by the Numbers.
14. (October 24, 2013). "TV One Sets Premiere of "News One Now" with Host and Managing Editor Roland S. Martin, Monday, November 4, 9AM/ET". The Futon Critic.
15. [https://deadline.com/2014/12/brad-siegel-tv-one-network-president-1201327094/ "Brad Siegel Named TV One President,"] ''[[Deadline Hollywood]]'', December 17, 2014.
16. Cynthia Littleton, [https://variety.com/2014/tv/news/tv-one-taps-cable-vet-brad-siegel-as-president-1201381611/ "TV One Taps Cable Vet Brad Siegel as President,"] ''[[Variety (magazine). Variety]]'', December 17, 2014.
17. [http://www.insideradio.com/free/radio-one-gears-up-for-tv-one-deal/article_4de2e636-cecb-11e4-9469-0701768ec384.html "Radio One Gears Up for TV One Deal"], Inside Radio, March 20, 2015.
18. (February 3, 2016). "TV One Launches New Brand Identity Evolving Network in a Bold, New Way".
19. [https://tvone.tv/featured-shows/ Featured Shows - TV One]
20. [https://www.ontvtonight.com/guide/listings/channel/69024173/tv-one.html TV ONE - TV Listings Guide]; [[On TV Tonight]]; retrieved May 26, 2024
21. Daniels, Karu F.. (December 14, 2018). "Television for Colored Girls: CLEO TV Cozies Up to Black Millennial Women".
22. (November 15, 2018). "Comcast Sets TV One's Cleo TV, Afro as Latest Independent Channel Launches".
23. (March 23, 2019). "TV One launches Cleo TV with exciting new shows in the lineup".
24. (April 21, 2021). "Jake & Jazz Smollett Return for Cleo TV Hit 'Living by Design with Jake & Jazz'".
25. [https://mycleo.tv/schedule/ SCHEDULE - CLEO TV; Retrieved on August 3, 2024]