Aspire is an American
pay television
Pay television, also known as subscription television, premium television or, when referring to an individual service, a premium channel, refers to Subscription business model, subscription-based television services, usually provided by multichan ...
channel targeting
African Americans. The network was launched by
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player. He is often regarded as the greatest point guard of all-time and has been compared with Stephen Curry. Johnson played 13 seasons in th ...
on June 27, 2012.
History
As part of its arrangement to acquire a minority interest in
NBCUniversal
NBCUniversal Media, LLC is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate corporation owned by Comcast and headquartered at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, United States.
NBCUniversal is primaril ...
, Comcast Corporation committed to carry several minority-owned channels.
The arrangement followed pressure led by
Maxine Waters
Maxine Moore Waters (née Carr; born August 15, 1938) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 1991. The district, numbered as the 29th district from 1991 to 1993 and as the 35th district from 1993 to 2013, inc ...
in congressional hearings.
In April 2011, Comcast solicited proposals for minority-owned networks.
In February 2012, Comcast announced distribution arrangements for four networks, including Aspire.
The four announced networks and six forthcoming stations are being chosen from among an excess of 100 proposals to begin airing by 2020.
Aspire also holds the broadcast rights to a selection of CIAA
college football games involving
historically black colleges and universities
Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with the intention of primarily serving the African-American community. M ...
.
See also
*
BET – American basic cable and satellite channel currently owned by
Paramount
Paramount (from the word ''paramount'' meaning "above all others") may refer to:
Entertainment and music companies
* Paramount Global, also known simply as Paramount, an American mass media company formerly known as ViacomCBS. The following busin ...
, which launched in 1980 as the first television network devoted to programming targeting African-Americans.
**
BET Her
BET Her (formerly Centric) is an American basic cable television network owned by Paramount Media Networks. The network is a spin-off of BET with a focus on general entertainment targeting African-American women.
The channel originally launche ...
– spinoff/sister network targeting African-American women.
*
Bounce TV
Bounce TV is an American digital multicast television network owned by Katz Broadcasting, a subsidiary of E. W. Scripps Company. Promoted as "the first 24/7 digital multicast broadcast network created to target African Americans", the channel ...
– American digital multicast network owned by
E. W. Scripps Company.
*
TheGrio
TheGrio, styled as thegrio, is an American television network and website with news, opinion, entertainment and video content geared toward Black Americans.
The website originally launched in June 2009 as a division of NBC News, it became a di ...
– American digital multicast/cable network owned by
Allen Media Group
Entertainment Studios, Inc., also known as Allen Media Group, is an American media and entertainment company based in Los Angeles. Owned and founded in 1993 by businessman Byron Allen, the company was initially involved in the production and ...
*
TV One – Cable and satellite network targeting African-Americans, owned by
Urban One
Urban One, Inc. (formerly Radio One) is a Silver Spring, Maryland-based American media conglomerate. Founded in 1980 by Cathy Hughes, the company primarily operates media properties targeting African Americans. It is the largest African-American ...
.
**
Cleo TV
Cleo TV (stylized as CLEOTV) is an American cable television network owned by Urban One. The network serves young millennial and Generation X African American women, and serves as a complement to TV One. The network officially launched on Janua ...
– Spinoff/sister network targeting African-American women.
Notes
{{Reflist
Television channels and stations established in 2012
Television networks in the United States
English-language television stations in the United States
African-American television
African-American television networks
Magic Johnson