Aspire TV 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 African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa ...

owned by UP Entertainment. The network was launched by

Magic Johnson Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is an American businessman and former professional basketball player. Often regarded as the greatest point guard of all time, Johnson List of NBA players who have spent their entire career w ...

on June 27, 2012.

History

As part of its arrangement to acquire a minority interest in

NBCUniversal NBCUniversal Media, LLC (abbreviated as NBCU and Trade name, doing business as NBCUniversal or Comcast NBCUniversal since 2013) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational mass media and Show business, entertainment conglomerate (comp ...

, 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 United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative for since 1991. The district, numbered as the California's 29th congressional district, ...

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 were chosen from among an excess of 100 proposals to begin airing by 2020. In 2019, Magic Johnson had divested his majority ownership, with UP Entertainment gaining it.

Programming

Aspire TV holds the broadcast rights to a selection of CIAA

college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...

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 serving African Americans. Most are in the Southern U ...

Current

*''6 Minutes To Glory: The HBCU Band Experience'' *''

The Bernie Mac Show ''The Bernie Mac Show'' (often shortened to ''Bernie Mac'' in syndication) is an American sitcom television series created by Larry Wilmore, that aired on Fox for five seasons from November 14, 2001, to April 14, 2006. The series featured Ber ...

'' *''Chaos to Calm'' *''City Eats: Atlanta'' *''Downright Delicious with Yo-Yo'' *''G. Garvin Live'' *''HBCU 101'' *''Keasha's Perfect Dress'' *''Money Moves'' *'' My Wife and Kids'' *''

The Steve Harvey Show ''The Steve Harvey Show'' is an American television sitcom created by Winifred Hervey and directed by Stan Lathan that aired on The WB from August 25, 1996 to February 17, 2002, with a total of 122 half-hour episodes spanning six seasons. Syn ...

'' *''Twisted Dish'' *''Unboxed with Nikki Chu'' *''Urban Indie Film Block'' *''

Whose Line Is It Anyway? ''Whose Line Is It Anyway?'' is a short-form improvisational comedy show created by Dan Patterson and Mark Leveson. The three major versions of the show are the original 1988 British radio programme (from which all subsequent versions are ada ...

Former

*''Black College Quiz'' *'' The Bill Cosby Show'' *''Butter+Brown'' *'' The Flip Wilson Show'' *''The Graduates ATL'' *''

The Hughleys ''The Hughleys'' is an American television sitcom that aired on ABC from September 22, 1998 to April 28, 2000 and on UPN from September 11, 2000 to May 20, 2002. It was co-created by comedian D.L. Hughley and Matt Wickline and starred comedi ...

'' *''

In Living Color ''In Living Color'' is an American sketch comedy television series that originally ran on Fox from April 15, 1990, to May 19, 1994. Keenen Ivory Wayans created, wrote and starred in the program. The show was produced by Ivory Way Productions ...

'' *'' In the House'' *'' I Spy'' *'' Julia'' *''Just Angela'' *'' Lincoln Heights'' *''

The Mod Squad ''The Mod Squad'' is an American crime drama series, originally broadcast for five seasons on ABC from September 24, 1968, to March 1, 1973. It starred Michael Cole as Peter "Pete" Cochran, Clarence Williams III as Lincoln "Linc" Hayes, Pegg ...

'' *''

Room 222 ''Room 222'' is an American comedy-drama television series produced by 20th Century Fox Television that aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC for 112 episodes, from September 17, 1969, until January 11, 1974. The show was broadcast on 1969 ...

'' *''Side by Side With Malika & Khadijah'' *''

Soul Food Soul food is the ethnic cuisine of African Americans. Originating in the Southern United States, American South from the cuisines of Slavery in the United States, enslaved Africans transported from Africa through the Atlantic slave trade, sou ...

'' *''

Soul Train ''Soul Train'' is an American musical variety television show. After airing locally on WCIU-TV in Chicago, Illinois, for a year, it aired in syndication from October 2, 1971, to March 25, 2006. In its 35-year history, the show primarily featu ...

'' *''World Wide Nate: African Adventures''

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

History

Programming

Current

Former

See also

Notes