Byron Allen's Digital News Platform theGrio to Launch Black Podcast Network (TGBPN)

Allen Media Group's African American-focused news, lifestyle, and entertainment platform, theGrio (http://www.thegrio.com), will launch theGrio Black Podcast Network (TGBPN) on Thursday, May 26th as a premier destination for on-the-go listeners seeking access to Black entertainment, news, culture, and content.

LOS ANGELES, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- BYRON ALLEN'S DIGITAL NEWS PLATFORM THEGRIO TO LAUNCH THEGRIO BLACK PODCAST NETWORK (TGBPN)

"Dear Culture with Panama Jackson" Debuts May 26; Six Additional Podcasts Will Premiere Throughout Summer and Fall 2022

Allen Media Group's African American-focused news, lifestyle, and entertainment platform, theGrio (http://www.thegrio.com), will launch theGrio Black Podcast Network (TGBPN) on Thursday, May 26th as a premier destination for on-the-go listeners seeking access to Black entertainment, news, culture, and content. Featuring all aspects of the culture, TGBPN elevates the Black experience with daily news, humor, wit, cultural insights, and a look at critical issues from the foremost thought leaders and breakthrough talent, including Panama Jackson, Michael Harriot, Cortney Wills, and Touré.

"I am proud to launch theGrio's Black Podcast Network. Black podcast listeners are growing faster than any other demographic," said Byron Allen, Founder/Chairman/CEO of Allen Media Group. "TheGrio will match that demand by releasing the best original and aggregated podcast content. This will be the number one destination for curated global podcast content as theGrio continues to make positive history."

"TheGrio is dedicated to amplifying Black culture and providing our audience with new and exciting content on all platforms," said Geraldine Moriba, Senior Vice President of News and Entertainment for theGrio. "Our ambitious plan for the Black Podcast Network is to be the primary source and first choice for dynamic, thought-provoking daily conversation for global Black audiences. We are delighted to present this first collection of original new podcasts to provide our audience access to the new torch-bearers and storytellers driving today's crucial conversations."

Premiering May 26, "Dear Culture with Panama Jackson" makes its much-anticipated debut. A legacy podcast for theGrio, this fresh mix of information and "edutainment," hosted by Mr. Jackson, starts provocative conversations like "Janet vs. Michael: Which superstar sibling has the best albums?" and invites people to weigh in on critical discussions such as the Blackest song of all time, Brandy being the vocal bible and Lauryn Hill's music career, among other topics. Jackson opens the door for the audience to engage and share stories, expertise, and information about the culture. Twitter: @panamajackson

"TheGrio Daily with Michael Harriot" debuts June 20
Writer, cultural critic, and championship-level Spades player Michael Harriot breaks down all societal issues with humor, truth, and historical context. He creatively explains systems that affect our people every day. Twitter: @michaelharriot

"Blackest Questions with Christina Greer" debuts in July
A game-changer focused on little-known Black history facts, get hooked on this Black trivia show hosted by Dr. Christina Greer. It informs as it entertains. Quick-witted Greer quizzes the people make history, the entertainers, history makers, and celebrities, to test their knowledge of Black history facts and important contributions to American history. Twitter: @Dr_CMGreer

"Acting Up with Cortney Wills" returns in July
Host Cortney Wills and theGrio's Entertainment Director guides her audience through essential one-on-one conversations with the icons, celebrities, actors, producers, directors who shape the ways Black America is represented in Hollywood and the impact those depictions have in the real world. Instagram: @cortneywills

"Writing Black with Maiysha Kai" debuts in August
TheGrio's lifestyle editor and columnist, Grammy-winning recording artist, Maiysha Kai interviews writers from across the Black diaspora to center their literature for future generations by exploring the obstacles they overcame, their intentions and backstories, and their inspirations. Twiter: @maiysha

"Being Black, The 80s with Touré" debuts in September
The first season will deconstruct the most popular Black music of the decade, using a single song per episode to explore life in Black America at that time. Each episode of the series examines cultural, political, and creative change and the roots of the song. Host and award-winning writer, Touré interviews the people in the room when the music was made, the experts, cultural commentators, and political analysts to provide the perspective of the people who lived the era. Twitter: @toure

"That's the Point with Natasha Alford" debuts in September
Not your grandfather's news recap, Natasha Alford brings her sharp point of view to pop culture, social issues, and news headlines as she unpacks her own personal connections to these stories. Instagram: @natashasalford

"Black Backstage with Touré" debuts in October
Touré's second podcast uses animation to share the unpredictable and sometimes unbelievable backstage exploits with Black celebrities, musicians, and newsmakers. These are unforgettable anecdotes of the larger-than-life true stories of hip-hop stars. Twitter: @toure

Listeners can look forward to additional podcasts available on theGrio's new mobile app and everywhere they find their favorite podcasts, including iTunes, Spotify and Stitcher.

Additional details, including episodic subjects and guests for each show, will be provided on a later date. The Black Podcast Network will release fresh podcasts and introduce new talent throughout 2022.

To download the Black Podcast Network or for more information about our podcasts visit.

About theGrio
In 2016, Allen Media Group purchased theGrio, a highly rated digital video-centric news community platform devoted to providing African-Americans with compelling stories and perspectives currently underrepresented in existing national news outlets. TheGrio features aggregated and original video packages, news articles, and opinion pieces on topics that include breaking news, politics, health, business, and entertainment. The digital platform remains focused on curating exciting digital content and currently has more than 100 million annual visitors. TheGrio is available everywhere people consume information? on a mobile app, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, AppleTV, and now as an over-the-air television network.

About Allen Media Group
Chairman and CEO Byron Allen founded Allen Media Group/Entertainment Studios in 1993. Headquartered in Los Angeles, it has offices in New York, Chicago, Atlanta, and Charleston, SC. Allen Media Group owns 27 ABC-NBC-CBS-FOX network affiliate broadcast television stations in 21 U.S. markets and twelve 24-hour HD television networks serving nearly 220 million subscribers: THEGRIO.TV, THE WEATHER CHANNEL, PETS.TV, COMEDY.TV, RECIPE.TV, CARS.TV, ES.TV, MYDESTINATION.TV, JUSTICE CENTRAL.TV, THIS TV, LOCAL NOW TV, and PATTRN. Allen Media Group will add its thirteenth network, THE WEATHER CHANNEL EN ESPANOL, in 2022. Allen Media Group also owns HBCUGO, and LOCAL NOW, the free-streaming AVOD service powered by THE WEATHER CHANNEL and content partners, which delivers real-time, hyper-local news, weather, traffic, sports, and lifestyle information. Allen Media Group also produces, distributes, and sells advertising for 68 television programs, making it one of the largest independent producers/distributors of first-run syndicated television programming for broadcast television stations. Allen Media Group International Television continues to extend its corporate branding and content around the globe. It currently has active license agreements and programming in South Africa, The United Arab Emirates, Australia, The Bahamas, Canada, and New Zealand. With a library of over 5,000 hours of owned content across multiple genres, Allen Media Group provides video content to broadcast television stations, cable television networks, mobile devices, and multimedia digital. Our mission is to provide excellent programming to our viewers, online users, and Fortune 500 advertising partners.

Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures is a full-service, theatrical motion picture distribution company specializing in wide release commercial content. ESMP released 2017's highest-grossing independent movie, the shark thriller 47 METERS DOWN, which grossed over $44.3 million. In 2018, ESMP also released the critically-acclaimed and commercially successful Western HOSTILES, the historic mystery-thriller CHAPPAQUIDDICK, and the sequel to 47 METERS DOWN, 47 METERS DOWN: UNCAGED. The digital distribution unit of Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures, Freestyle Digital Media, is a premiere multi-platform distributor with direct partnerships across all major cable, digital, and streaming platforms. Capitalizing on a robust infrastructure, proven track record, and a veteran sales team, Freestyle Digital Media is a true home for independent films.

Media Contact

Martine Charles, theGrio, 1 206-295-9114, [email protected]

Mitch Messinger, theGrio, 818-601-6661, [email protected]

SOURCE theGrio