Rev. Al Sharpton, Author Michael Eric Dyson and Atlanta's '2 Live Stews' Go National with News/Talk Network
Radio One & REACH Media create joint venture to develop African-American programming
DALLAS, Jan. 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Syndication One ("The Company") announced today that it has launched nationally syndicated news/talk shows which include Rev. Al Sharpton, Author Michael Eric Dyson and Atlanta's Doug & Ryan Stewart -- the '2 Live Stews.'
The Company, a joint venture of Radio One, Inc. (Nasdaq: ROIAK, ROIA) and REACH Media, Inc., is designed to develop African-American targeted programming. While there are more than 1,200 talk shows currently available to radio audiences nationwide, there are few programs that offer listeners a daily dose of ideas, issues, analysis and information targeted to the African- American audience. Each show will offer listeners timely, relevant, probing and entertaining programming, addressing a wide range of issues from a broad spectrum of viewpoints.
Alfred C. Liggins, III, Radio One's CEO and President stated, "This type of programming is long overdue. We are filling a huge gap and are offering radio affiliates an opportunity to broaden their audience appeal and providing advertisers another way to reach the African-American consumer. This new slate of programs exemplifies our continued effort to expand our content and product offerings."
The new line-up of weekday news/talk shows includes Michael Eric Dyson, the Detroit native who is a professor, an accomplished author and an ordained Baptist minister. His three-hour radio show will examine all sides of the issues in the hope of building bridges among race, gender, faith and politics.
The Rev. Al Sharpton, a long time community leader and former US presidential candidate, is hosting a three-hour radio show to debate the issues that are being discussed at the office, in the barbershop and across dining room tables throughout America.
Named one of the top sports talk shows in America by Sports Illustrated magazine, the '2 Live Stews,' hosted by brothers Doug and Ryan, offers a refreshing approach to sports talk radio. These brothers not only hit the hottest sports stories and talk to star athletes, but they've got celebrity news and callers with opinions and attitude.
Starting today, the programs will be heard in the following cities where Radio One currently owns stations, including WILD-AM 1090 in Boston, WOL-AM 1450 in Washington, DC., WVCG-AM 1080 in Miami, WERE-AM 1300 in Cleveland, WCHB-AM 1200 in Detroit and WROU-AM 1240 in Richmond, Va. Cox Radio's Birmingham station, WPSB-AM 1320, is also picking up each of the shows.
Premiere Radio Networks is the authorized sales representative firm for each of the radio shows.
For more information about the shows or to set up interviews with the hosts, contact Neil Foote, 972.371.5840, neil.foote@reachmediainc.com. Companies interested in any or all of the shows may contact Madeline Lawrie-Goodrich, senior vice president/affiliate relations, for REACH Media Inc., 972.371.5844, Madeline.lawrie-goodrich@reachmediainc.com.
Radio One, Inc. (http://www.radio-one.com) is the nation's seventh largest radio broadcasting company (based on 2004 net broadcast revenue) and the largest radio broadcasting company that primarily targets African-American and urban listeners. Pro forma for announced acquisitions, Radio One owns and/or operates 70 radio stations located in 22 urban markets in the United States and reaches more than 13 million listeners every week. Radio One also owns approximately 36% of TV One, LLC (http://www.tvoneonline.com), a cable/satellite network programming primarily to African-Americans, which is a joint venture with Comcast Corporation and DIRECTV. Additionally, Radio One owns 51% of the common stock of REACH Media, Inc. (http://www.blackamericaweb.com), owner of the Tom Joyner Morning Show and other businesses associated with Tom Joyner, a leading urban media personality, and programs "XM 169 The POWER" on XM Satellite Radio.
REACH Media, founded by radio and television personality, philanthropist and entrepreneur Tom Joyner, is a multi-media company formed in January 2003 as the parent company of the "Tom Joyner Morning Show," billed as the No. 1 entertainment/information morning show in America and now, the syndicated TV show, "The Tom Joyner Show." REACH also has several other businesses that will target African-Americans through radio, television, event production and the internet. Its website, BlackAmericaWeb.com (http://blackamericaweb.com), which has more than one million members, is a virtual town square for visitors to get daily news, play games, search for jobs and listen to the Morning Show online. REACH Media also produces the Tom Joyner Family Reunion @ Walt Disney World Resorts (http://www.blackamericaweb.com/family06), a three-day Labor Day Weekend event, featuring top-name performers, comedians, seminars and access to the theme parks.
SOURCE Radio One, Inc.
CONTACT:
Neil Foote
Director, Communications, of Reach Media
+1-972-371-5840
neil.foote@reachmediainc.com
Web site: http://www.radio-one.com
http://www.blackamericaweb.com
http://www.tvoneonline.com
http://www.blackamericaweb.com/family06
(ROIAK ROIA)