TheGrio

TheGrio, styled as theGrio, is an American digital TV channel and website with news, opinion, entertainment and video content geared toward African Americans.[1] Originally launched in June 2009 as a division of NBC News,[2][3] it became a division of MSNBC in 2013. It was founded by the team who created the documentary film Meeting David Wilson. In 2014, it was sold to its founders.[4] In June 2016, Byron Allen's Entertainment Studios acquired the site.[5] The TV channel was founded as Light TV in 2016 and was relaunched as TheGrio TV in January 2021.

"Light TV" redirects here. For the Filipino television network, see ZOE Broadcasting Network.

TheGrio
TypeDigital broadcast television network
Country
United States
AvailabilityNationwide (available on OTA digital television and LPTV)
HeadquartersBeverly Hills, California
OwnerAllen Media Group
Launch date
December 22, 2016 (2016-12-22)
Former names
Light TV (2016-2021)
Picture format
480i (SDTV)
AffiliatesList of affiliates
Official website
thegrio.com

History as web site

TheGrio's editorial mandate is to "focus on news and events that have a unique interest and/or pronounced impact within the national African Americans audience,"[6] offering what co-founder, and Executive Editor David Wilson feels "are underrepresented in existing national news outlets".

The website's name is derived from the word griot, the term for a West African oral historian and storyteller.[7]

Personnel

Founders
  • David A. Wilson* (Co-founder, Executive Editor)[8]
  • Daniel Woolsey (Co-founder, VP of Operations)[8]
  • Barion L. Grant* (Co-founder, Former Director of Sales)[8]

(*) No longer with company

Leadership
  • Todd Johnson (Chief Content Officer)[8][9]
  • Natasha S. Alford (VP, Content Creation)[8][9]
  • Gerren Keith Gaynor (Managing Editor)[8]
  • Shana Pinnock (Social Media Director)[8][9]
  • Mariel Turner (Senior Editor)[8][9]

History as Light TV

The then-new over-the-top (OTT) faith-based channel was under development as early as September 2014 when MGM purchased 55% of One Three Media and LightWorkers Media, owned by Hearst Entertainment, Mark Burnett and Roma Downey, and consolidated them into United Artists Media Group.[10] With MGM purchasing Hearst and Burnett and Downey's shares in UAMG, the channel was still a planned streaming service. However, Hearst and Burnett and Downey retained their stakes in the channel.[11]

MGM announced the formation of Light TV on December 15, 2015, with a launch planned for December on thirteen major market stations owned by Fox Television Stations.[12] The network launched on January 20, 2016[13] with two stations, and the rest of the group's stations.

Light TV was sold by MGM TV in October 2020 to the Allen Media Group division of Entertainment Studios, along with its movie-oriented sister channel This TV.[14] On December 3, 2020, it was announced that the network would be relaunched as TheGrio.TV on January 15, 2021, carrying lifestyle and entertainment programming of interest to the African American community. It was an extension of the Entertainment Studios-owned website TheGrio.[15]

On or after that date, Entertainment Studios stopped feeding Light TV programming to some of the network's affiliates (mainly those associated with Fox Television Stations), leaving a test pattern card promoting TheGrio.TV's upcoming launch, though MGM continues to feature a live stream of Light TV on its website, suggesting only the satellite transponder for Light TV was sold to Entertainment Studios; some affiliates have thus taken the subchannel dark due to a current lack of programming on that satellite space. FTS confirmed on December 9 that it would indeed carry TheGrio.TV on its stations when it launched on January 15, 2021.[16]

Programming

Light TV featured several series and movies meant to fit the network's family-oriented approach, including content from the MGM film and TV library or acquired through outside sources.[17][18] Infomercials were added to the Light TV lineup in 2019, occupying all of the overnight hours and into the early morning.

Current programming

Below is a current list of programming broadcast on The Grio:[19]

  • America's Court With Judge Ross (November 1, 2021)
  • Animal Rescue
  • Comics Unleashed (November 1, 2021)
  • The First Family (January 15, 2021)[20]
  • Jeremiah (November 1st)
  • Justice With Judge Mablean (November 1, 2021)
  • Mr. Box Office (January 15, 2021)[20]
  • Supreme Justice With Judge Karen Mills (November 1, 2021)
  • The Verdict With Judge Hatchett (November 1, 2021)
  • Wild Times at the San Diego Zoo

Former programming

Affiliates

Light TV initially launched on subchannels of fourteen Fox and MyNetworkTV stations owned by Fox Television Stations, with most of the initial affiliates being owned-and-operated stations of the Fox Broadcasting Company.[21] MGM then offered the network to stations outside the initial markets.[22]

City Station[23] Physical
channel		 Virtual
channel		 Owner (management company) Date of affiliation Notes

Alabama

GreensboroWDVZ-CD33.2University of Alabama
TuscaloosaWVUA623.2June 1, 2017
BirminghamWVTM-TV713.4Hearst Television2021

Arkansas

HarrisonK26GS-D2626.4Reynolds Media, Inc.2017
Little RockKTVV-LD1818.2Larry Morton

California

FresnoKAIL77.2Tri-State Christian TelevisionOctober 19, 2017
SacramentoKCSO-LD333.4NBCUniversal2018
Santa BarbaraKZDF-LD8.3HC2 HoldingsDecember 2017

Colorado

SterlingKCDO-TV 323.6, 34.6[24]10.1E. W. Scripps Company2017KCDO-TV 3's display channel for Light TV is 10.1[24]

Florida

MiamiWSVN7.2[25]7.2Sunbeam TelevisionJuly 14, 2017[26]
OrlandoWOFL22.4[27]35.2Fox Television Stations

Georgia

AtlantaWAGA-TV275.4Fox Television Stations2017

Hawaii

HonoluluKWHE-TV3114.2Family Broadcasting Corporation2017

Idaho

BoiseKRID-LD2222.7Karlo Maalouf[28]July 2017
Idaho FallsKVUI3131.3Ventura Broadcasting
Twin FallsKXTF3435.3Tri-State Christian Television

Illinois

ChicagoWPWR-TV2432.4Fox Television Stations2018
MarionWTCT30.5[29]27.3Tri-State Christian Television
Oakwood HillsWCHU-LD7.2[30]59.2Venture Technologies Group, LLCDecember 2020Relocated from WPWR-TV 50.3 and WFLD 32.4
Oswego (Chicago)
Pekin (Peoria)		WAOE39.3[31]59.3Venture Technologies Group2017

Indiana

AngolaWINM1212.3Tri-State Christian TelevisionSeptember 2017
Fort WayneWEIJ-LD38.5[32]38.3
IndianapolisWALV-CD46.446.4Tegna, Inc.
South BendWNDU-TV2716.4Gray TelevisionJanuary 31, 2022

Iowa

Des MoinesKDMI19.5[33]19.3Tri-State Christian Television
Iowa CityKWKB25.100520.5Tri-State Christian Television2017

Kansas

WichitaKAGW-CD2426.7Great Plains Television

Kentucky

LexingtonWLJC-TV765.2Hour of Harvest
LouisvilleWBNA821.3Word Broadcasting NetworkMarch 2017[34]

Louisiana

Baton RougeKPBN1414.4Pelican Broadcasting NetworkJanuary 1, 2018
MonroeKMCT-TV2239.11WGGS Inc.May 1, 2021
New OrleansWDSU196.5Hearst TelevisionOctober 5, 2021

Maryland

BaltimoreWBAL-TV1211.4Hearst TelevisionSeptember 24, 2021

Michigan

DetroitWHNE-LD20.1[35]14.1Tait Broadcasting, LLC[35]Since late August 2017
Traverse City-CadillacWMNN-LD14.6[36]26.6Freelancer Television Broadcasting, Inc.[36]Since August 2017
Flint/Saginaw/Bay CityWAQP48.5[37]49.3Tri-State Christian TelevisionSince September 2017
Grand Rapids/KalamazooWTLJ2454.32018

Minnesota

Minneapolis–Saint Paul, MinnesotaKMSP-TV99.5Fox Television Stations2017

Missouri

Kansas CityKSMO-TV32.4[38]62.2Gray TelevisionMay 6, 2018
Springfield, MissouriKRFT-LD218.2Craft BroadcastingNovember 9, 2017[39]

Nevada

Las VegasKGNG-LD2647.5King Kong Broadcasting, Inc.[40]October 23, 2017Century Link Cable Channel 22
RenoKTVN112.2Sarkes Tarzian, Inc.2018

New Mexico

AlbuquerqueKTVS-LD36.1[41]36.1Alpha Omega Broadcasting[41]October 2017[42](physical and virtual) channel 36.3 is a simulcast of 36.1[41]

New York

AlbanyWNYA13.4[43]51.2Hubbard BroadcastingNovember 1, 2017 Replaced Antenna TV
JamestownWNYB26.5[44]26.3Tri-State Christian Television ?
BuffaloWBNF15.5[45]15.3Tri-State Christian Television
SyracuseWWLF-LD35.2[46]35.2Metro TV, Inc.September 1, 2021
New York CityWNYW5.45.4Fox Television StationsDecember 2016

North Carolina

CharlotteWJZY47.10[47]46.8Nexstar Media Group2017

Ohio

CincinnatiWBQC-LD ("WKRP-TV")47.7[48]25.5Elliot Block2018
MansfieldWMFD-TV1268.3Mid-State Television, Inc.2017
MarionWOCB-CD22.5[49]39.5Central Ohio Assoc. of Chr. Broadcasters

Oklahoma

Oklahoma CityKOCO-TV75.5Hearst Television2021

Pennsylvania

JohnstownWWCP-TV88.3Cunningham Broadcasting2021
Philadelphia WTXF-TV 31.5[50] 29.3 Fox Television Stations 2017

South Carolina

GreenvilleWGGS-TV16.6[51]16.4Carolina Christian Broadcasting2017

Tennessee

ChattanoogaWRCB33.2Sarkes Tarzian, Inc.2018
NashvilleWJFB44.3[52]44.3Tri-State Christian TelevisionNovember 20, 2017

Texas

AustinKGBS1919.5CNZ CommunicationsOctober 9, 2017Operated by HC2 Holdings
LubbockKMYL-LD1414.2MyNetworkTVFebruary 6, 2022Operated by HC2 Holdings
San AntonioKGMM-CD24.4[53]24.2CNZ Communications

Utah

OgdenKULX-CD1410.5NBCUniversal
Salt Lake CityKTMW2020.5

Virginia

GrundyWLFG49.4[54]68.2Living Faith Ministries, Inc.February 3, 2018

Washington

SeattleKYMU-LD6.2[55]Seattle 6 Broadcasting LLC2019

Wisconsin

MilwaukeeWISN-TV2812.5Hearst TelevisionSeptember 30, 2021

Former affiliates
Market Station Channel Current owner Years of affiliation Notes
Los Angeles, CaliforniaKTTV11.3Fox Television Stations2020-2022
Chicago, IllinoisWFLD32.4Fox Television Stations2018-2020
Colorado Springs, ColoradoKWHS-LD51.2[56]CTN2017-2019Replaced by CTN Lifestyle[56]
Dallas-Fort Worth, TexasKDFI27.5Fox Television Stations2017-2020
Houston, TexasKRIV-TV26.22017-2020Decades and theGrio exchanged channel positions, with theGrio activated on KTXH-DT3 on launch day.[57]
Los Angeles, CaliforniaKCOP-TV13.8 [58]2016-2020
New Orleans, LouisianaWHNO20.2CTN2016-2018Replaced by CTN Lifestyle
Oklahoma City, OklahomaKBZC-LD42.2HC2 HoldingsReplaced by CBN News Channel, and later Revenue Frontier.
Phoenix, ArizonaKSAZ-TV10.4 Fox Television Stations 2017-2020
PittsburghWPCW19.4CBS News and Stations2018-2020 as LightTV
2021 as theGrio		Occupied channel 19.4 as Light TV until that service was discontinued, whereupon Circle was moved there from 19.5, thus vacating that channel until TheGrio arrived in 2021
Tampa BayWTOG44.3[59]44.3CBS News and Stations
Tulsa, OklahomaKWHB47.2Christian Television Network2017-2019Replaced by Dabl
KGEB53.2GEB America2019-2021Replaced by Shop LC
Washington, D.C.WDCA20.4Fox Television Stations2017-2018Was dropped due to channel share with sister station WTTG

References
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  2. "The Grio Web Site". C-SPAN Video Library, August 20, 2012.
  3. "TheGrio reveals annual Top 100 list". Today, February 4, 2013.
  4. Jordan Chariton (August 14, 2014). "NBC News Selling TheGrio.com". TVNewser. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  5. Debbie Emery (June 14, 2016). "Byron Allen's Entertainment Studios Acquires TheGrio". TheWrap. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  6. Ham, Jon (August 10, 2009). "NBC’s theGrio.com needs diversity training". Carolina Journal Online.
  7. Mayes, Julia (October 3, 2011). "Positively Black: NBC Launches The Grio". 4 NBC New York.
  8. "theGrio team". theGrio. Retrieved March 14, 2013.
  9. "How to Tell Stories for a Living, According to 3 Game-Changing Women in Media".
  10. Busch, Mike Fleming Jr,Anita (September 22, 2014). "MGM Buys 55% Of Roma Downey And Mark Burnett's Empire; Relaunches United Artists". Deadline. Penske Business Media. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
  11. Lieberman, David (December 14, 2015). "MGM Taps Mark Burnett To Run TV Operation After Buying Out JV Partners". Deadline. Penske Business Media. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
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  13. Bouma, Luke (March 3, 2017). "Three New Over-the-Air TV Networks Recently Launched - Cord Cutters News". Cord Cutters News. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
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  15. Haring, Bruce (December 4, 2020). "Byron Allen's Light TV Will Transition To 'TheGrio.TV' Next Month To Kick Off MLK Day Weekend". Deadline. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
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  19. "LIGHT_SCHEDULE_AUGUST_24_UPDATE" (PDF). August 1, 2017.
  20. "GrioTV Schedule - Check What's on".
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