Afrotainment and Cleo TV have been named as Comcast’s newest independent launches as part of its merger agreement with NBCUniversal to the U.S. Justice Department.
Cleo TV and Afro are both TV One stations set to be broadly distributed by Comcast Xfinity in January. Cleo TV is aimed at breaking stereotypes of women of color, while Afro is described as a polycultural Black television network.
“The offerings from both AFRO and CLEO TV serve as an excellent complement to the growing catalog of programming choices we offer about global black communities,” Keesha Boyd, Executive Director, Multicultural Products at Comcast Cable, said in a press release.
Cleo TV will offer original programming and acquired content that ranges from cooking shows to home-designing shows.
“The best part about CLEO TV is that program formats will be both a mixture of old and new school, and viewers will find shows that have a modern twist,” Robyn Greene Arrington, TV One’s Vice President of Original Programming and Production, said in a press release. “It will provide lifestyle, empowerment and entertainment lineups that mothers and daughters can watch together.”
Founder and CEO of Afrotainment Yves Bollanga said she is excited about the launch.
“Comcast’s selection of AFRO, which is a recognition of the rich diversity in black content and culture, solidifies our position as a leader in polycultural black home entertainment in North America,” Bollanga said in a press release.
Comcast’s agreement stated the company must launch 10 independent television channels. So far, Comcast has released six channels, including Revolt TV.
