Latest news with #ComicsUnleashed
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
McDonald's Settles $10B Discrimination Lawsuit Brought by Byron Allen's Media Company
McDonald's reached a settlement in the $10 billion lawsuit brought by Byron Allen's Allen Entertainment Studios, in which the media mogul accused the fast food company of discriminating against Black-owned media companies. Allen's companies and McDonald's released a joint statement on Friday, revealing that they'd come to 'an agreement to settle pending litigation between them.' At the tailend of last year, U.S. District Judge Fernando Olguin found that McDonald's may have violated federal and state civil rights laws by keeping a separate advertising tier for companies who create content target toward Black audiences. More from The Hollywood Reporter Byron Allen Puts His Local TV Stations Up for Sale Byron Allen's 'Comics Unleashed' Gets the Post-Colbert Time Slot on CBS - Again Byron Allen's $10B Discrimination Lawsuit Against McDonald's Over Ad Spend to Go to Trial 'We are pleased to find a resolution that maintains our business relationship,' Allen's Entertainment Studios and The Weather Channel said in a statement. 'During the course of this litigation, many of our preconceptions have been clarified, and we acknowledge McDonald's commitment to investing in Black-owned media properties and increasing access to opportunity. Our differences are behind us, and we look forward to working together.' The news comes after McDonald's was set to go to trial for the lawsuit. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Later in the release, it was noted that 'The parties reached a confidential commercial agreement whereby McDonald's will continue to purchase advertising from ESN in a manner that aligns with its advertising strategy and commercial objectives and ESN will dismiss its lawsuit against McDonald's in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.' Additionally, they noted, 'Under the terms of the agreement, which are confidential, McDonald's is not admitting any wrongdoing, and the ads sold will, as per all such commercial deals, be priced at market value. 'We are pleased that Mr. Allen has come to appreciate McDonald's unwavering commitment to inclusion, and has agreed to refocus his energies on a mutually beneficial commercial arrangement that is consistent with other McDonald's supplier relationships,' McDonald's USA, LLC said. 'Our company's unique three-legged stool model relies on mutual respect, and we look forward to ESN's contributions to the betterment of our system.' Best of The Hollywood Reporter How the Warner Brothers Got Their Film Business Started Meet the World Builders: Hollywood's Top Physical Production Executives of 2023 Men in Blazers, Hollywood's Favorite Soccer Podcast, Aims for a Global Empire
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Byron Allen Reaches Settlement in $10 Billion Lawsuit Against McDonald's Over TV Advertising
Allen Media Group chief Byron Allen has reached a settlement in the $10 billion lawsuit that he filed in 2021 alleging the fast food giant discriminated against Black-owned media companies in its TV advertising expenditures. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed. The deal averts a trial that had been scheduled to begin in federal court in Los Angeles next month. The sides announced the agreement in a joint statement issued late Friday. More from Variety 'Comics Unleashed' Returns to CBS Late-Night Schedule Following 'Midnight' Cancellation Facing Backlash Over Firing Its Meteorologists, Allen Media Group Learns an Important Lesson: Take the 'Local' Out of Local TV At Your Own Peril Federal Judge Says Byron Allen's $10 Billion Lawsuit Against McDonald's Can Proceed to Trial 'We are pleased that Mr. Allen has come to appreciate McDonald's unwavering commitment to inclusion, and has agreed to refocus his energies on a mutually beneficial commercial arrangement that is consistent with other McDonald's supplier relationships,' McDonald's USA said in a statement. 'Our company's unique three-legged stool model relies on mutual respect, and we look forward to ESN's contributions to the betterment of our system.' Allen's suit hinged on his assertion that McDonald's habit of buying ad time on media outlets that target Black viewers was discriminatory because those purchases were made from a budget set aside for what the complaint described as 'the African American tier' of outlets. Allen's suit argued that the practice was damaging to Black media owners because that tier had more limited dollars available than the general tier that the company used for reaching broad-based audiences on the largest networks and platforms. The suit was filed by Allen Media Group's Entertainment Studios and Weather Group units. 'We are pleased to find a resolution that maintains our business relationship,' Allen said. 'During the course of this litigation, many of our preconceptions have been clarified, and we acknowledge McDonald's commitment to investing in Black-owned media properties and increasing access to opportunity. Our differences are behind us, and we look forward to working together.' More to come Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? 25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar
Miami Herald
02-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
LA media mogul Byron Allen hires investment bank to sell television stations
In a significant retrenchment, media mogul Byron Allen has retained investment banking firm Moelis & Co. to sell his network-affiliate television stations after spending more than $1 billion to scoop up outlets in smaller markets. The Allen Media Group announced the news Monday morning. It owns nearly two dozen stations, including in Northern California near Redding, as well as Honolulu; Flint, Michigan; Madison, Wisconsin; and Tupelo, Mississippi. The company needs to pay down debt, Allen said in a statement. Allen's firm declined to provide details on its finances. The Los Angeles firm has spent big bucks during the last six years buying stations with a goal of becoming the largest independent television operator in the U.S. Many of Allen's stations have standing in their markets with programming from one of the Big Four broadcast networks: ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox. "We have received numerous inquiries and written offers for most of our television stations and now is the time to explore getting a return on this phenomenal investment," Allen, chairman and chief executive, said in a statement. "We are going to use this opportunity to take a serious look at the offers, and the sale proceeds will be used to significantly reduce our debt." Allen Media Group, which was founded by Allen in 1993, also owns a dozen television channels, including the Weather Channel. The Los Angeles entrepreneur and former stand-up comedian had been steadily expanding his empire for more than a decade. However, the television advertising market has become increasingly challenged in recent years as media buyers shift their budgets to digital platforms where they are more likely to find younger consumers. The television advertising market has become more strained with the addition of streaming services, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Paramount+ competing with legacy stations for dollars. A decade ago, Allen brought a high-profile $20 billion lawsuit against two of the nation's largest pay-TV distributors, Comcast and Charter Communications, alleging that racism was the reason his small TV channels were not being carried on those services. The case ultimately reached the U.S. Supreme Court and was legally significant because it relied on the historic Civil Rights Act of 1866, which was enacted a year after the Civil War ended and mandated that Black citizens "shall have the same right ... to make and enforce contracts ... as is enjoyed by white citizens." But the Supreme Court struck down many of Allen's arguments. In a 9-0 decision in March 2020, the high court said it was not enough for a civil rights plaintiff to assert that his race was one of several factors that motivated a company to refuse to do business with him. Instead, the person must show race was the crucial and deciding factor. Last month, CBS picked up his show "Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen" to run at 12:35 a.m. Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Los Angeles Times
02-06-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
L.A. media mogul Byron Allen hires investment bank to sell television stations
In a significant retrenchment, media mogul Byron Allen has retained investment banking firm Moelis & Co. to sell his network-affiliate television stations after spending more than $1 billion to scoop up outlets in smaller markets. The Allen Media Group announced the news Monday morning. It owns nearly two dozen stations, including in Northern California near Redding, as well as Honolulu; Flint, Mich.; Madison, Wis.; and Tupelo, Miss. The company needs to pay down debt, Allen said in a statement. Allen's firm declined to provide details on its finances. The Los Angeles firm has spent big bucks during the last six years buying stations with a goal of becoming the largest independent television operator in the U.S. Many of Allen's stations have standing in their markets with programming from one of the Big Four broadcast networks: ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox. 'We have received numerous inquiries and written offers for most of our television stations and now is the time to explore getting a return on this phenomenal investment,' Allen, chairman and chief executive, said in a statement. 'We are going to use this opportunity to take a serious look at the offers, and the sale proceeds will be used to significantly reduce our debt.' Allen Media Group, which was founded by Allen in 1993, also owns a dozen television channels, including the Weather Channel. The Los Angeles entrepreneur and former stand-up comedian had been steadily expanding his empire for more than a decade. However, the television advertising market has become increasingly challenged in recent years as media buyers shift their budgets to digital platforms where they are more likely to find younger consumers. The television advertising market has become more strained with the addition of streaming services, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Paramount+ competing with legacy stations for dollars. A decade ago, Allen brought a high-profile $20-billion lawsuit against two of the nation's largest pay-TV distributors, Comcast and Charter Communications, alleging that racism was the reason his small TV channels were not being carried on those services. The case ultimately reached the U.S. Supreme Court and was legally significant because it relied on the historic Civil Rights Act of 1866, which was enacted a year after the Civil War ended and mandated that Black citizens 'shall have the same right ... to make and enforce contracts ... as is enjoyed by white citizens.' But the Supreme Court struck down many of Allen's arguments. In a 9-0 decision in March 2020, the high court said it was not enough for a civil rights plaintiff to assert that his race was one of several factors that motivated a company to refuse to do business with him. Instead, the person must show race was the crucial and deciding factor. Last month, CBS picked up his show 'Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen' to run at 12:35 a.m.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump Lawyers Claim ‘60 Minutes' Harris Interview Caused Him ‘Mental Anguish,' Argue That the ‘First Amendment Is No Shield to News Distortion' in Motion to Deny Paramount Bid to Dismiss Lawsuit
President Trump's legal team filed an objection to Paramount Global's move to dismiss his $20 billion lawsuit against CBS over a '60 Minutes' segment, arguing that the TV newsmagazine's alleged deceptive editing of an interview with Kamala Harris is not protected by the First Amendment. Trump filed the lawsuit against CBS just days before the 2024 presidential election, alleging the '60 Minutes' interview with Harris violated a Texas consumer protection law by misleading voters and caused Trump personal financial harm. His suit initially asked for $10 billion in damages. In February, the president amended the complaint to seek at least $20 billion. More from Variety Trump Reacts Angrily to Question About Wall Street's 'TACO Trade,' Meaning 'Trump Always Chickens Out' on His Tariff Threats: 'It's Called Negotiation' Trump Pardons Reality Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley Following Tax Evasion and Bank Fraud Convictions 'Comics Unleashed' Returns to CBS Late-Night Schedule Following 'Midnight' Cancellation In a March 2025 motion to dismiss Trump's suit, Paramount called the legal action 'an affront to the First Amendment' that is 'without basis in law or fact.' CBS News has maintained that the '60 Minutes' broadcast and promotion of the Harris interview was 'not doctored or deceitful.' Meanwhile, lawyers for Paramount and Trump have engaged in settlement talks. Paramount offered $15 million to settle the suit — an amount rejected by Trump, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal. Trump's lawyers want more than that, and they want '60 Minutes' to issue an apology to the president, per the Journal article. In addition, Trump's lawyers President's team 'threatened another lawsuit' against CBS amid the settlement talks, according to the WSJ report. On Wednesday (May 28), lawyers for Trump and his co-plaintiff, Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), filed their opposition to Paramount's motion to dismiss. A key point of Trump's legal argument is that the edited versions of the '60 Minutes' Harris interview represent commercial speech, and that — as alleged in the president's lawsuit — CBS competes for advertising with Trump's media businesses, including Truth Social's parent company Trump Media & Technology Group (which is majority-owned by the president). With the edited Harris interview, CBS's 'conduct, including news distortion, constituted commercial speech which cannot by any reasonable interpretation be found to have constituted editorial judgment, and that speech damaged Plaintiffs,' Trump's filing said. 'The fact that such commercial speech was issued by a news organization does not insulate Defendants from liability under the First Amendment.' '[T]he First Amendment is no shield to news distortion,' according to the Trump team's filing. According to the filing, the '60 Minutes' editing of the Harris interview 'led to widespread confusion and mental anguish of consumers, including Plaintiffs, regarding a household name of the legacy media apparently deceptively distorting its broadcasts, and then resisting attempts to clear the public record.' A copy of the Trump team's motion, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, is at this link. The legal battle comes as Paramount is seeking government approval for its $8 billion merger with Skydance Media. Three left-wing U.S. senators have warned Shari Redstone, Paramount's controlling shareholder, that such a settlement payment by Paramount to the president would be tantamount to an illegal bribe, although legal experts say it's very unlikely the media company could face such a charge. The Paramount-Skydance deal is currently pending FCC approval. Trump-appointed FCC chairman Brendan Carr has maintained the agency's approval of Paramount-Skydance is not connected to the president's '60 Minutes' lawsuit. Last November, Carr said in a Fox News interview that a conservative group's 'news distortion' complaint against CBS over the '60 Minutes' Harris interview was 'likely to arise in the context of the FCC review of [the Paramount-Skydance] transaction.' Paramount Global has said Trump's lawsuit 'is completely separate from, and unrelated to, the Skydance transaction and the FCC approval process.' In February, Redstone asked Paramount's board to resolve the Trump lawsuit, including by exploring the possibility of mediation, Variety has reported. Redstone recused herself from the board's discussions about a settlement with Trump. In response to an FCC request in its examination of the 'new distortion' complaint, CBS News made public an unedited transcript of the '60 Minutes' interview with Harris that aired Oct. 6, 2024 (available at this link) and said the materials showed that 'consistent with 60 Minutes' repeated assurances to the public,' the broadcast 'was not doctored or deceitful.' In a separate case, Trump last year sued ABC News and George Stephanopoulos after the anchor inaccurately stated on-air that Trump had been found liable for rape. (A New York jury found Trump liable for sexually abusing and defaming writer E. Jean Carroll.) In December 2024, Disney and ABC News agreed to pay $15 million to settle Trump's defamation lawsuit plus $1 million in legal fees. Best of Variety 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz
