According to Deadline, Comcast’s Xfinity has a plan to appeal to African-American households. The mega-corporation announced the creation of Afro and Cleo TV, two networks that will provide programming geared toward this demographic. Cleo TV will feature programming for “Gen X women of color,” while Afro will serve as a hub for Nollywood films and other entertainment attractions.
The entities are also being billed as “two African-American majority-owned” outlets that’ll take shape at the top of 2019. Afro and Cleo TV are also part of Comcast’s goal to establish 10 diverse networks next year. Out of the 10, there are eight that will be majorly controlled by executives of color.
Keesha Boyd, Comcast Cable’s executive director of multicultural products, said the content will span the black global community’s experience. “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. We remain committed to delivering a wide array of programming by partnering with independent networks, such as the two we’re announcing today, to better serve our increasingly diverse customer base.”
Currently, BET, TV One, Revolt, OWN and others continue to produce content for black audiences. That push for more programs is something BET’s head of programming, Connie Orlando, believes will provide new grounds for more networks to sprout.
“Our content wasn’t as widespread as it is now,” Orlando said to VIBE. “There wasn’t a home for young black musicians, for actors, for people behind the scenes. BET was birthed out of this need and this want to see ourselves reflected on television and see our stories. Before BET, I think we all hungered for it.”
READ MORE: How BET’s Original Programming Looks To The Past And Future For Network Success