Type | Digital broadcast television network |
---|---|
Country | |
Availability | Nationwide (available on OTA digital television and LPTV) |
Headquarters | Beverly Hills, California |
Owner | Allen Media Group |
Launch date | December 22, 2016 |
Former names | Light TV (2016-2021) |
Picture format | 480i (SDTV) |
Affiliates | List of affiliates |
Official website | 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.
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]
(*) No longer with company
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]
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.
Below is a current list of programming broadcast on The Grio:[19]
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[edit] | ||||||
Greensboro | WDVZ-CD | 3 | 3.2 | University of Alabama | ||
Tuscaloosa | WVUA | 6 | 23.2 | June 1, 2017 | ||
Birmingham | WVTM-TV | 7 | 13.4 | Hearst Television | 2021 | |
Arkansas[edit] | ||||||
Harrison | K26GS-D | 26 | 26.4 | Reynolds Media, Inc. | 2017 | |
Little Rock | KTVV-LD | 18 | 18.2 | Larry Morton | ||
California[edit] | ||||||
Fresno | KAIL | 7 | 7.2 | Tri-State Christian Television | October 19, 2017 | |
Sacramento | KCSO-LD | 3 | 33.4 | NBCUniversal | 2018 | |
Santa Barbara | KZDF-LD | 8.3 | HC2 Holdings | December 2017 | ||
Colorado[edit] | ||||||
Sterling | KCDO-TV 3 | 23.6, 34.6[24] | 10.1 | E. W. Scripps Company | 2017 | KCDO-TV 3's display channel for Light TV is 10.1[24] |
Florida[edit] | ||||||
Miami | WSVN | 7.2[25] | 7.2 | Sunbeam Television | July 14, 2017[26] | |
Orlando | WOFL | 22.4[27] | 35.2 | Fox Television Stations | ||
Georgia[edit] | ||||||
Atlanta | WAGA-TV | 27 | 5.4 | Fox Television Stations | 2017 | |
Hawaii[edit] | ||||||
Honolulu | KWHE-TV | 31 | 14.2 | Family Broadcasting Corporation | 2017 | |
Idaho[edit] | ||||||
Boise | KRID-LD | 22 | 22.7 | Karlo Maalouf[28] | July 2017 | |
Idaho Falls | KVUI | 31 | 31.3 | Ventura Broadcasting | ||
Twin Falls | KXTF | 34 | 35.3 | Tri-State Christian Television | ||
Illinois[edit] | ||||||
Chicago | WPWR-TV | 24 | 32.4 | Fox Television Stations | 2018 | |
Marion | WTCT | 30.5[29] | 27.3 | Tri-State Christian Television | ||
Oakwood Hills | WCHU-LD | 7.2[30] | 59.2 | Venture Technologies Group, LLC | December 2020 | Relocated from WPWR-TV 50.3 and WFLD 32.4 |
Oswego (Chicago) Pekin (Peoria) |
WAOE | 39.3[31] | 59.3 | Venture Technologies Group | 2017 | |
Indiana[edit] | ||||||
Angola | WINM | 12 | 12.3 | Tri-State Christian Television | September 2017 | |
Fort Wayne | WEIJ-LD | 38.5[32] | 38.3 | |||
Indianapolis | WALV-CD | 46.4 | 46.4 | Tegna, Inc. | ||
South Bend | WNDU-TV | 27 | 16.4 | Gray Television | January 31, 2022 | |
Iowa[edit] | ||||||
Des Moines | KDMI | 19.5[33] | 19.3 | Tri-State Christian Television | ||
Iowa City | KWKB | 25.1005 | 20.5 | Tri-State Christian Television | 2017 | |
Kansas[edit] | ||||||
Wichita | KAGW-CD | 24 | 26.7 | Great Plains Television | ||
Kentucky[edit] | ||||||
Lexington | WLJC-TV | 7 | 65.2 | Hour of Harvest | ||
Louisville | WBNA | 8 | 21.3 | Word Broadcasting Network | March 2017[34] | |
Louisiana[edit] | ||||||
Baton Rouge | KPBN | 14 | 14.4 | Pelican Broadcasting Network | January 1, 2018 | |
Monroe | KMCT-TV | 22 | 39.11 | WGGS Inc. | May 1, 2021 | |
New Orleans | WDSU | 19 | 6.5 | Hearst Television | October 5, 2021 | |
Maryland[edit] | ||||||
Baltimore | WBAL-TV | 12 | 11.4 | Hearst Television | September 24, 2021 | |
Michigan[edit] | ||||||
Detroit | WHNE-LD | 20.1[35] | 14.1 | Tait Broadcasting, LLC[35] | Since late August 2017 | |
Traverse City-Cadillac | WMNN-LD | 14.6[36] | 26.6 | Freelancer Television Broadcasting, Inc.[36] | Since August 2017 | |
Flint/Saginaw/Bay City | WAQP | 48.5[37] | 49.3 | Tri-State Christian Television | Since September 2017 | |
Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo | WTLJ | 24 | 54.3 | 2018 | ||
Minnesota[edit] | ||||||
Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Minnesota | KMSP-TV | 9 | 9.5 | Fox Television Stations | 2017 | |
Missouri[edit] | ||||||
Kansas City | KSMO-TV | 32.4[38] | 62.2 | Gray Television | May 6, 2018 | |
Springfield, Missouri | KRFT-LD | 21 | 8.2 | Craft Broadcasting | November 9, 2017[39] | |
Nevada[edit] | ||||||
Las Vegas | KGNG-LD | 26 | 47.5 | King Kong Broadcasting, Inc.[40] | October 23, 2017 | Century Link Cable Channel 22 |
Reno | KTVN | 11 | 2.2 | Sarkes Tarzian, Inc. | 2018 | |
New Mexico[edit] | ||||||
Albuquerque | KTVS-LD | 36.1[41] | 36.1 | Alpha Omega Broadcasting[41] | October 2017[42] | (physical and virtual) channel 36.3 is a simulcast of 36.1[41] |
New York[edit] | ||||||
Albany | WNYA | 13.4[43] | 51.2 | Hubbard Broadcasting | November 1, 2017 | Replaced Antenna TV |
Jamestown | WNYB | 26.5[44] | 26.3 | Tri-State Christian Television | ? | |
Buffalo | WBNF | 15.5[45] | 15.3 | Tri-State Christian Television | ||
Syracuse | WWLF-LD | 35.2[46] | 35.2 | Metro TV, Inc. | September 1, 2021 | |
New York City | WNYW | 5.4 | 5.4 | Fox Television Stations | December 2016 | |
North Carolina[edit] | ||||||
Charlotte | WJZY | 47.10[47] | 46.8 | Nexstar Media Group | 2017 | |
Ohio[edit] | ||||||
Cincinnati | WBQC-LD ("WKRP-TV") | 47.7[48] | 25.5 | Elliot Block | 2018 | |
Mansfield | WMFD-TV | 12 | 68.3 | Mid-State Television, Inc. | 2017 | |
Marion | WOCB-CD | 22.5[49] | 39.5 | Central Ohio Assoc. of Chr. Broadcasters | ||
Oklahoma[edit] | ||||||
Oklahoma City | KOCO-TV | 7 | 5.5 | Hearst Television | 2021 | |
Pennsylvania[edit] | ||||||
Johnstown | WWCP-TV | 8 | 8.3 | Cunningham Broadcasting | 2021 | |
Philadelphia | WTXF-TV | 31.5[50] | 29.3 | Fox Television Stations | 2017 | |
South Carolina[edit] | ||||||
Greenville | WGGS-TV | 16.6[51] | 16.4 | Carolina Christian Broadcasting | 2017 | |
Tennessee[edit] | ||||||
Chattanooga | WRCB | 3 | 3.2 | Sarkes Tarzian, Inc. | 2018 | |
Nashville | WJFB | 44.3[52] | 44.3 | Tri-State Christian Television | November 20, 2017 | |
Texas[edit] | ||||||
Austin | KGBS | 19 | 19.5 | CNZ Communications | October 9, 2017 | Operated by HC2 Holdings |
Lubbock | KMYL-LD | 14 | 14.2 | MyNetworkTV | February 6, 2022 | Operated by HC2 Holdings |
San Antonio | KGMM-CD | 24.4[53] | 24.2 | CNZ Communications | ||
Utah[edit] | ||||||
Ogden | KULX-CD | 14 | 10.5 | NBCUniversal | ||
Salt Lake City | KTMW | 20 | 20.5 | |||
Virginia[edit] | ||||||
Grundy | WLFG | 49.4[54] | 68.2 | Living Faith Ministries, Inc. | February 3, 2018 | |
Washington[edit] | ||||||
Seattle | KYMU-LD | 6.2[55] | Seattle 6 Broadcasting LLC | 2019 | ||
Wisconsin[edit] | ||||||
Milwaukee | WISN-TV | 28 | 12.5 | Hearst Television | September 30, 2021 |
Market | Station | Channel | Current owner | Years of affiliation | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Los Angeles, California | KTTV | 11.3 | Fox Television Stations | 2020-2022 | |
Chicago, Illinois | WFLD | 32.4 | Fox Television Stations | 2018-2020 | |
Colorado Springs, Colorado | KWHS-LD | 51.2[56] | CTN | 2017-2019 | Replaced by CTN Lifestyle[56] |
Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas | KDFI | 27.5 | Fox Television Stations | 2017-2020 | |
Houston, Texas | KRIV-TV | 26.2 | 2017-2020 | Decades and theGrio exchanged channel positions, with theGrio activated on KTXH-DT3 on launch day.[57] | |
Los Angeles, California | KCOP-TV | 13.8 [58] | 2016-2020 | ||
New Orleans, Louisiana | WHNO | 20.2 | CTN | 2016-2018 | Replaced by CTN Lifestyle |
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | KBZC-LD | 42.2 | HC2 Holdings | Replaced by CBN News Channel, and later Revenue Frontier. | |
Phoenix, Arizona | KSAZ-TV | 10.4 | Fox Television Stations | 2017-2020 | |
Pittsburgh | WPCW | 19.4 | CBS News and Stations | 2018-2020 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 Bay | WTOG | 44.3[59] | 44.3 | CBS News and Stations | |
Tulsa, Oklahoma | KWHB | 47.2 | Christian Television Network | 2017-2019 | Replaced by Dabl |
KGEB | 53.2 | GEB America | 2019-2021 | Replaced by Shop LC | |
Washington, D.C. | WDCA | 20.4 | Fox Television Stations | 2017-2018 | Was dropped due to channel share with sister station WTTG |