Urban one, inc

Urban One, Inc: The Leading Voice of Black America

Urban One, Inc is a media company that has been the leading voice speaking to Black America for over 35 years. With its headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, Urban One is the largest distributor of urban content in the country. The company's mission is to provide authentic and relatable content that reflects the diversity and richness of African American culture.

History

Urban One was founded in 1980 by Cathy Hughes as Radio One. It started as a single radio station in Washington D.C., but quickly expanded to other cities across the United States. In 1999, Radio One became a publicly traded company on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol "ROIAK". In 2017, it rebranded itself as Urban One to reflect its diversified portfolio of media assets.

Media Assets

Today, Urban One operates through four main divisions: radio broadcasting, digital media, cable television and syndication. Its radio broadcasting division owns and operates over 50 stations across the country under various formats such as hip-hop & R&B; gospel; talk; news & information; and classic R&B. Some of its most popular stations include WERQ-FM (92Q) in Baltimore; WKYS-FM (93.9) in Washington D.C.; WHTA-FM (Hot 107.9) in Atlanta; and WENZ-FM (Z107.9) in Cleveland.

In addition to radio broadcasting, Urban One has also made significant investments into digital media platforms such as iOne Digital which includes websites like NewsOne.com - an online destination for news from a Black perspective - HelloBeautiful.com - a lifestyle website for women of color - Bossip.com - an entertainment website focused on celebrity gossip- among others.

Cable Television

The company's cable television division includes TV ONE which launched on Martin Luther King Jr Day January 2004 with programming aimed at African Americans aged between ages18-54 years old with original programming including sitcoms dramas movies documentaries music videos etc.. TV ONE reaches more than 59 million households across North America through major cable providers such as Comcast Xfinity , DirecTV , Dish Network , AT&T U-verse among others .

Syndication

Finally,Urban one syndicates several nationally-syndicated shows including The Rickey Smiley Morning Show hosted by comedian Rickey Smiley which airs weekdays from6am-10am EST . Other shows include Get Up! Mornings with Erica Campbell hosted by Grammy-winning gospel artist Erica Campbell ; The Willie Moore Jr Show hosted by comedian Willie Moore Jr ;and The Nightly Spirit with Darlene McCoy .

Community Engagement

Beyond its business operations,Urban one is committed to giving back to communities it serves . Through its Reach Media subsidiary,it supports initiatives like Tom Joyner Foundation Fantastic Voyage Cruise which raises funds for Historically Black Colleges & Universities(HBCUs). Additionally,the company sponsors events like Women's Empowerment Expo held annually Charlotte NC featuring speakers workshops vendors etc..

Conclusion

In conclusion,Urban one has established itself as an influential player within African American community providing authentic relatable content that reflects diversity richness culture . With diversified portfolio spanning multiple platforms including radio broadcasting,digital media,cable television,syndication,and community engagement initiatives,it continues lead way connecting audiences brands alike .