LisaRaye leads TV One reinvention

Black media giant, Radio One, Inc. stepped into the television business over six years ago. Previously, the company had been very supportive of BET. In later years, though, BET would shun them and create their own radio network. This would lead to the company investing in NUE TV. After that network shut down, plans were made for a new television network for black people.

Before the network was even launched, all of the Radio One stations and shows were plugging it. When TV One actually launched, in 2004, it was launched with financial backing from Comcast. Despite being essentially white-owned, TV One was embraced by the black community. The secret behind its success was the programming featured on the network.

BET skewed the younger audience and TV One was marketed towards the older audience. The early years of TV One were very successful, but the original programming suffered. In 2009, the network made a bold move and decided to target younger viewers. Looking to step into the void created by the UPN merger, they began airing an original sitcom produced by the same producers for the old network. That proved to be a bad move as the show was universally panned.

Realizing the risk that comes with scripted programming, TV One has taken a page out of the book of its older, but younger, rival, BET. The network does not trust scripted programming, but the executives realize that celebrities can sell anything. While they would not be comfortable giving a celebrity a sitcom, they have realized that people love to get a look inside the personal lives of celebrities. In 2007, BET began taking those major risks and the protests have finally stopped. TV One has signed LisaRaye up for their first-ever reality show that features a celebrity.

Last night, "LisaRaye: The Real McCoy" premiered to the highest ratings of any season premiere in the history of TV One. With things looking up for this new program, it is likely that TV One will become a true competitor to BET and begin courting other black celebrities. If they are able to land a few more, TV One will become a reality television powerhouse, much like BET. Once the network begins bringing in ratings, they would possibly be able to buy Comcast out of the network.