Entertainment
BYRON ALLEN’S ALLEN MEDIA GROUP FILES NEW LAWSUIT AGAINST MCDONALD’S FOR FRAUD/FALSE PROMISE
AMG Claims McDonald’s Has Failed to Honor its Promise to Spend 5 Percent of Its Advertising Budget on Black-Owned Media
LOS ANGELES, May 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group (AMG) divisions Entertainment Studios Networks, Inc. (“Entertainment Studios”) and Weather Group, LLC (“Weather Group”) filed a lawsuit on May 4, 2023 in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles Central District, against McDonald’s USA, LLC (“McDonald’s“) seeking damages in excess of $100 million for fraud/false promise, in violation of Cal. Civ. Code § 1711. According to the lawsuit, McDonald’s made a commitment in 2021 to spend 2 percent of its billion-dollar advertising budget on Black-Owned Media in 2021, escalating to 5 percent by 2024.
Per the lawsuit, McDonald’s did not spend anywhere close to 2 percent on Black-Owned Media in 2021, and it is not remotely close to meeting its commitment today. McDonald’s made this promise in an attempt to mislead the public about its commitment to spend with Black-Owned Media. In the wake of the George Floyd murder and the Black Lives Matter movement, the lawsuit alleges McDonald’s was an outlier among its peer corporations in that it failed to make a significant pledge to remedy racial and social justice issues. After AMG notified McDonald’s of racial discrimination, McDonald’s rushed out a “plan” wherein it committed to more than double its advertising spend with Black-Owned Media.
Per the lawsuit, this “plan” was and is a lie. AMG is over 90 percent of the Black-Owned Media market. AMG is by far the largest African American-owned media company in the country. Given the paltry amounts McDonald’s was spending with AMG in 2021 when it made its pledge, there is no way McDonald’s was spending 2 percent of its advertising budget on Black Owned Media. Today, McDonald’s is still spending de minimis amounts with AMG. Thus, McDonald’s is not anywhere close to meeting its commitment to the public and its shareholders. AMG seeks damages in excess of $100 million, along with punitive damages and a permanent injunction requiring McDonald’s to honor its commitment and spend at least 5 percent of its ad budget on Black-Owned Media with full transparency going forward as promised.
“During the Black Lives Matter movement, hundreds of corporations made pledges to Black America, and unfortunately, they have not lived up to them,” said Byron Allen, Founder/Chairman/CEO of Allen Media Group. “McDonald’s is one of those corporations that has lied and made false promises. We must hold each and every one these corporations, including McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski, who was caught sending racist text messages, and its Board of Directors, fully accountable. The greatest trade deficit in America is the trade deficit between White corporate America and Black America, and we must close this trade deficit immediately.”
“This is a groundbreaking lawsuit based on a California law—Civil Code 1711—that holds corporations to their public promises and thereby redresses corporate fraud. That’s exactly this case,” said Skip Miller, partner in Miller Barondess, LLP and counsel for Allen Media Group. “Per the lawsuit, McDonald’s said one thing and did another. It promised to spend 5 percent of its billion dollar a year ad budget on African American owned media—of which Allen Media is over 90 percent—and has not come close. Per our lawsuit, this is a fraud on our client and on the public. The lawsuit seeks to hold one of the largest corporations in the world responsible for its lies.”
About Allen Media Group
Chairman and CEO Byron Allen founded Allen Media Group in 1993. Headquartered in Los Angeles, it has offices in New York, Chicago, Atlanta, and Charleston, SC. Allen Media Group owns 27 ABC–NBC–CBS–FOX network affiliate broadcast television stations in 21 U.S. markets and twelve 24-hour HD television networks serving nearly 220 million subscribers: THE WEATHER CHANNEL, THE WEATHER CHANNEL EN ESPAÑOL, PETS.TV, COMEDY.TV, RECIPE.TV, CARS.TV, ES.TV, MYDESTINATION.TV, JUSTICECENTRAL.TV, THEGRIO TELEVISION NETWORK, THIS TV, and PATTRN. Allen Media Group also owns the streaming platforms HBCU GO, SPORTS.TV, THEGRIO, THE WEATHER CHANNEL EN ESPAÑOL, THE WEATHER CHANNEL STREAMING APP and LOCAL NOW–the free-streaming AVOD service powered by THE WEATHER CHANNEL and content partners, which delivers real-time, hyper-local news, weather, traffic, sports, and lifestyle information. Allen Media Group also produces, distributes, and sells advertising for 73 television programs, making it one of the largest independent producers/distributors of first-run syndicated television programming for broadcast television stations. With a library of over 5,000 hours of owned content across multiple genres, Allen Media Group provides video content to broadcast television stations, cable television networks, mobile devices, and multimedia digital. Our mission is to provide excellent programming to our viewers, online users, and Fortune 500 advertising partners.
Allen Media Group Motion Pictures (AMGMP) is a full-service, theatrical motion picture distribution company specializing in wide release commercial content. AMGMP released 2017’s highest-grossing independent movie, the shark thriller 47 METERS DOWN, which grossed over $44.3 million. In 2018, AMGMP also released the critically acclaimed and commercially successful Western HOSTILES, the historic mystery-thriller CHAPPAQUIDDICK and the sequel to 47 METERS DOWN, 47 METERS DOWN: UNCAGED. The digital movie distribution unit of AMGMP, Freestyle Digital Media, is a premiere multi-platform distributor with direct partnerships across all major cable, digital and streaming platforms. Capitalizing on a robust infrastructure, proven track record and a veteran sales team, Freestyle Digital Media is a true home for independent films.
In 2016, Allen Media Group purchased The Grio, a highly rated digital video-centric news community platform devoted to providing African Americans with compelling stories and perspectives currently underrepresented in existing national news outlets. The Grio features aggregated and original video packages, news articles and opinion pieces on topics that include breaking news, politics, health, business and entertainment. Originally launched in 2009, the platform was then purchased by NBC News in 2010. The digital platform remains focused on curating exciting digital content and currently has more than 100 million annual visitors.
For more information, visit:
www.allenmedia.tv
SOURCE Allen Media Group
https://stmdailynews.com/category/entertainment/
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Jay Mohr’s long-running podcast is expanding to FAST television through an exclusive LG Channels launch in the U.S. and Canada.
Cineverse has announced the launch of Mohr Stories, a new free ad-supported streaming television channel built around comedian Jay Mohr’s long-running podcast. Unveiled during LG Electronics and LG Ad Solutions’ 2026 IAB NewFronts presentation, the channel will be available exclusively through LG Channels on LG TVs in the United States and Canada.
The new channel will feature weekly episodes alongside more than 100 hours of library content, giving the show a larger footprint in the growing FAST market. Hosted by Mohr, the series includes conversations with guests from comedy, film, sports, music, and television, including Ron Funches, Jay Leno, Joe Mantegna, Patton Oswalt, Kevin Pollak, Andy Richter, George Wallace, Flavor Flav, Michael Eric Dyson, Seth Rollins, Gene Simmons, Billy Gibbons, Byron Scott, and Jeanie Buss.
The launch is notable not only because of the talent involved, but because it reflects a broader shift in how podcast brands are being distributed. What once lived primarily as an audio product is now being packaged as a 24/7 streaming destination, built for connected TV audiences and ad-supported discovery.
Cineverse said Mohr Stories will continue to be available as a podcast through the WITZ Podcast Network, a partnership between Cineverse and The Stand Group. The company also pointed to strong audience momentum after the show expanded into video, saying consumption hours on Spotify rose 50% month over month and downloads increased 34% quarter over quarter.
That growth aligns with wider audience behavior. In the U.S., more than 150 million people listen to podcasts every month, and an increasing share of those consumers are also watching podcast content on video platforms. As those habits continue to evolve, media companies are looking for ways to extend proven shows beyond their original format.
For LG Channels, the addition of Mohr Stories strengthens a FAST lineup built around free, accessible programming across a wide range of genres. For Cineverse, it underscores a strategy centered on expanding the reach and value of entertainment properties across multiple platforms.
The result is more than a new celebrity-led channel. It is another example of how streaming, podcasting, and digital video are converging into a more flexible content ecosystem—one where recognizable brands can move fluidly from audio feeds to connected television.
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Cineverse Partners With VA Media to Expand YouTube Monetization Strategy
Cineverse has announced a strategic partnership with VA Media to accelerate growth and digital monetization across its expanding portfolio of fandom-focused YouTube channels.
The agreement will bring a YouTube-first strategy to Cineverse’s channel network, including longform and shortform content planning, channel optimization, financial modeling, and broader monetization support. The partnership will begin with Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan, which Cineverse identified as its top revenue-generating YouTube channel.
Cineverse said its owned or operated YouTube channels currently account for more than 10 million subscribers and over 200 million video views. The company’s digital portfolio spans genres including horror, anime, romance, indie film, Asian cinema, and other fandom-driven categories.
VA Media, which specializes in YouTube strategy and social video monetization, will work with Cineverse to improve discoverability, strengthen channel performance, and unlock new revenue opportunities across YouTube and adjacent platforms.
The partnership reflects the growing role of YouTube as a core distribution and monetization channel for premium entertainment content.
For more information, visit Cineverse.
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STM Daily News’ Entertainment section delivers the latest on movies, television, music, pop culture, events, and industry buzz. From breaking news and trending stories to feature coverage and community-centered entertainment reporting, it keeps readers connected to what’s happening on screen, on stage, and beyond.
McDonald’s is blending fast food, fandom and Korean-inspired flavors in a new collaboration with Netflix tied to the hit film KPop Demon Hunters. Beginning March 31, the chain will roll out two limited-time adult meals inspired by the movie’s rival groups, HUNTR/X and the Saja Boys, along with collectible photocards and app-based fan experiences. The promotion will be available at participating McDonald’s restaurants nationwide.
McDonald’s KPop Demon Hunters meals
The campaign introduces two themed meals built around the film’s central rivalry. The Saja Boys Breakfast Meal includes a Spicy Saja McMuffin, hash browns and a small soft drink, while the HUNTR/X Meal features a 10-piece Chicken McNuggets, medium soft drink, Ramyeon McShaker Fries, Hunter Sauce and Demon Sauce. McDonald’s said the menu was inspired in part by flavors from its South Korea restaurants, aiming to connect fans to the movie through food as well as pop culture.
The promotion also includes collectible card packs with each meal. Customers will receive a photocard featuring either HUNTR/X or the Saja Boys, plus a Derpy access card that can be scanned and entered in the McDonald’s app by April 26 to unlock early access to exclusive content and a special reveal tied to the “Battle for the Fans.” A new Derpy McFlurry, made with vanilla soft serve, berry popping pearls and wild berry sauce, will also be sold separately during the promotion.
McDonald’s and Netflix both described the collaboration as a way to bring fans deeper into the world of KPop Demon Hunters through menu items and interactive experiences. For STM Daily News readers in the food and drink section, the release highlights how major brands are increasingly turning entertainment partnerships into immersive dining promotions that combine limited-time flavors, collectible merchandise and digital engagement.
