BYRON ALLEN STRIKES $290M DEAL TO BUY 11 LOCAL STATIONS FROM USA TELEVISION

Byron Allen’s Entertainment Studios has acquired 11 local TV stations from USA Television for $290 million.

The stations serve small to mid-sized cities (spanning markets ranked No. 79 to No. 188 in the U.S.) and have network affiliations with ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox.

While the deal’s valuation is a fraction of the recent Nexstar-Tribune local TV merger, the USA pickup is the latest in a series of moves by Allen. His company is a partner in the recent takeover of the formerly Fox-run regional sports networks led by the Sinclair Broadcast Group. It also acquired four stations in Indiana and Louisiana for $165 million in July, and in 2018 bought the Weather Channel.

Entertainment Studios is also active in areas like broadcast syndication and theatrical and digital film production, acquisition and distribution.

“I have known Byron Allen for decades and we are delighted that these stations will now be part of his dynamic company, and that Heartland management will continue to guide them,” USA Television CEO Robert S. Prather Jr. said.

Allen saluted Prather’s stewardship of the stations, adding that the deal is “another milestone for our company.” He added that Entertainment Studios will “continue to aggressively look for other opportunities to grow our global media company through strategic acquisitions.”

RBC Capital Markets acted as sole financial adviser to Allen Media Group. Latham & Watkins LLP, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP and Loeb & Loeb LLP acted as legal advisers to Allen Media Group. Moelis & Company, LLC was the exclusive financial adviser to USA TV and Eversheds Sutherland (U.S.) LLP provided legal services.

Allyson Felix breaks Usain Bolt's gold medal record

Allyson Felix‘s first gold medal as a mom came with this added significance, too — she broke her tie with Usain Bolt for the most gold medals in world championships history with 12.

“So special, to have my daughter here watching means the world to me,” Felix told Lewis Johnson on NBCSN. “It’s been a crazy year for me.”

Felix, 33 and the most decorated female track and field athlete at the Olympics with nine medals among four Games, was part of the winning U.S. quartet in the first world championships mixed-gender 4x400m relay, an event that makes its Olympic debut next year. She split 50.4 seconds.

[SOURCE: NBC SPORTS]

Complaint Filed Over Judge Kemp Giving Bible To Amber Guyger

Judge Tammy Kemp, who hugged Amber Guyger and gave her a Bible after the conclusion of Guyger's murder trial, is coming under scrutiny over whether she crossed an ethical line.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation, an organization which says it protects the Constitutional principals of the separation of church and state has filed a complaint against Kemp with the Texas state agency that investigates allegations of judicial misconduct.

The Wisconsin-based group said Kemp went too far after Guyger was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Guyger was convicted of fatally shooting her neighbor, Botham Jean, in his apartment.

The complaint states:

We write to raise your awareness of Judge Kemp’s actions at the close of the trial — during which she gifted a Christian bible, instructing the convicted criminal on how to read the bible and which passages to pay attention to, and witnessing to that convicted murderer. These proselytizing actions overstepped judicial authority, were inappropriate and were unconstitutional.

Courtroom video shows that after the sentencing and the victim impact statement, Judge Kemp left the courtroom, then returned holding her personal bible. She walked over to Amber Guyger at the defense table and proceeded to preach.

[SOURCE: NBCFW]

Oprah Donates Over $1 Million To United Negro College Fund

Oprah Winfrey surprised attendees at the United Negro College Fund’s 17th annual Maya Angelou Women Who Lead Luncheon in Charlotte, North Carolina., when she matched a $1.15 million donation, bringing the organization’s total donations at the event to over $2 million.

According to the Charlotte Observer, the United Negro College Fund had hoped to raise $1 million at the event on Saturday to further its support of HBCUs. And it had already done that, with a running tally at the event showing that $1.15 had already been raised, but in the words of Oprah herself, “We do want to make this the world record-breaking event.”

Oprah’s announcement of matching the $1.15 million donation was met with raucous applauds and cheers from the 1,120 people present, most of whom were women, as the Observer notes.

“I believe in the power of education,” Winfrey said during her keynote address. “There is nothing better than to open the door for someone.”

Boom! The awesomeness that is @oprah just matched the $1million dollars that was raised during the #UNCFCharlotte Maya Angelou Women Who Lead Luncheon. Yes, so now over $2million was raised to support #HBCUs this afternoon! Peep this👇🏾#UNCF #blackgirlmagic ❤️🙏🏿 @ Oprah pic.twitter.com/lYeceynhFC

— UNCF (@UNCF) September 28, 2019

[SOURCE: ESSENCE]

Jessye Norman, international opera star, dead at 74

International opera star Jessye Norman died Monday at the age of 74, according to her agent.

The New York Metropolitan Opera described Norman as "one of the great sopranos of the past half-century."

"Norman sang more than 80 performances with the company, dazzling audiences with her beautiful tone, extraordinary power, and musical sensitivity," the Met said in a statement.

Norman won four Grammy awards and a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy in 2006.