TECHNOLOGY. That is the crown jewel that Byron Allen acquired when he purchased THE WEATHER CHANNEL in March 2018. It is the engine that is propelling the many innovations that his company has embarked upon. Now, five years later, his ALLEN MEDIA GROUP is reaping the rewards of the hi-tech projects his teams are cranking out. Of the many platforms, outlets, cable and OTA networks he has, Allen's free, streaming OTT and mobile APP, LOCAL NOW (that boasts over 450 FAST CHANNELS, thousands of hours of movies and TV shows) has the one element that makes it a game-changer in our business - LOCAL! LOCAL NOW combines ALL the advantages and appeal that streaming offers, PLUS it has geo-fenced content that gives consumers local weather, traffic, lite-news and events as they travel around the United States.

While talking about "local content" is in-vogue these days, it's NOT new to Byron Allen. "Local" is a big part of his make up. He began his career as a young correspondent on the original reality TV show, NBC's "REAL PEOPLE" in the late 1970's. That was right after he had made the grade as the youngest stand-up performer on the then master-influencer and cultural taste-maker, "THE TONIGHT SHOW Starring Johnny Carson." During his "REAL PEOPLE" days, Allen was sent all over the country to interview interesting "mom-and-pop stories." That news beat also exposed the young comedian-turned-reporter to the many different TV stations that dominated the landscape at the time. His eagerness to learn and his great ability to build relationships gave Byron a advantage that he would exploit only a few years later. He used that knowledge and those friendships with affiliate GM's to eventually syndicate his own TV shows in the 1980's, and from there he went on to build what is now the very impressive ALLEN MEDIA GROUP.

Today, with dozens of his own TV stations, cable networks, a movie studio and distribution arm, the cable channel and on-line culture and news entity TheGRIO, HBCU-GO sports, and creating nearly 50 television programs that populate his many distribution points, the technology that Allen is employing is entertaining, informing and helping millions of consumers every day. His EMMY Award winning team has made understanding the complexities of climate and severe weather easier through their IMMERSIVE MIXED REALITY. That is a proprietary system that merges some "Hollywood-style" graphics and special effects and the science of meteorology to create a weathercast that audiences are really responding to. Allen's teams are also using technology to showcase young sports talent and games from the vast HBCU campuses around the country. His keen sense of what will work and his acquisitions have afforded ALLEN MEDIA GROUP the ability to step into a whole new frontier.

Recently, LOCAL NOW, has been recognized as THE BEST STREAMING service according to Digiday TV Awards. They cited how Allen's LOCAL NOW has edged-out a few giant's like Paramount+ and Tubi.

In the next article, LOCAL NOW is showcased and given the place in our industry that it has earned, and that's important to ALLEN MEDIA GROUP. It's important not just because it is an excellent accolade for the streamer, but it is also a reminder that Byron Allen has a plan which is [not so] quietly becoming a reality. Allen wants his company to offer advertisers unique experiences and ways to reach their audience. He is giving audiences many ways to consumer that content. THAT is very good for the media agencies, planners and brands that are looking to advertise and partner with a company that can extend their reach through new and innovative vehicles.

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Local Now Named ‘Best Streaming Service’ as Carriage Disputes Make Local News Harder to Find

Local Now is a free video streaming service that includes on-demand access to movies and TV shows. The service also provides several virtual streaming channels, including newscasts from New York, Denver, Detroit, Cleveland, Kansas City, Nashville, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, San Diego, and West Palm Beach. Over 220 cities in the United States have a localized feed. Local Now offers live severe weather coverage from The Weather Channel to people viewing in areas impacted by the severe weather event.