Byron Allen’s Media Group Names 6 Executives To Board Of Directors

AMG has expanded its Board of Directors from three to nine members as it renewed its bid to buy BET and VH1

Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group (AMG) has expanded its Board of Directors from three to nine members, effective immediately.

Variety reported that the board of Allen Media has included founder, chairman, and CEO Byron Allen; Allen’s mother and film producer, Carolyn Folks; and chief operating officer Terence Hill.

Now, the board will include Janice Arouh (president, network distribution); Mark DeVitre (EVP, general counsel); Eric Gould (EVP of finance and chief investment officer); Sydnie Karras (VP, chief accounting officer); Chris Malone (CFO); and Andy Temple (COO, broadcast sales and syndication).

All six are members of AMG’s management team. The announcement of the new board members comes on the heels of Allen’s new $3.5 billion bid to buy Paramount Global’s BET Media Group — which, if consummated, would significantly expand Allen’s media holdings.

“For the past 30 years, I’ve been working with a small board of three directors, but now that Allen Media Group is much bigger as we’ve become highly acquisitive, I am excited to announce the addition of these six new board members,” Allen said in a statement.

“I am extremely proud of this board because it is diverse, and the people who make it up are simply the best because they know our business and the media space innately, which allows us to move quickly and efficiently in this rapidly changing landscape.”

In September, Allen also made a $10 billion offer to buy ABC Network from Disney.

AMG owns and operates 27 broadcast TV stations in 21 U.S. markets and 12 cable networks serving nearly 300 million customers, including The Weather Channel, Pets.tv, Comedy.tv, Recipe.tv, Cars.tv, ES.tv, MyDestination.tv, JusticeCentral.tv, HBCU Go and The Grio Television Network/website.

In addition to owning AMG, Allen is a steadfast supporter of Black causes and has also called out auto manufacturers and sued McDonald’s for not advertising with Black-owned media.