*Byron Allen and Comcast have settled their long-running racial discrimination dispute.
As part of a settlement announced Thursday, Comcast will carry Allen’s Comedy.TV, Recipe.TV and JusticeCentral.TV — via its Xfinity cable television packages, NBC News reports.
Allen sued Comcast for $20 billion in 2015 for refusing to carry his lifestyle channels, arguing that it was because of his race. He also sued cable provider Charter for $10 billion for refusing to carry his networks.
Allen’s attorneys linked a section of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 to the case, which says all people should have “the same right” to contracts as whites.
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Together we will stop Comcast from challenging our Civil Rights. @BernieSanders @ninaturner @CoryBooker @KamalaHarris @SenWarren @tonetalks @DerrickNAACP @rashadrobinson https://t.co/3vg1yDa5eV
— Byron Allen (@RealByronAllen) November 13, 2019
Allen took his battle with Comcast all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which in March ruled that the media mogul had to prove race was the reason Comcast refused to carry his channels.
The Supreme Court sent the case back to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, but on Thursday Allen agreed to withdraw the lawsuit as part of the settlement, per Urban Hollywood 411.
“We’re excited to begin a new phase of partnership with Comcast and Xfinity, including the distribution of our cable channels for the first time on Xfinity platforms,” Allen said in a statement. “I am very happy with the deal and Comcast and I look forward to a mutually-rewarding, long-term relationship.”
Bec Heap, Comcast senior vice president for video and entertainment, added: “We are pleased to have reached this multifaceted agreement that continues our long relationship with the Weather Channel while bringing Xfinity customers additional content.”
In related news, last week, Comcast pledged $100 million for social justice and said the company would “put the full weight of our company’s media resources behind highlighting Black voices and Black stories.”
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