[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 172 (Friday, October 17, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E969]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         RECOGNIZING A MAGNANIMOUS MEDIA MOGUL: MR. BYRON ALLEN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. KWEISI MFUME

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 17, 2025

  Mr. MFUME. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an accomplished 
media mogul, Mr. Byron Allen, who has embodied the ideals of 
persistence, innovation, and integrity throughout his life and career.
  Born in Detroit, Michigan, Byron Allen's interest in the 
entertainment industry began at a young age when he was first taken to 
the NBC Studios in Burbank by his mother, publicist Carolyn Folks, who 
was--and still is--Byron's biggest supporter. At the tender age of just 
fourteen years old, he was already pitching jokes to show biz titans 
Jay Leno and David Letterman.
  By 1979, at just eighteen years old, Allen had become the youngest 
comedian ever to appear on The Tonight Show. Following this historic 
and meteoric ascent in the comedy scene, Byron Allen became a host-
correspondent on NBC's reality TV show Real People and secured a 
leading role in the 1988 film Case Closed. After both projects wrapped, 
Allen hosted The Byron Allen Show, a talk show that ran from 1989 to 
1992.
  Allen toured as a stand-up comic up until 1993, when he launched his 
production firm, CF Entertainment, which originally focused on low-cost 
TV programming. The company underwent a name change in 2003, re-
emerging as Entertainment Studios, as Allen's extraordinary business 
acumen and strategic moves were beginning to differentiate his business 
as a premier player in the entertainment industry.
  Entertainment Studios, once a small-scale television programming 
company in Los Angeles, is now a division of the larger Allen Media 
Group, and it has evolved into one of the largest cable network 
portfolios in the broadcasting industry, featuring ten, 24-hour HD 
television networks. The company has produced and distributed Emmy 
Award-winning shows while handling advertising for dozens of television 
programs. Its growth has continued through major acquisitions: In 2016, 
Allen Media Group acquired The Grio, a digital media leader creating 
compelling content for African American audiences. In 2018, Allen Media 
Group acquired the universally recognized Weather Channel, one of the 
crown jewels of cable television.
  Still, Byron Allen's influence extends far beyond his business 
triumphs, and he has always worked to give back to his community. The 
Allen Media Group is the first African American owned media studio 
producing and distributing wide-release motion pictures and content for 
all platforms. In pursuit of racial equity in advertising dollars and 
channel carriage, he has successfully led lawsuits that secured 
settlements with the major corporations McDonalds and Comcast. Allen is 
also a noted philanthropist, helping to raise tens of millions of 
dollars for charitable causes.
  Over the years, Allen has established himself as a prominent Black 
entertainment mogul who holds the principle of equity in extremely high 
regard. He recognizes the disadvantages that underrepresented 
communities face, and he has vigorously advocated for diversity and 
inclusion at all levels of his career.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize Byron Allen in the hope of 
encapsulating a man who has left a lasting mark on entertainment 
without ever straying from his moral undertaking of corporate social 
responsibility. Byron Allen is a role model for us all and has led a 
trailblazing life dedicated to excellence and the molding of a better, 
more equitable future.

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