MCLEAN, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
TEGNA Inc. (NYSE:TGNA) announced today that “Sister Circle,” a live, daily talk show hosted by a panel of four female hosts, will premiere on Monday, September 11 in 12 TEGNA markets and live nationally from 9-10 a.m. ET on TV One, a cable network offering a broad range of programming for a diverse audience of adult black viewers. This is the first time TV One, which reaches 59 million households, will carry original programming from a local station group. “Sister Circle” will be produced out of TEGNA’s WATL in Atlanta and reach 60 percent of U.S. television households.
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From left: Rashan Ali, Syleena Johnson, Kiana Dancie and Quad Webb-Lunceford (Photo: Business Wire)
“Sister Circle” will empower and inspire African-American women and include news and insights on relationships, parenting, fitness, personal finances, the latest trends and the joys and frustrations of everyday life, all from the compelling, humorous and sincere perspective of the show’s hosts. The show will also feature interviews with celebrity guests and expert opinions on key and relevant issues. “Sister Circle” will also offer multiple ways for the audience to engage in the program, including the launch of a live, interactive polling app, which will help drive discussion across social media 24/7.
“Sister Circle’s” dynamic hosts have spent their careers in journalism, business, music and entertainment. They include: Quad Webb-Lunceford, “Married To Medicine” reality-TV breakout star; Syleena Johnson, a Grammy-award nominated singer and “R&B Divas” TV star; Rashan Ali, TV Host, sports reporter and radio show host; and Kiana Dancie, a stand-up comedienne, radio personality and actress. The hosts will be joined by ‘DJ Q,’ who, when not spinning records, adds a guy’s unique POV to the ‘Sister Circle’ discussion.
“We are excited to bring this diverse and groundbreaking live show to audiences across multiple platforms,” said Bob Sullivan, senior vice president, programming, TEGNA. “Audiences will love the chemistry and personalities of our hosts and engaging with them across platforms throughout their day. The show will discuss important issues facing the African-American community and offer insight and perspective that is not easily found on daytime TV. We are excited to bring the show’s point of view to our TEGNA communities and thrilled to partner with TV One to air the show nationally. The channel represents the best in Black culture and entertainment and ‘Sister Circle’ is a perfect fit in their morning news and lifestyle lineup.”
“The collaboration between TV One and TEGNA allows us to present a talk show uniquely tailored to African-American women that will bring the energy and fun of a good get together with your best girlfriends to our daily morning line up,” said D'Angela Proctor, head of original programming, TV One. “Watching ‘Sister Circle’ will be like having brunch with your best girlfriends every day. While the audience will come for the conversation, they'll stay for the sisterhood."
Veteran television executive Helen Swenson has been named senior executive producer and showrunner for “Sister Circle.” Swenson has spent more than 30 years in live television, program development, sales, digital and marketing. As senior vice president of The Weather Channel, Swenson created and developed “Wake Up With Al” featuring Al Roker. She was in charge of overseeing all live programming development for the cable network. Swenson has also served as general manager and news director at various television stations across the country.
“I’m thrilled to be a part of ‘Sister Circle.’ We've assembled an amazing team of people both in front of and behind the camera,” said Swenson. “The dynamic hosts and the creative team will produce a show that will be entertaining and fun but will also generate meaningful, relevant and engaging conversations in a live format across platforms. This is one of the most exciting and meaningful projects I've ever been a part of.”
About TEGNA
TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA) is an innovative media company that serves the greater good of our communities. With 46 television stations in 38 markets, TEGNA delivers relevant content and information to consumers across platforms. It is the largest owner of top 4 affiliates in the top 25 markets, reaching approximately one-third of all television households nationwide. Each month, TEGNA reaches 50 million adults on-air and 32 million across its digital platforms. TEGNA has been consistently honored with the industry’s top awards, including Edward R. Murrow, George Polk, Alfred I. DuPont and Emmy Awards. TEGNA delivers results for advertisers through unparalleled and innovative solutions including OTT local advertising network Premion, centralized marketing resource Hatch, and G/O Digital, a one-stop shop for local businesses to connect with consumers through digital marketing. Across platforms, TEGNA tells empowering stories, conducts impactful investigations and delivers innovative marketing solutions. For more information, visit www.TEGNA.com.
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