Media companies, Al Sharpton sued for discrimination

NEW YORK, Feb. 24 (UPI) -- Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Al Sharpton, the NAACP and other African-American advocacy groups are being sued for discrimination by the National Association of African American Owned Media and Entertainment Studios Networks.

NAAAOM, the media company founded by comedian Byron Allen, claims that Comcast discriminates against media owned by African Americans.

The $20 billion suit claims that the only 100 percent African American-owned channel Comcast has agreed to broadcast is the Africa Channel.

The suit accuses Sharpton of helping "whitewash" white-owned businesses with black celebrities as "window dressing." It also charges Comcast with making large cash donations to Sharpton and his National Action Network for public support of Comcast's diversity and the acquisition of NBC Universal.

The suit claims that when Entertainment Studios contacted Comcast to talk about a merger, the company replied "We're not trying to create any more Bob Johnsons," in reference to the African American founder of Black Entertainment Television. Johnson sold BET to Viacom in 2001.

"Comcast has engaged in good-faith negotiations with this programmer for many years. It is disappointing that they have decided to file a frivolous lawsuit. We will defend vigorously against the scurrilous allegations in this complaint and fully expect that the court will dismiss them," Comcast said in a statement.