Byron Allen, McDonald’s reaching settlement in a $ 10 billion lawsuit

Allen Media Group Chief Byron Allen has reached a settlement in the lawsuit of $ 10 billion that he filed in 2021 and claimed that the fast food giant discriminated on media companies in its TV advertisement spending.

Conditions of the settlement were not disclosed. The deal rewends a trial that had started next month in the Federal Court in Los Angeles. The parties announced the agreement in a joint statement issued at the end of Friday.

“We are pleased that Mr Allen McDonald’s relentless dedication to inclusion has been appreciated and has approved to re -concentrate his energies on a mutual affordable commercial regulation that is consistent with other supplier relationships of McDonald’s,” said McDonald’s USA in a statement. “The unique three -headed relief model of our company depends on mutual respect and we look forward to the contributions of ESN to improving our system.”

All the lawsuit depended on his claim that McDonald’s habit of buying advertising time on media that focuses on black viewers was discriminatory because those purchases were made from a budget reserved for what the complaint described as “the Afro -American layer” of sales points. All of all argued that the practice was harmful to black media owners because the low more limited dollars had available than the general layer that the company used to reach a wide audience on the largest networks and platforms.

The suit was submitted by Allen Media Group’s Entertainment Studios and Weather Group Units.

“We are pleased to find a resolution that maintains our business relationship,” said Allen. “During this court case, many of our prejudices have been clarified and we acknowledge McDonald’s dedication to invest in media property in black ownership and to increase access to opportunities. Our differences are behind us and we look forward to working together.”

It is unclear whether the settlement includes larger changes in the advertisement of the fast food giant. In December Allen’s complaint survived a motion to dismiss from McDonald’s when the American district judge Fernando M. Olguin ruled that he believed that the case was a “close call” who would “benefit from a complete hearing”.

Allen has largely prevailed in a series of civil rights cases that have been submitted against major players in media and advertisements on distribution agreements for his channels and advertising sales. All reached a settlement with Comcast in 2020 after a long -term lawsuit that went to the American Supreme Court to focus on one aspect of the case. He also reached settlements with DirectV and charter communication.

All started his company more than 30 years ago with a single talk show that he organized. Nowadays he owns countless lifestyle channels, the weather channel and digital points of sale, including the GRO and HBCU Go. He has invested in TV stations for the past 10 years, but earlier this month he tapped Moelis & Co. Investment Bank. Sell ​​the collection of 28 networks affiliated stations In medium and small markets throughout the country.