Radio One and Black & Brown People Vote Join Forces to Increase Voter Registration and Black Voter Turnout in 2016 Elections

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The partnership launched ONE Vote, a multi-media campaign to educate and engage Black America and Millennial voters. #OneVote

SILVER SPRING, MD, March 17, 2016 – Radio One, the largest African-American owned and targeted multi-media company in the country partners with Black and Brown People Vote (BBPV), a civic engagement and participation project, focused on amplifying the voice and the votes of communities of color. Together, they launched ONE Vote, a multi-media campaign on all Radio One assets – TV One, Reach Media, Interactive One and 56 local urban radio stations with the intent to increase Black voter registration and turnout in 2016 elections. Moreover, the ONE Vote campaign is designed to educate and engage the media companies’ vast Black and urban audience on critical political issues through the use of entertainment and events.

Radio One’s multi-media companies powered by BBPV launched its 8-month campaign today. From syndicated and local radio personalities to television and social media messaging; and from digital voter registration to local community events, the campaign’s multi-pronged approach is slated to reach nearly 82% of Black Americans who consume news, media and entertainment from Radio One. The focus of the campaign is first to reinvigorate the record number of African-Americans that voted in the 2008/2012 campaigns and motivate them to make voting nationally and locally a long-term commitment;  and to engage Millennial voters who are crucial to the 2016 election.

“Radio One has been a voice for and to Black America for 35 years. Our mission is to inform, inspire and entertain,” said Yashima White Azilove, Vice President, Corporate Communications of Radio One, Inc. “This election cycle gives us a unique opportunity to leverage our multi-media resources and unparalleled reach to manifest our mission to serve Black America and encourage our people to vote. Each person’s ONE Vote matters at every level of government and civic engagement.”

According to BBPV Co-founder Ifeoma Ike, “People of color make up 31 percent of 2016′s eligible voters, the largest percentage ever. Today, more than ever, we are seeing an increased demand in young people leading movements, diversified leadership that represents the interests of communities, and even the courageous activism of individuals still fighting for their human and civil

rights.  If we want to ensure our voices are heard from Flint to Ferguson, we must engage all year round.  We do it in the pews.  We do it in the protests.  We must also do it at the polls.”

Listen to the co-founders of BBPV in a One Vote campaign launch interview: Power of the Black Vote Interview

Visit Newsone.com for voter registration information.

About Radio One, Inc.

Radio One, Inc. (radio-one.com), together with its subsidiaries, is a diversified media company that primarily targets African-American and urban consumers. It is one of the nation’s largest radio broadcasting companies, currently owning and/or operating 56 stations in 16 urban markets, in the United States. Through its controlling interest in Reach Media, Inc. (blackamericaweb.com), the Company also operates syndicated programming including the Tom Joyner Morning Show, the Russ Parr Morning Show, the Yolanda Adams Morning Show, the Rickey Smiley Morning Show, the DL Hughley Show, Bishop T.D. Jakes’ Empowering Moments, and the Reverend Al Sharpton Show.  Beyond its core radio broadcasting franchise, Radio One owns Interactive One (interactiveone.com), the fastest growing and definitive digital resource for Black and Latin Americans, reaching millions each month through social content, news, information, and entertainment. Interactive One operates a number of branded sites including News One (news), The Urban Daily (men), Hello Beautiful (women), Global Grind (Millennials) and social networking websites such as BlackPlanet and MiGente. The Company also owns TV One, LLC (tvone.tv), a cable/satellite network programming serving more than 57 million households, offering a broad range of real-life and entertainment-focused original programming, classic series, movies and music designed to entertain, inform and inspire a diverse audience of adult Black viewers. Additionally, One Solution combines the dynamics of the Radio One’s holdings to provide brands with an integrated and effectively engaging marketing approach that reaches 82% of Black Americans throughout the country.

About Black and Brown People Vote

Black and Brown People Vote (BBPV) is a civic engagement and civic participation project, focused on amplifying the voice and the votes of communities of color. Co-founded by Ifeoma Ike and Tristan Wilkerson, the former Capitol Hill staffers launched BBPV during the 2014 Congressional midterm election season with a digital commitment drive to increase participation during non-presidential election cycles.  Since the police shooting death of unarmed teenager Mike Brown, BBPV has served as a national leader in connecting the ballot to the everyday experiences of people of color.

To learn more, visit BlackandBrownPeopleVote.org.

Contact: Radio One Corporate Communications

corpcomm@radio-one.com