LAS VEGAS — It presently is comprised of 27 “Big Four” network affiliate broadcast TV stations across 21 DMAs and its founder and Chairman/CEO has openly stated he seeks to surpass Nexstar Media Group as the largest single owner of over-the-air television properties in the U.S.
With Byron Allen spending Sunday at the Wynn Hotel and, later, at a NAB Show panel discussion at the Las Vegas Convention Center, his Allen Media Group today is welcoming the arrival of a new President of its Allen Media Broadcasting arm.
Taking the role is Princell Hair.
He will also hold the title of EVP of Allen Media Group, Byron Allen’s wholly-owned parent company that also includes Weather Group and other Allen Media Group platforms including The Weather Channel, theGrio, HBCU GO, Sports.TV, JusticeCentral.TV, and the free-streaming app Local Now.
Hair will be based at the Allen Media Studios/Weather Group campus in Atlanta.
Hair is widely known across the industry, and for the past two years has served as President of Black News Channel, which Allen purchased in 2022 and rebranded as TheGrio Television Network.
Prior to Black News Channel, Hair was SVP/General Manager for NBC Sports Boston, where he strengthened relationships with the Boston Celtics, New England Patriots, the Major League Soccer franchise The New England Revolution, and the WNBA franchise The Connecticut Sun. Prior to that, Hair was SVP of News and Talent for NBC Sports Group, where he served as lead negotiator for all talent contracts, including the NBC Sports Network, NBC Broadcast Network, The Golf Channel, eight regional sports networks, and the Olympics.
Before his tenure at NBC Sports, Hair was Senior Vice President of News Operations and Studio Programming at Comcast Sports Group, where he developed new programming for regional networks, and spearheaded all talent acquisition and contract negotiations for 11 regional sports networks and three regional news and entertainment networks.
Prior to that, Hair served as an Executive Vice President, General Manager, and Senior Vice President at CNN/Turner Broadcasting. He got his start in local television news, working at a host of stations includinig KCBS-2 Los Angeles, WBAL-11 Baltimore, WMAQ-5 Chicago, WBBM-2 Chicago, WDIV-4 Detroit, and three Miami TV stations.
“Princell Hair is a phenomenal media executive who brings an overwhelming amount of industry experience and excellent leadership skills to our 2,400-employee company,” said Byron Allen. “Princell’s seasoned expertise now plays a crucial role in supporting Allen Media Group’s acquisitions and continued expansion across our ever-increasing number of media assets and distribution platforms worldwide.”
Hair commented, “Local news matters, and the connections these local stations have in their communities cannot be overstated. The owned-and-operated Allen Media stations are a strong broadcast group in growing markets. I am excited to lead this team of accomplished General Managers as we navigate the complexities of local television management while acquiring more broadcast stations and media assets.”
