Magic Johnson made his name on the basketball court, but he plans on making a second fortune in television. Johnson recently launched Aspire, a U.S. television network aimed at the African-American market. He’ll be competing against TV One and BET, the two other major African-American-oriented networks in the U.S. Launching a network is a risky venture: Oprah Winfrey’s OWN network, for example, has struggled with poor ratings since it launched a year ago. But unlike OWN, which is built entirely on Winfrey’s brand, Johnson’s network is aimed at what he believes is the untapped market of family programming for African-Americans. It is being carried by the largest cable operator in the U.S., Comcast, and is backed by corporations like Coca-Cola and Wal-Mart. It’s not Johnson’s only new business venture either. The NBA Hall of Famer is also entering the world of the prepaid credit card with his aptly named Mastercard, the “Magic Card.”
Business
Aspire, the TV channel where the magic happens
Magic Johnson just launched a new network for black families
FILED UNDER: Aspire BET Comcast Magic Johnson Oprah Winfrey OWN network TV TV One