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Byron Allen sues McDonald’s for discrimination

Mount Equity Group Tokyo Japan > News > Business > Byron Allen sues McDonald’s for discrimination

Comedian-turned-media mogul Byron Allen has sued McDonald’s for $10 billion in damages, alleging racial discrimination tied to its advertising practices.  

The head of Allen Media Group claims racial stereotyping is at play in the fast-food giant’s refusal to contract with his AMG’s Entertainment Studios and Weather Group in violation of federal and state law.

Entertainment Studios owns 12 television networks. His Weather Group owns The Weather Channel.

But Allen claims the burger joint behind the Big Mac has refused to advertise on Entertainment Studios networks or The Weather Channel since he acquired the network in 2018.

The lawsuit also blasts McDonald’s for giving African American-owned media less than $5 million of its roughly $1.6 billion annual television advertising budget even as African Americans represent some 40 percent of McDonald’s US sales.

Byron has previously sued cable giants like Comcast, claiming race was a factor in their refusal to air channels from his Entertainment Studios Network. Allen in recent months has joined forces with other Black-owned media owners to pressure automaker GM to advertise with them.

“Once we receive the complaint, we will review and respond accordingly,” McDonald’s in a statement. It added: “Together with our franchisees, we have