Group Black To Sell Ads For NBCUniversal

Comcast’s NBCUniversal said Group Black, a company that invests in Black-owned media companies, will sell ads in shows on its Peacock streaming service that are popular among Black audiences, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Group Black will keep the majority of the revenue from each ad sale, with the rest going to NBCUniversal, the companies said in an agreement announced Monday. The companies announced the partnership on Juneteenth, a federal holiday commemorating emancipation.

Under the agreement, Group Black will sell ads for drama and comedy shows aimed at Black audiences on Peacock and NBCUniversal’s other streaming services. Those shows include “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” spinoff “Bel-Air,” comedy “The Best Man: The Final Chapters,” and the reboot of the police drama “New York Undercover,” as well as some films.

The partnership marks the first time NBCUniversal has allowed another company to sell part of its streaming ad inventory. It is a sign of how legacy and new-media companies are working together to generate fresh ad revenue. 

Many marketers have sought to invest a greater share of their ad dollars in Black-owned media in recent years but have said they struggled to find enough outlets with ad space that meet their spending goals. 

The partnership could help NBCU tap in to new budgets that some marketers have earmarked for Black-owend media companies while also supporting Group Black’s members, the companies said.