TV One provides true crime and other programming aimed at a middle-aged Black audience. But it’s enjoyed by a much broader group. And no one need a cable contract to enjoy it. Read on to learn your options.
In a hurry? TV One is not as widely available online as some channels. But you still have a few good options:
- DIRECTV STREAM: This full cable replacement service gives you everything you expect from cable and more for less money. A 5-day free trial is now available for DIRECTV STREAM.
- Philo: Super inexpensive live TV streaming service with 7-day free trial.
If you can’t watch your favorite sports, TV and movies because of your location, try ExpressVPN to get access to the content you deserve. Signup now.
Table Of Contents
TV One is among several channels launched in the last twenty years to feature programming produced by and for people of color. It differentiates itself from its predecessor (and competitor) BET by targeting an older demographic, 25- to 54-year-olds.
But you don’t need a cable or satellite subscription to catch the latest episode of Unsung. Read on to find out how you can watch the largest Black-owned network without the cable company taking you for a ride.
What Is TV One
TV One’s parent company, Urban One, was founded as Radio One back in 1980 (the same year as BET). TV One itself came along in 2004, in response to criticism of BET’s representation of people of color and a desire from older African-Americans for content that wasn’t wall-to-wall music videos or obnoxious teen reality.
The channel has grown to become the largest African-American-owned media conglomerate, encompassing over 50 radio stations, two TV channels, a syndication service, a set of online brands, and a brand-management agency to support the whole media empire.
TV One is not the only network vying for Black viewers. Aside from its own sister-station Cleo TV (targeting women of color), there’s:
- Allblk (AMC)
- aspireTV (UP Entertainment)
- BET (Paramount Global)
- BET
- BET Her
- BET Gospel
- BET Jams
- BET Soul
- Black News Channel (BNC — a newcomer to the industry)
- Bounce TV (the first African-American targeted broadcast channel)
- Fox Soul (Fox’s digital streaming local-ish channel)
- Oprah Winfrey Network (also known as OWN, targeting Black women)
- Revolt (urban music channel founded by Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs).
TV One Shows
TV One’s content consists mostly of true-crime series (For My Man, Sins of the City, Fatal Attraction), documentaries on Black America and notable individuals (Uncensored, Unsung, Hey, Black America!), lifestyle reality and talk shows (One Stage to the Next, Life Therapy, Sister Circle), original movies (Christmas Dilemma, Blood on Her Badge, Bad Dad Rehab), and classic African-American series (In Living Color, Empire, What’s Happening!!, Family Matters).
It also airs the annual Urban One Honors, which celebrates entertainers, artists, educators, and community leaders of color.
Featured original series include:
- Fatal Attraction: True crime series that centers around a different romance-turned-homicidal each week.
- Life Therapy: Actress-turned-life-coach AJ Johnson gives clients a dose of straight talk to help them improve their lives.
- Rickey Smiley for Real: Reality show that follows the professional and personal life of the comedian.
- Sins of the City: Limited anthology true-crime docuseries that examines the dark side of a different city each week via an in-depth review of a crime that had a major impact on that city, from initial discovery to the trial aftermath.
- Unsung: TV One’s award-winning breakout biography series spotlights overlooked and under-credited R&B, hip-hop, soul, and gospel musicians from the 1960s on. It has spawned spin-off series Unsung Hollywood (focusing on actors and shows), Unsung Presents: The Decades, and at least two Unsung Films made-for-TV biopics.
Get DIRECTV STREAM Free for 5 Days
Unblock Your Favorite Movies and Shows With a VPN
If you can’t watch your favorite movies and shows because of your location, a VPN will allow you to get the access you are entitled to, plus extra security and unequalled privacy. Check out our VPN Guide for everything you need to know, including our top pick ExpressVPN.
Other brands worth checking out include Hotspot Shield and CyberGhost.
Stream TV One
Many cable TV companies carry TV One, but you can watch it cheaper and with no long-term contracts and commitments with a live TV streaming service. The biggest services (Hulu + Live TV, FuboTV, Sling TV, YouTube TV) do not offer it. But a few others do.
Philo
Philo is a great choice for those looking to save a little (actually a lot) on their TV provider. You get over 60 channels for $25/mo, including TV One, Cleo TV, aspireTV, BET, BET Her, OWN, and Revolt. But it is missing all local channels. Try Philo free for 7 days.
No messing around with tiers or packages; they have one plan, three add-ons for movies, unlimited DVR, and simultaneous streaming on up to 3 devices for all accounts. Just note that this service has no sports channels or local stations. (Philo review)
DIRECTV STREAM
If the saying is, “Go big or go home,” DIRECTV STREAM (formerly AT&T TV) is not going home. Urban One fans can get both TV One and Cleo TV in the Choice Package for $108.99/mo, as well as the Oprah Winfrey Network, BET, and Black News Channel (the only streaming service that carries BNC). New customers get a 5-day free trial with DIRECTV STREAM.
You also get all your local regional sports networks so you can follow your home team on the court, diamond, rink, or field. If you sign-up online, all plans come with unlimited cloud DVR and streaming on unlimited devices at once. (DIRECTV STREAM review)
Get DIRECTV STREAM Free for 5 Days
Vidgo
Vidgo costs $69.99/mo. In all, you get 100+ channel lineup, which includes TV One, aspireTV, BET, and OWN. It also includes a lot of content that is family-friendly (Disney Channel) and sports-oriented (ESPN).
Note that Vidgo does not offer any DVR service or on-demand content, and offers limited local network support. You can, however, stream on up to three devices at once. (Vidgo review)
Streaming Devices for TV Now
You can watch TV Now on most streaming devices regardless of the service you select:
- Amazon Fire TV
- Android phones and tablets
- Apple TV
- Chromecast
- iOS (iPhone, iPad)
- Roku
- Web browser.
DIRECTV STREAM makes things very easy by providing the option of using its own device (it costs $120 or $5/mo for 24 months). You can also use Samsung smart TVs with it.
Vidgo and Philo support devices built on Android TV. And Philo allows you to use the Amazon Fire tablet.
Superpower Your Live TV Streaming With a VPN
You can’t beat a VPN for privacy, security, and access. We have used them for years as an important part of our streaming toolkit and we recommend ExpressVPN. Other brands worth checking out include Hotspot Shield and CyberGhost.
| i | See our VPN Buyer’s Guide for complete information on how to choose the best VPN for your needs. |
Today’s TV One Schedule
Here is today’s schedule in Eastern Time:
| Fatal Attraction – Seductive Set-Up Mylon Lowe, a 24-year-old, is found dead in his apartment; clues point in a multitude of disturbing directions. | |
| For My Man – Young and Naïve A teenage girl falls for a handsome older man, then a gruesome discovery reveals that this love story has a dark side; before long, police are on the trail of a teen who will go to any lengths to be with her man. | |
| For My Man – Lost in Loyalty A heartbroken young mother is elated to get a second chance at love, then she discovers that her dream man has a dark side; before long, she finds her life in pieces as she sets out to prove she's the ride-or-die woman her new man demands. | |
| For My Man – Loving in Fear A beautiful college student drops everything to run away with her new man, only to return home nine months later with a shocking story about a brutal murder, a drug kingpin and the destructive desire at the center of her secret life. | |
| A Different World – Tales From the Exam Zone Walter is the host for a "Twilight Zone"-type look at students cramming for midterm exams. | |
| A Different World – Good Help Is Hard to Fire Dwayne's visiting mom (Patti LaBelle) lands in the middle of a melee involving Dwayne, Kinu (Alisa Gyse Dickens) and Whitley. | |
| A Different World – Love Thy Neighbor Dwayne and Whitley finally commit themselves to a relationship. | |
| A Different World – Time Keeps on Slippin' Dwayne's preoccupation with Whitley affects his grades; Ron and Freddie plan a video. | |
| The Cosby Show – What's It All About? Hoping to relieve Clair of her pressures, Cliff and the family send her away to rest. | |
| The Cosby Show – The Night of the Wretched Vanessa defies her parents and travels to Baltimore to attend a concert. | |
| The Cosby Show – The Moves A recently divorced friend of Cliff's (Wallace Shawn) "goes gaga" over Clair's pal Bernice (Mercedes Ruehl). | |
| The Cosby Show – Live and Learn Olivia's (Raven-Symone) day-care center becomes the proving ground for Denise's unorthodox teaching style. | |
| The Cosby Show – The Storyteller The family is regaled with tales of life and Huxtable heritage by Cliff's 98-year-old aunt (Minnie Gentry). | |
| The Cosby Show – Same Time Next Year Rudy is not looking forward to the first day of sixth grade; Vanessa goes off to college. | |
| The Cosby Show – Bird in the Hand Cliff's plans to bid on a rare jazz album are sidetracked by "parental" duties. | |
| The Cosby Show – Period of Adjustment Clair's second cousin Pam (Erika Alexander) becomes the newest member of the Huxtable household. | |
| The Cosby Show – It's All in the Game Cliff and Clair cannot get the children off their backs after they return from vacation. | |
| The Cosby Show – Getting the Story In a school assignment, Rudy and Kenny exaggerate Cliff's job. | |
| The Cosby Show – Just Thinking About It Pam's boyfriend begins to pressure her about having a more physical relationship. | |
| The Cosby Show – Just Thinking About It As Pam's romance intensifies, she gets practical advice from Cliff and wise counsel from Clair. | |
| The Cosby Show – The Infantry Has Landed (and They've Fallen Off the Roof) Rudy is not too excited about Clair's planned "women's day.". | |
| The Cosby Show – You Can Go Home Again Denise and Martin's search for an apartment leads to a cramped trailer. | |
| The Cosby Show – It's a Boy A neighbor (Ray DeMattis) enlists Cliff's help in father-son bonding; Pam (Erika Alexander) meets a prospective beau. | |
| The Cosby Show – Clair's Liberation Clair is treated like an old woman after the children discover she is beginning menopause. | |
| The Cosby Show – It's Your Move The Huxtable men try to watch a championship football game while helping friends move. | |
| The Cosby Show – Theo's Final Final All that stands between Theo and the dean's list is one more final -- and his dream woman (Vanessa Williams). | |
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| Love That Girl – Thanks for Not Giving Immunique's father shows up after 20 years unexpectedly during a fabulous Thanksgiving celebration with an announcement. | |
| Love That Girl – Delroy Indemnity Delroy gets caught up in a real-estate murder mystery when a femme fatale shows up at his office to enlist him in a scam. | |
| Love That Girl – Happy Hold Up Day The gang gets taken hostage on Christmas Eve. | |
| Sanford & Son – The Older Woman When Lamont falls for an older woman, Fred schemes to show him how ridiculous it is. | |
| Sanford & Son – The Stung Fred asks a professional gambler to teach Lamont and his friends a lesson. | |
| Sanford & Son – The Family Man Grady feels out of place when he moves in with his daughter and her family. | |
| Sanford & Son – The Over-the-Hill Gag Lamont and Rollo mistakenly think Fred has only six months to live. | |
| Sanford & Son – The Oddfather Fred is injured and hospitalized while witnessing an attempted murder. | |
| Sanford & Son – Donna Pops the Question Donna wants to marry Fred, but another man proposes to her first. | |
| Sanford & Son – The Olympics Fred goes out for the Senior Olympics to compete for Donna's affection. | |
| Sanford & Son – Divorce, Sanford Style Fred turns Cupid when Esther fights with Woodrow and moves into the Sanford house. | |
| Unsung – Presents Best in Black: Trailblazers Featuring portraits of influential TV pioneers from Diahann Carroll and Nat King Cole to Arsenio Hall and RuPaul, who helped change the game, and change the world. | |
| Unsung – Presents Best in Black: Entrepreneurs Featuring portraits of successful figures in business, from Berry Gordy and Magic Johnson to Oprah Winfrey and Rihanna, who helped change the game, and change the world. | |
| Good Times – Sex and the Evans Family Florida and James fear that there is more between Thelma and her new beau than a five-year difference. |
Wrapping Up
So you don’t have to rely on cable to get your True Crime Mondays on, or catch all the inspiring stories over Women’s History Month. Just subscribe to one of the services listed above, and you can cut the cord without cutting off Fatal Attraction.
Our top choice to stream TV One is Philo since it offers a full lineup of channels and great extras. Try Philo free for 7 days.
FAQs
What awards shows does TV One broadcast?
Currently, TV One airs the Urban One Honors, run by its parent company for various artistic and community contributions. In the past, it has carried the Stellar Gospel Music Awards and the NAACP Image Awards (both have since moved to BET). It has also previously broadcast the Triumph Awards, presented by Al Sharpton’s National Action Network.
Can I watch TV One through its app or website?
There are some full episodes available on the website (particularly in the Rewind section), and you can watch Rewind episodes (prior seasons) on the iOS app, but newer episodes require a TV provider login. The Roku and Android apps require a TV provider login to watch anything. None of the streaming services seem to provide TV Everywhere access to TV One, however.
Can I watch TV One with an antenna?
No. Over-the-air (OTA) networks, like your local ABC, NBC, Fox, or CBS broadcast stations, are free for anyone to pick up with an antenna, but are also included in many pay TV subscriptions as well. TV One is not OTA; it’s a pay channel, like Discovery, BET, or TBS. That means you need to subscribe to a pay TV provider to get it: cable, satellite, or internet streaming (like the services above).
Who owns TV One?
TV One is wholly owned by Urban One, originally founded as Radio One by Cathy Hughes. It was built starting from a single radio station in Washington, DC in 1980, by Hughes and her son Alfred Liggins. When Radio One went public in 1999, Hughes became the first woman of color to lead a publicly-traded company.
Urban One has since acquired Reach Media, HelloBeautiful.com, and Elev8.com. Hughes and Liggins have both been inducted into the Broadcast & Cable Hall of Fame.
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