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:
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| Love That Girl – Magic Del Imunique convinces Delroy to be part of her bachelor auction; Jasmine joins Latrell's basketball team and becomes MVP. | |
| Love That Girl – Close Encounters of the Third Leg Marc is Latrell's wingman on a date with twins who have an explosive secret; Delroy lets Imunique and Jasmine join his poker game. | |
| Love That Girl – The Best Man for the Job Delroy decides to run for city council with Imunique as his advisor; Delroy underestimates his competition. | |
| A Different World – Love, Hillman Style Whitley and Dwayne argue over her scheme to publish a "Hillman hunks" calendar. | |
| A Different World – A Word in Edgewise Deaf actors (members of the National Theater of the Deaf) perform at the outreach center; Whitley bets she can zip her lips for a day. | |
| The Cosby Show – Cliff's Mistake Cliff misplaces a power drill he borrowed; the children plan a Halloween party. | |
| The Cosby Show – Shakespeare Hillman College's Dr. Foster (Roscoe Lee Brown) and his friend (Christopher Plummer) help Theo and Cockroach tackle a Shakespeare play. | |
| The Cosby Show – That's Not What I Said Cliff and Clair take out their frustrations on each other after Theo gets into trouble with the law. | |
| The Cosby Show – Where's Rudy? The Huxtables go to the mall to cheer Clair's entry in a winter squash contest; Rudy gets lost. | |
| Living Single – Space Invaders Kyle becomes annoyed with Overton and Synclaire's relationship; Maxine tries to recover a compromising tape of herself. | |
| Living Single – Another Saturday Night Khadijah and Synclaire help Overton get revenge on pool sharks; Kyle has a date with a princess; Maxine goes to New Jersey to get a tattoo. | |
| Living Single – Who's Scooping Who Khadijah (Queen Latifah) tries to scoop a rival reporter on a story about a scandal in the boxing world. Guest stars Roberto Duran, Kadeem Hardison and Kelly Perine. | |
| Living Single – Raw Talent Synclaire's role in a theatrical production is expanded, and she has to decide if she can play the part. | |
| Fatal Attraction – Dear Diary After a 15-year-old girl vanishes from her home one night, the community searches for her while hunting for the individual responsible for her disappearance. | |
| Fatal Attraction – In Cold Blood After two kidney transplants, Jonathan Harris has a new lease on life and is excited to be living on his own with a beautiful girlfriend. | |
| For My Man – Blind Devotion In Lubbock, Texas, detectives respond to an early-morning robbery-turned-homicide; they're not sure where to start looking for the killer, then a surveillance video and an anonymous tip lead them to a secret. | |
| For My Man – Risking It All Brazen armed robberies strike local businesses in a tranquil community in Wisconsin, and detectives find themselves with few clues to help them identify the perpetrators. | |
| For My Man – Road to Trouble A gifted high school cheerleader's plans for a bright future turn dark when she falls in love with an up-and-coming rapper and ex-convict. | |
| A Different World – Love, Hillman Style Whitley and Dwayne argue over her scheme to publish a "Hillman hunks" calendar. | |
| A Different World – A Word in Edgewise Deaf actors (members of the National Theater of the Deaf) perform at the outreach center; Whitley bets she can zip her lips for a day. | |
| A Different World – Ms. Understanding The battle of the sexes heats up at Hillman, fueled by an article on campus sex roles. | |
| A Different World – The Cash Isn't Always Greener Dwayne debates going for the big bucks in business or another degree after graduation. | |
| The Cosby Show – Cliff's Mistake Cliff misplaces a power drill he borrowed; the children plan a Halloween party. | |
| The Cosby Show – Shakespeare Hillman College's Dr. Foster (Roscoe Lee Brown) and his friend (Christopher Plummer) help Theo and Cockroach tackle a Shakespeare play. | |
| The Cosby Show – That's Not What I Said Cliff and Clair take out their frustrations on each other after Theo gets into trouble with the law. | |
| The Cosby Show – Where's Rudy? The Huxtables go to the mall to cheer Clair's entry in a winter squash contest; Rudy gets lost. | |
| Living Single – Kiss of the Spider Man Max (Erika Alexander) becomes emotionally involved with a client being held for murder. With Kim Fields Freeman, Kim Coles and Queen Latifah. | |
| Living Single – What Ever Happened to Baby Sister Khadijah's (Queen Latifah) younger sister (Tatyana M. Ali) gets drunk the night before a college track meet. With Erika Alexander, Kim Fields Freeman and Kim Coles. | |
| Living Single – Compromising Positions Regine's mother catches her having sex; Overton (John Henton) attempts to propose to Synclaire (Kim Coles). With Kim Fields Freeman. | |
| Living Single – The Engagement A mugger foils Overton's (John Henton) proposal to Synclaire (Kim Coles); a women's group persuades Max (Erika Alexander) to run for office. With Kim Fields Freeman, Queen Latifah. | |
| Living Single – The Engagement Overton (John Henton) identifies the mugger who stole the ring he bought for Synclaire (Kim Coles) and finally proposes. With Kim Fields Freeman, Queen Latifah. | |
| Living Single – Ride the Maverick Max (Erika Alexander) tries to stop her opponent's mudslinging campaign in the race for alderman. With Kim Fields Freeman, Queen Latifah. | |
| Living Single – Not Quite Mr. Right Regine (Kim Fields Freeman) ends things with Keith (Khalil Kain) and discovers what she really wants in a relationship. With Erika Alexander, Kim Coles and Queen Latifah. | |
| Living Single – Not So Silent Partners To save Flavor, Khadijah sells a partial interest to a conglomerate; Synclaire attempts to cheer up Regine. | |
| Living Single – Moi the Jury Regine (Kim Fields Freeman) becomes a juror in a high-profile case; Synclaire (Kim Coles) helps an unemployed actor. With Erika Alexander and Queen Latifah. | |
| Living Single – Multiple Choice Synclaire and Overton (Kim Coles, John Henton) take a marriage compatibility test; Max (Erika Alexander) obsesses over a cafe waiter. With Kim Fields Freeman and Queen Latifah. | |
| Living Single – I've Got You Under My Skin Regine (Kim Fields Freeman) helps a couple plan a graveyard wedding; Khadijah (Queen Latifah) dates her anesthesiologist (guest star Isaiah Washington). | |
| Living Single – School's Out Forever Kyle attends his high-school reunion and confronts the school bully, who is leading a rather grim existence. | |
| Living Single – Do You Take This Man's Wallet? Regine is hired to coordinate her ex-boyfriend's wedding and becomes convinced he is marrying the wrong woman. | |
| Living Single – Virgin Territory Quarterback Jeff Blake (guest starring as himself) mistakenly attends Max and Gary's (Erika Alexander, Patrick Dancy) dinner party. With Kim Coles and Queen Latifah. | |
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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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