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 – Delroy's Wonderful Life Delroy suffers a minor heart attack and considers shutting down Del Jones Realty; Jimi comes to Delroy in a dream. | |
| 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. | |
| A Different World – Radio Free Hillman Whitley is caught in the middle when Dwayne stages a sit-in at the dean's (Rosalind Cash) office. | |
| A Different World – It Happened One Night Whitley offers her support to Kim when she fears that she may be pregnant. | |
| The Cosby Show – Halloween Vanessa gets a chance to talk to the cutest boy at school at her first Halloween party. | |
| The Cosby Show – Denise Drives Cliff gives Denise some pointers as she prepares to buy her first car. | |
| The Cosby Show – Rudy Suits Up Rudy becomes the star of a youth football team, but Cliff is worried about safety. | |
| The Cosby Show – Clair's Sister Clair's sister becomes engaged; Cliff struggles to beat his father-in-law (Joe Williams) at chess. | |
| Living Single – To Catch a Thief Synclaire (Kim Coles) gets even with a lying Marco (guest star Sam McMurray) with the aid of his ex-wife (guest star Joyce DeWitt); Max (Erika Alexander) is pregnant. With Queen Latifah and John Henton. | |
| Living Single – Let's Stay Together Max (Erika Alexander) finds out that Kyle (guest star T.C. Carson) is the father of her baby; Synclaire (Kim Coles) gets her own TV series. With Queen Latifah, John Henton. | |
| Living Single – Judging by the Cover The housemates (Queen Latifah, Kim Coles, Erika Alexander) must find a diplomatic way to tell Regine (Kim Fields) her new boyfriend (Cylk Cozart) is married. | |
| Living Single – I'll Take Your Man Regine's (Kim Fields) jealousy affects all the roommates when Maxine (Erika Alexander) begins dating her ex-boyfriend (Charles Penland). | |
| Fatal Attraction – Early Morning Murder A bus driver is killed on her way to work shortly after beginning a new relationship; her killer remains at large for almost a full year. | |
| Fatal Attraction – A Text From the Grave A woman moves from her native Trinidad to be with her longtime boyfriend, then vanishes without a trace. | |
| For My Man – Kayla Dixon; Eileen Huber Kayla Dixon scrambles at a fighting chance at surviving her youth, but the safety net she finds in her new man comes at a deadly cost; Eileen Huber falls for her former classmate, he leads her on a torturous rampage sweeping the San Gabriel Valley. | |
| For My Man – Labria Paige; Laquan Brown Growing up on the rough streets of Baltimore, aspiring nurse Labria Paige manages to rise above the odds; in Savannah, Ga., a couple risks it all for love when their crime spree takes a deadly turn. | |
| For My Man – Damonica Evans; Jennifer Simpson Texas duo Damonica Evans and Brandon Daniels look for a fresh start, then a get-rich-quick scheme goes awry; teenager Jennifer Simpson's loving husband ropes her into a heinous crime that changes their small town forever. | |
| A Different World – Radio Free Hillman Whitley is caught in the middle when Dwayne stages a sit-in at the dean's (Rosalind Cash) office. | |
| A Different World – It Happened One Night Whitley offers her support to Kim when she fears that she may be pregnant. | |
| A Different World – I've Got the Muse in Me Freddie turns to alcohol when she lacks inspiration in her writing. | |
| A Different World – Risky Business Clair Huxtable (Phylicia Rashad) gives a business etiquette seminar at Hillman. | |
| The Cosby Show – If the Dress Fits, Wear It Clair hires a fitness instructor (Debbie Allen) to get her back into shape. | |
| The Cosby Show – Is There a Hamster in the House? The hamster Rudy is watching for a friend falls ill during the night. | |
| The Cosby Show – Truth or Consequences Vanessa tells a fib so she can rendezvous with her boyfriend. | |
| The Cosby Show – Cliff Babysits Cliff baby-sits the twins and offers them plenty of grandfatherly advice. | |
| The Cosby Show – Mrs. Huxtable Goes to Kindergarten Clair appears as a guest panelist on a public affairs TV show. | |
| The Cosby Show – The Lost Weekend When Cliff and Clair are away, Theo's small gathering erupts into a wild party. | |
| The Cosby Show – No Way, Baby Cliff tries to coax the grandfather (Sammy Davis Jr.) of an unwed mother-to-be into providing moral support for the girl. | |
| The Cosby Show – Can I Say Something, Please? Cliff and Clair let Rudy stay up as late as she wants when she complains about all the house rules. | |
| The Cosby Show – The Dead End Kids Meet Dr. Lotus Theo's troubles with Justine (Michelle Thomas) inspire him to visit a voodoo doctor (Moses Gunn). | |
| The Cosby Show – The Boys of Winter Former NBA stars (Bill Bradley, Dave DeBusschere, Walt Hazzard, Wali Jones), portray doctors who play a basketball game against younger women (Nancy Lieberman-Cline, Teresa Edwards). | |
| The Cosby Show – It Comes and It Goes Sondra and Elvin get child-rearing advice from their families. | |
| The Cosby Show – Theo's Women Theo's girlfriend (Michelle Thomas) catches him kissing another woman. | |
| The Cosby Show – Birthday Blues Clair's 46th-birthday apprehension is alleviated when Cliff's doctor friend (Placido Domingo) serenades her. | |
| The Cosby Show – A Room With No View Cliff and Clair come up with a plan to end Vanessa and Rudy's endless bickering. | |
| The Cosby Show – What He Did for Love Theo's friend (Troy Winbush) unwittingly gives an expensive watch to his girlfriend (Vanessa Williams). | |
| The Cosby Show – Day of the Locusts Elvin's mother and Clair use Sondra's strep throat as an excuse to take the babies. | |
| The Cosby Show – 57 Varieties Cliff and Clair are reluctant to let Theo go with his class on an Egyptian archaeological dig. | |
| The Cosby Show – Denise: The Saga Continues Denise returns from Africa with a husband (Joseph C. Phillips) and a stepdaughter (Raven-Symone). | |
| Fast, Foolproof Recipes! Luminex™ technology combines 360° supercharged hot air & direct radiant light to lock in juices, speed up cooking times, & create a hot, crispy finish. | |
| Cindy Crawford and Ellen Pompeo share secrets Join Cindy Crawford and Ellen Pompeo as they discuss their busy lives and the breakthrough skin care discovery that keeps them looking their best. Take a trip to the stunning French countryside to see a rare French melon that defies aging. | |
| Oxypure Zero, Air Purifier With Zero Replacement Filters JD Scott shares the Oxypure Zero, a wifi-enabled air purifier with zero replacement filters. | |
| Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill Meet the Shark Ninja Wood Fire Grill, with Master Grill, BBQ Smoke, and Air Fry outdoor capabilities. Powered by electricity and flavored by real burning wood pellets, Woodfire Technology allows you to easily create rich flavor you can see and taste. |
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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