On the heels of his hard-fought racial discrimination settlement with Comcast, media mogul, Byron Allen has his sights set on a new business venture, which is owning CNN.
The Entertainment Studios owner went on record earlier this month revealing his ultimate dream of owning one of the most viewed cable news networks in the U.S., according to Statista.
“I’d love to own CNN. But I have to buy AT&T to do that. And I will. Believe me, I think about it every day,” Allen told The Hollywood Reporter.
Allen has a master plan brewing that he predicts will be on par with the likes of News Corp. founder, Rupert Murdoch.
“I’m close to the same age when Rupert Murdoch came here to America,” he said. “He was in his 50s. I’m 59. What you see today will be 10,000 times bigger.”
Those who know Allen, like his longtime friend and chess rival, Eddie Murphy, vouch for his acumen, especially his ability to patiently wait for the opportune time to secure epic business deals.
“He’s super patient. He takes a long time between every move,” said Murphy, comparing Allen’s chess and business tactics, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “He does it until you get frustrated — and then you do something stupid, and then all he needs is a little tiny crack. Just a pawn, any type of advantage, and he had you. That is Byron in a nutshell.”
