iOne Digital
iOne Digital is the wholly-owned digital media subsidiary of Urban One, Inc., operating nine owned digital brands serving African American audiences with editorial, video, podcast, and branded entertainment. It reaches 93MM+ monthly users and monetizes through enterprise advertising, branded content production via One X Studios, and cross-platform integrated marketing.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What iOne Digital does
iOne Digital is the wholly-owned digital media subsidiary of Urban One, Inc. (NASDAQ: UONE/UONEK), operating a portfolio of nine owned-and-operated digital brands — HelloBeautiful, Bossip, MadameNoire, HipHopWired, Cassius, NewsOne, GlobalGrind, Elev8, and The Fumble — that produce editorial, video, and audio content targeted at African American Gen-Z and Millennial audiences. The platform reaches 93MM+ users monthly, including 40MM+ monthly unique visitors, 230MM+ monthly video views, and 44MM+ social followers, supported by BlackPlanet (social networking) and One Stream (audio streaming). Content is produced internally by One X Studios, an in-house branded content production studio, and the One Solution division delivers integrated marketing and strategic partnerships that combine editorial, video, podcast, experiential events, and cross-platform distribution across Urban One's broader radio (72 stations in 13 markets), TV (TV One, CLEO TV), and podcast network ecosystem.
The company's revenue model is primarily advertising-driven and project-based, with no publicly disclosed pricing tiers — campaigns are quoted directly via [email protected] and structured as multi-year enterprise contracts. Revenue streams include display and video advertising across owned properties, sponsored and branded content development through One Solution and One X Studios, cross-platform integrated marketing that leverages the wider Urban One ecosystem (TV, radio, digital, audio streaming), and experiential marketing events executed quarterly plus custom branded activations. The customer base is concentrated among Fortune 500 enterprise advertisers (AT&T, Walmart, P&G, Target, Chevrolet/Infiniti, Gilead, Amazon Prime Video, Prudential, Advil/GSK, Paramount), with the company positioning itself as the only Black-owned, fully integrated multi-platform media company of its kind in the U.S.
iOne Digital was founded in 2008 as Interactive One by Radio One (now Urban One, Inc.) and rebranded to iONE Digital in January 2023 to reflect an expanded digital footprint and mission to "represent Black truth." The company is headquartered at 222 West 37th Street, New York, operates with 101-250 employees, and does not publicly disclose standalone revenue figures. Distribution is executed through direct sales, with a senior leadership team including a General Manager & EVP (Sam Stiers), Chief Revenue Officer (Tiffany Nasralla), CFO (Janet Gusak), and functional SVPs/VPs across content, product, data, sales, video, and One X Studios.
iOne Digital firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- iOne Digital
- Legal name
- iOne Digital
- Website
- https://ionedigital.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- iOne Digital is the wholly-owned digital media subsidiary of Urban One, Inc., operating nine owned digital brands serving African American audiences with editorial, video, podcast, and branded entertainment. It reaches 93MM+ monthly users and monetizes through enterprise advertising, branded content production via One X Studios, and cross-platform integrated marketing.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
iOne Digital industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Digital Media Advertising & Branded Content
- NAICS
- Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (5162)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community-Integrated Publishing Platforms (MPACAIAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Influencer/Creator Marketplaces & Brand Deal Platforms (MPACABAI), Consumer News & Digital Newsrooms (Web/App-First) (MPAJADAD)
Keywords
Where iOne Digital is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
iOne Digital business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Advertising: Digital advertising across owned media properties including display ads, video ads, and sponsored content placements across 9 digital brands reaching 40MM+ monthly visitors
- Branded Content and Sponsored Content: Custom branded entertainment content development for brand clients including video series, podcasts, social content, and experiential campaigns through One Solution division
- Cross-Platform Advertising: Integrated marketing solutions leveraging TV, Radio, Digital, and Audio Streaming platforms through Urban One's broader media ecosystem
- Experiential Marketing Events: Hosting quarterly events and creating custom branded events for clients to engage target audiences
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom advertising and content solutions based on client needs |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
iOne Digital product offering
Product offeringCore offering
iOne Digital operates a portfolio of nine owned digital media brands (HelloBeautiful, Bossip, MadameNoire, HipHopWired, Cassius, NewsOne, GlobalGrind, Elev8, The Fumble) serving African American audiences, and sells cross-platform advertising, branded entertainment, and custom content campaigns to brand clients through its One Solution integrated marketing division and One X Studios branded content studio. The platform reaches 93MM+ monthly users and combines owned-and-operated digital properties with the broader Urban One media ecosystem (TV One, CLEO TV, 72 radio stations, Reach Media, and the Urban One Podcast Network).
Product overview
iONE Digital is a multi-platform digital media company and wholly-owned subsidiary of Urban One, Inc. The platform operates a portfolio of 9 digital brands serving the African American community: Bossip (entertainment/celebrity), HipHopWired (Hip-Hop culture), MadameNoire (women's lifestyle), HelloBeautiful (fashion/beauty), NewsOne (news/politics), GlobalGrind (millennial content), Elev8 (faith-based), Cassius (men's lifestyle), and The Fumble (sports). The ecosystem is supported by BlackPlanet (social networking) and One Stream (audio streaming), reaching 40MM monthly unique visitors and 93MM monthly users. Branded entertainment services are delivered through One Solution (integrated marketing) and One X Studios (branded content production), with distribution across the Urban One Podcast Network.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- HelloBeautiful: Digital haven for Black women exploring fashion, beauty, and lifestyles with honest, optimistic, and real content.
- Bossip
- MadameNoire
- HipHopWired
- Cassius
- NewsOne
- GlobalGrind
- Elev8
- One Solution
- One X Studios
Products and services
- iONE Digital Advertising Platform Cross-platform digital advertising offering spanning display, video, sponsored content, and experiential placements across iOne Digital's nine owned media brands reaching 40MM+ monthly unique visitors and 230MM+ monthly video views, sold to enterprise brand advertisers.
- One Solution (Integrated Marketing & Branded Entertainment) Integrated marketing, branded entertainment, strategic partnerships, and public relations division that develops brand-building solutions for clients through culturally grounded, cross-platform campaigns (digital, social, audio streaming, TV, radio) and experiential events.
- One X Studios (Branded Content Production) In-house branded content studio producing custom video, audio, and experiential campaign content for brand partnerships under iOne Digital.
- Urban One Podcast Network Audio streaming network featuring syndicated shows (The Rickey Smiley Morning Show, The DL Hughley Show) and original podcasts distributed across Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and One Stream.
- BlackPlanet Social networking platform dedicated to the African American community, part of the iOne Digital ecosystem.
- One Stream Audio streaming platform within the iOne Digital ecosystem for consuming urban and Black-oriented content.
Quantifiable outcome
- 93 million+ users reached monthly across all platforms
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use iOne Digital
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
iOne Digital technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
iOne Digital partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Brotherhood CrusademinorPartnership to assist Los Angeles wildfire victims through donations to secure shelter, clothing, food, and necessities. Partnership leverages Urban One's entire suite of media platforms including TV One, CLEO TV, Radio One, Reach Media, and iONE Digital.
- AT&T Dream In BlackcoreOngoing collaboration with AT&T on the Rising Future Makers Showcase and The Futurist content series. The partnership pairs HBCU students with established Black professionals for mentorship conversations and awards $5,000 grants to student participants. Multiple seasons of content created showcasing AT&T's commitment to HBCUs and Black communities.
- HBCU Icon ExchangecoreCollaboration on Target's Get Ready for Homecoming campaign utilizing HBCU student athlete influencers to build excitement during Homecoming season. Developed social campaign with six self-produced videos showcasing Black-owned products at Target.
- Ad Council and Feeding AmericacorePartnership on BountyFull campaign to drive awareness about ending U.S. hunger and encourage audience engagement. Custom audio content produced by One X Studios featuring Chef Jernard Wells aired across Urban One radio platforms with editorial content on NewsOne.com.
- Oracle MediaminorBlack-female-owned-and-operated production company that collaborated with HelloBeautiful and MadameNoire to create and execute the annual Women's History Month campaign featuring Women to Know Hollywood Executives.
- Paramount PicturesminorPartnership on My Five Whys: Paws of Fury campaign to drive awareness for Paramount Pictures' original show premiere through thematically aligned custom video experiences targeting African American audiences.
- Visit OrlandominorPartnership on Cleverest Orlando campaign celebrating Black leisure travel to Orlando through custom content franchise showcasing Black culture, historic sites, and Black-owned businesses.
- Grouphouse MediaminorProduction company partner for The Road Less Traveled presented by Advil campaign, a mini vlog-style series showcasing Black adventurists.
- Transparency FilmsminorProduction company partner for Walmart HBCU Connection content series profiling HBCU students, alumni entrepreneurs, and influencers.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
iOne Digital competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Group Nine Media / NowThis: Group Nine Media (formed by NowThis, The Dodo, Seeker, Thrillist) was a digital-first media company reaching millennial and Gen-Z audiences through social-video-first content and branded partnerships. Now divested/scattered, but historically a peer in operating branded-content-driven digital brands monetized through social distribution — directly comparable in GTM motion (sales-led branded content studio) to iOne Digital's One Solution.
- Refinery29: Refinery29 is a digital media brand targeting millennial women with content across fashion, beauty, wellness, and culture, monetized through advertising and branded content. Comparable in GTM and audience demographic to MadameNoire/HelloBeautiful but targeting women more broadly (not specifically Black audiences); a useful peer for women's-lifestyle branded content monetization benchmarking.
- Univision Communications: Univision is a major Spanish-language multimedia company in the US (TV, radio, digital, streaming ViX). Comparable as a multicultural-focused media conglomerate operating across TV, radio, digital, and audio with cross-platform advertiser offerings — analog to iOne Digital's position within Urban One's multicultural media ecosystem.
- Complex Networks: Complex Networks operates youth-focused digital media brands (Complex, First We Feast, Pigeons & Planes, Sole Collector) reaching millennials and Gen-Z across culture, music, fashion, and food. Comparable in operating a multi-brand digital media portfolio monetized through advertising and branded content, though with a broader cultural (not specifically Black-audience) target and now public via SPAC.
- BET (Paramount): BET is a major Black-focused entertainment network (BET+, BET.com) owned by Paramount Global, spanning TV, streaming, digital, and live events (BET Awards, BET Hip Hop Awards). Comparable as a broader incumbent in Black-targeted media with overlapping advertiser and audience base, though BET's scale and TV/streaming focus make it a wider-portfolio competitor rather than direct digital-only peer.
Direct peers
- Black Enterprise: Black Enterprise is a digital and print media company covering business, investing, careers, and wealth-building for Black professionals and entrepreneurs. Comparable as a culturally focused digital media brand monetized through advertising, events, and branded content targeting high-income Black audiences — overlapping with iOne Digital's high-HHI segment (44% with HHI >$100K).
- The Root: The Root is a digital media outlet covering news, opinion, and culture from an African American perspective, owned by G/O Media. Comparable to iOne Digital's NewsOne brand in serving Black audiences with politically aware news and culture content, monetized through digital advertising.
- Essence Communications: Essence is a Black women's lifestyle media brand spanning digital, print (Essence magazine), and experiential properties (Essence Festival). Comparable to iOne Digital's HelloBeautiful and MadameNoire sub-brands in targeting Black women advertisers and consumers, with similar branded content and experiential monetization.
- Blavity Inc. Blavity is a digital media company serving Black millennial audiences through owned brands (Blavity, Shadow & Act, Travel Noire, 21Ninety, AfroTech). Directly comparable as a Black-focused digital media portfolio monetized through advertising and branded content, competing for the same multicultural Gen-Z and Millennial audience and advertiser budgets.
Emerging players
- Pocket.watch: Pocket.watch is a kids/family digital media company that manages creator IP, produces branded content, and monetizes through advertising and licensing. Comparable in GTM motion as a digital-first branded content studio monetizing niche audience attention through advertiser campaigns, though focused on kids/family rather than multicultural adult audiences.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
iOne Digital social profiles
Digital presenceiOne Digital financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
iOne Digital leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
iOne Digital subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries13 records
iOne Digital funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
iOne Digital M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about iOne Digital
What does iOne Digital do?
iOne Digital operates a portfolio of nine owned digital media brands (HelloBeautiful, Bossip, MadameNoire, HipHopWired, Cassius, NewsOne, GlobalGrind, Elev8, The Fumble) serving African American audiences, and sells cross-platform advertising, branded entertainment, and custom content campaigns to brand clients through its One Solution integrated marketing division and One X Studios branded content studio. The platform reaches 93MM+ monthly users and combines owned-and-operated digital properties with the broader Urban One media ecosystem (TV One, CLEO TV, 72 radio stations, Reach Media, and the Urban One Podcast Network).
Is iOne Digital a public or private company?
iOne Digital is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was iOne Digital founded?
iOne Digital was founded in 2008. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is iOne Digital based?
iOne Digital is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does iOne Digital make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Advertising is the primary driver. The others are branded Content and Sponsored Content, cross-Platform Advertising and experiential Marketing Events.
Who are iOne Digital's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Group Nine Media / NowThis, Refinery29, Univision Communications, Complex Networks and BET (Paramount). Direct peers are Black Enterprise, The Root, Essence Communications and Blavity Inc.. Pocket.watch is listed as an emerging player.
Does iOne Digital have an API?
No public API is recorded for iOne Digital.
What industry is iOne Digital in?
iOne Digital's product category is Digital Media Advertising & Branded Content. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPACAIAI, Community-Integrated Publishing Platforms, with a secondary code of MPACABAI, Influencer/Creator Marketplaces & Brand Deal Platforms. Its NAICS code is 5418 and its SIC code is 7311.