iOne Digital

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.

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

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

• Digital media advertising
• Branded content production
• Multicultural media platform
• Podcast network services
• Integrated marketing campaigns

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Advertising: Digital advertising across owned media properties including display ads, video ads, and sponsored content placements across 9 digital brands reaching 40MM+ monthly visitors
2. 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
3. Cross-Platform Advertising: Integrated marketing solutions leveraging TV, Radio, Digital, and Audio Streaming platforms through Urban One's broader media ecosystem
4. Experiential Marketing Events: Hosting quarterly events and creating custom branded events for clients to engage target audiences

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core 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

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Brotherhood CrusademinorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership 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 BlackcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Ongoing 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 ExchangecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Collaboration 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 AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2024Partnership 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 MediaminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 March 2024Black-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 PicturesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership 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 OrlandominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership on Cleverest Orlando campaign celebrating Black leisure travel to Orlando through custom content franchise showcasing Black culture, historic sites, and Black-owned businesses.
• Grouphouse MediaminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2023Production company partner for The Road Less Traveled presented by Advil campaign, a mini vlog-style series showcasing Black adventurists.
• Transparency FilmsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2023Production company partner for Walmart HBCU Connection content series profiling HBCU students, alumni entrepreneurs, and influencers.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad 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

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ione-digitalmedia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about iOne Digital