'People' person for Pax
Allen plans to make an offer, aims to secure $2.2 bil for co.
Allen spent most of the 1990s repositioning himself as a mini syndication mogul. Now he wants to buy Paxson's neglected stable of TV stations and turn it into a network targeted at African-Americans.
"We just want to unleash the value of one of the greatest distribution outlets out there, and that is Pax," Allen says. "Our intent is to make an offer."
Allen says he's in the process of securing $2.2 billion for the company, which consists of around 60 TV stations.
Paxson and NBC U, which owns a 32% stake, say they're not in negotiations with Allen. But that's not stopping him from drawing up plans.
Allen would continue to air infomercials as most of the ad hoc network's programming, outside of primetime. There, for starters, he'd run repeats of his own syndicated fare -- such as "Entertainers With Byron Allen," which consists mostly of press-junket interviews with celebs. The producer-exec would like to eventually air original series targeted to African-Americans.
Launching a broadcast service -- particularly with little original product -- will be difficult. Just ask the architects behind Pax TV, which now airs on Paxson's mostly UHF stations.
After a last-ditch effort last year to rejuvenate its fare, Paxson will pull the plug on the family-friendly net.
Stations will return to an all-informercial format, which they ran prior to the launch of Pax TV in 1998.
