CHICAGO, IL – Media mogul Byron Allen and the fast-food giant McDonald’s have reached a settlement in a contentious $10 billion lawsuit that accused the corporation of racial discrimination in its advertising practices. The agreement, the financial terms of which remain confidential, was announced on June 13, 2025, just days before the case was scheduled to go to a jury trial in Los Angeles.
Allen, the owner of Allen Media Group which includes The Weather Channel and Entertainment Studios Networks, filed the lawsuit in May 2021. He alleged that McDonald’s systematically excluded Black-owned media from its general advertising budget, relegating them to a smaller, secondary “African American tier.” This practice, Allen argued, amounted to “racial stereotyping” and denied his networks the opportunity to compete for a fair share of the company’s substantial advertising expenditures. The lawsuit contended that Allen’s networks, which have broad viewership, were not given the same consideration as white-owned media with similar or even smaller audiences.
In a joint statement, both parties signaled a move toward a renewed business relationship. McDonald’s, while admitting no wrongdoing, stated it would increase its advertising with Allen’s companies…