The launch was supposed to be yesterday, but it looks like it still didn't happen, so you can still get a year of service for $19.99
A Black Woman has created a video streaming service aimed at Black People called kweliTV
- Thread starter Responsible Allen Iverson
- Start date
dora_da_destroyer
Master Baker
What content is on here? Just bootleg straight to DVD trash or is she curating the classics like love jones, color purple, BNTH, etc.
I really just want a streaming service to have a good selection of black movies, not the "wtf is this" titles that come free on xfinity or find their way to netflix
I really just want a streaming service to have a good selection of black movies, not the "wtf is this" titles that come free on xfinity or find their way to netflix
This Streaming Service Is Changing The Narrative About Black Communities In the Media
This Streaming Service Is Changing The Narrative About Black Communities In the Media
Alana Matos ,
Contributor
Credit: CMediaUSA
If you’ve ever found yourself frustrated by mainstream TV shows, you are not alone. It seems as if today, more than ever, we are constantly bombarded with negative press and endless reality TV. For minorities, the lack of quality content is even more startling, as many shows present characters based on outlandish stereotypes. From TV shows depicting Latinas as housekeepers to others showing Black men as criminals– the list is truly endless. What’s worse, the way people of color are portrayed in the media has a negative effect on the way these communities are perceived.
Enter Kweli.tv, a video streaming service that is looking to change this narrative. Kweli.tv is a platform similar to Netflix or Hulu, but with a twist: their content is entirely composed of films made by members of the African diaspora. As of today, the platform hosts 270 films by over 100 filmmakers from all around the world, half of which are women. Their content is highly curated, with over 98% of films having been featured in international film festivals and more than half having won awards.
The goal for the platform is simple: Kweli.tv strives to tell authentic stories about the Black community through film. What’s special about the platform is that it has a global perspective of the Black experience– you can watch films made by people from as far as Nigeria, Ghana, Brazil and France as well as the United States. The platform has over 15,000 users worldwide, a number reached almost exclusively by word of mouth– the business is completely bootstrapped.
I sat down with DeShuna Spencer, founder of Kweli.tv, to talk about her motivation in starting this company. She tells me that, from as long as she can remember, she always felt a dissatisfaction with the way communities of color were presented in the media. “I’ve always really cared about the issue of representation, particularly for black people. My background is in journalism, but early on I realized I didn’t want to do that forever. I didn’t like that a lot of the stories on Black and Latino communities were really negative, and focused on them committing crimes, without displaying any of the positive aspects.”
After Spencer graduated from college, she started working at a newspaper, but soon decided that she wanted to work on something of her own. She wanted to create something that would empower and uplift people, instead of tearing them down. That led her to start Empower Magazine, an online magazine focused on telling the stories of people of color with the to goal to motivate readers to take action. “I really loved Empower. We would honor people in the DC area that were doing positive work in the community. I loved highlighting their stories.”
Spencer tells me that while she was working on Empower, she became increasingly frustrated with the portrayal of black communities on television. She explains that, although she doesn’t watch reality TV, she was always taken aback by the negative depiction of women on different TV shows. “You always see clips and commercials of black women fighting each other, throwing drinks at each other’s faces. My friends and I aren’t like that, we don’t talk to each other like that. I didn’t see the women that I know on television.”
She decided to do some research into this issue. To her surprise, she was unable to find quality content on most networks and streaming services that portray Black and Latino communities. In particular, content made by filmmakers from communities of color was extremely scarce. This frustration motivated her to take action. “That was the ‘aha!’ moment for me because starting Kweli.tv gave me the opportunity to create a platform where I could tell authentic stories and also have people be engaged.”
I asked Spencer what her first steps were in creating her platform. She tells me that she started off by doing research on how Netflix got started. While this information isn’t widely available, she was slowly able to piece together information on how they built their service.
“When I was working on my magazine, I paid someone to put together a nice WordPress site. You simply can’t pay someone to build a streaming service. So I had to figure it out. I learned that Netflix uses AWS, and I gathered information on how they distribute to different parts of the world, and how they reduce buffering. In fact, if you go to the AWS website, you can check out a case study on Netflix’s early days.”
One thing I love about Spencer's story is her clear resilience in this process. She tells me that in the beginning, she set up a quick site to let everyone know that her platform was launching soon. At around the same time, she participated in a pitch competition and, while she made it to the finals, she did not win. When she asked the judges what they didn’t like about her application, they explained that they were unsure of the future of streaming services. “When you think about it, this is back in 2012– at the time it was only Netflix and Hulu, and that’s it. HBO, Showtime, no one else was streaming. But I really felt like that was the future.”
After that event, she experienced a series of personal trials and deaths in her family, including her father getting diagnosed with cancer. She tells me that it was a trying for her and that she was preoccupied with all of the different things happening her life. This forced her to put her plans for Kweli.tv on hold. Still, she knew she wanted to pursue this– it was her passion.
After some time had passed, she found out about another pitch competition that she was interested in and decided to apply on a whim. This time, she won. “I tell everyone that I stopped sleeping after that day. Seriously! I work all the time, so I haven’t really slept since. I got the money from that competition at around January 2015, and with that, we were able to build our beta.”
When I ask her how she has been able to acquire so much content for the platform, she explains that her process is very simple: she makes as many connections as possible. Her day to day consists of spending hours on email talking to people around the world, and vetting content to post. Because her platform is so unique, filmmakers come to her through word of mouth, which keeps her busy. “If a filmmaker is on the other side of the world in Nigeria, and the only time they are available is at 6:00 am my time, then I take the call then.”
Still, despite the challenges, Spencer tells me that the most rewarding part has been the positive reaction she has gotten from people. She tells me that she receives multiple emails a day of people congratulating her, and thanking her for her work.
“When you start anything, you don’t know who is going to like it. I mean, you know your mom or spouse are going to like it, they’ll support you. But strangers around the world? It’s so rewarding. When I was working on our MVP, I was so scared that no one would use it. But I’m pleasantly surprised that people get it. I’m helping to dispel stereotypes about Black communities. And although this is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, I rather do this every day than work on something I don’t love. I really believe in this.”
If you’re interested in contacting DeShuna Spencer about her platform, you can contact her at deshuna@kweli.tv.
This Streaming Service Is Changing The Narrative About Black Communities In the Media
Alana Matos ,
Contributor
Credit: CMediaUSA
If you’ve ever found yourself frustrated by mainstream TV shows, you are not alone. It seems as if today, more than ever, we are constantly bombarded with negative press and endless reality TV. For minorities, the lack of quality content is even more startling, as many shows present characters based on outlandish stereotypes. From TV shows depicting Latinas as housekeepers to others showing Black men as criminals– the list is truly endless. What’s worse, the way people of color are portrayed in the media has a negative effect on the way these communities are perceived.
Enter Kweli.tv, a video streaming service that is looking to change this narrative. Kweli.tv is a platform similar to Netflix or Hulu, but with a twist: their content is entirely composed of films made by members of the African diaspora. As of today, the platform hosts 270 films by over 100 filmmakers from all around the world, half of which are women. Their content is highly curated, with over 98% of films having been featured in international film festivals and more than half having won awards.
The goal for the platform is simple: Kweli.tv strives to tell authentic stories about the Black community through film. What’s special about the platform is that it has a global perspective of the Black experience– you can watch films made by people from as far as Nigeria, Ghana, Brazil and France as well as the United States. The platform has over 15,000 users worldwide, a number reached almost exclusively by word of mouth– the business is completely bootstrapped.
I sat down with DeShuna Spencer, founder of Kweli.tv, to talk about her motivation in starting this company. She tells me that, from as long as she can remember, she always felt a dissatisfaction with the way communities of color were presented in the media. “I’ve always really cared about the issue of representation, particularly for black people. My background is in journalism, but early on I realized I didn’t want to do that forever. I didn’t like that a lot of the stories on Black and Latino communities were really negative, and focused on them committing crimes, without displaying any of the positive aspects.”
After Spencer graduated from college, she started working at a newspaper, but soon decided that she wanted to work on something of her own. She wanted to create something that would empower and uplift people, instead of tearing them down. That led her to start Empower Magazine, an online magazine focused on telling the stories of people of color with the to goal to motivate readers to take action. “I really loved Empower. We would honor people in the DC area that were doing positive work in the community. I loved highlighting their stories.”
Spencer tells me that while she was working on Empower, she became increasingly frustrated with the portrayal of black communities on television. She explains that, although she doesn’t watch reality TV, she was always taken aback by the negative depiction of women on different TV shows. “You always see clips and commercials of black women fighting each other, throwing drinks at each other’s faces. My friends and I aren’t like that, we don’t talk to each other like that. I didn’t see the women that I know on television.”
She decided to do some research into this issue. To her surprise, she was unable to find quality content on most networks and streaming services that portray Black and Latino communities. In particular, content made by filmmakers from communities of color was extremely scarce. This frustration motivated her to take action. “That was the ‘aha!’ moment for me because starting Kweli.tv gave me the opportunity to create a platform where I could tell authentic stories and also have people be engaged.”
I asked Spencer what her first steps were in creating her platform. She tells me that she started off by doing research on how Netflix got started. While this information isn’t widely available, she was slowly able to piece together information on how they built their service.
“When I was working on my magazine, I paid someone to put together a nice WordPress site. You simply can’t pay someone to build a streaming service. So I had to figure it out. I learned that Netflix uses AWS, and I gathered information on how they distribute to different parts of the world, and how they reduce buffering. In fact, if you go to the AWS website, you can check out a case study on Netflix’s early days.”
One thing I love about Spencer's story is her clear resilience in this process. She tells me that in the beginning, she set up a quick site to let everyone know that her platform was launching soon. At around the same time, she participated in a pitch competition and, while she made it to the finals, she did not win. When she asked the judges what they didn’t like about her application, they explained that they were unsure of the future of streaming services. “When you think about it, this is back in 2012– at the time it was only Netflix and Hulu, and that’s it. HBO, Showtime, no one else was streaming. But I really felt like that was the future.”
After that event, she experienced a series of personal trials and deaths in her family, including her father getting diagnosed with cancer. She tells me that it was a trying for her and that she was preoccupied with all of the different things happening her life. This forced her to put her plans for Kweli.tv on hold. Still, she knew she wanted to pursue this– it was her passion.
After some time had passed, she found out about another pitch competition that she was interested in and decided to apply on a whim. This time, she won. “I tell everyone that I stopped sleeping after that day. Seriously! I work all the time, so I haven’t really slept since. I got the money from that competition at around January 2015, and with that, we were able to build our beta.”
When I ask her how she has been able to acquire so much content for the platform, she explains that her process is very simple: she makes as many connections as possible. Her day to day consists of spending hours on email talking to people around the world, and vetting content to post. Because her platform is so unique, filmmakers come to her through word of mouth, which keeps her busy. “If a filmmaker is on the other side of the world in Nigeria, and the only time they are available is at 6:00 am my time, then I take the call then.”
Still, despite the challenges, Spencer tells me that the most rewarding part has been the positive reaction she has gotten from people. She tells me that she receives multiple emails a day of people congratulating her, and thanking her for her work.
“When you start anything, you don’t know who is going to like it. I mean, you know your mom or spouse are going to like it, they’ll support you. But strangers around the world? It’s so rewarding. When I was working on our MVP, I was so scared that no one would use it. But I’m pleasantly surprised that people get it. I’m helping to dispel stereotypes about Black communities. And although this is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, I rather do this every day than work on something I don’t love. I really believe in this.”
If you’re interested in contacting DeShuna Spencer about her platform, you can contact her at deshuna@kweli.tv.
WickedGames
Superstar
Lord forgive me for laughing, first time I click the site and its down.
NormanConnors
Detroit/MSU Spartan Life
BLUE COLLAR HUSTLE TO STREAM ON KWELITV
KweliTV will become the latest streaming partner for Blue Collar Hustle’s first season, as announced by series creator Alonge Hawes.
The series follows the exploits of four millennials living in Stone Mountain, Ga. Who look to take destiny into their own hands by starting their own independent record label; all while juggling careers, relationships, and the realities that come with existing as black men in modern society. The series stars Alonge Hawes, Quentin Williams, Howard Woodburn, Roberto Cruz, Shani Hawes and Tijuana Agnew. Hawes created the series and also serves as executive producer. It is directed by Geoffrey Henderson and produced via Geoffrey’s Planet LLC.
Following its critically acclaimed first season, the series was nominated for two awards at the inaugural Minnesota Webfest for Best Drama and Best Representation Of Communities Of Color.
“Having Blue Collar Hustle become a part of KweliTV's rising star is both honoring and humbling,” Hawes previously said. “It has always been my intention to join with others as we rewrite the black American story. KweliTV is the perfect venue to do so.”
KweliTV was created by NewU Business Grant recipient and Harvard African Business New Venture Competition winner Deshuna Spencer in 2015, and since has curated a library of over 250 titles dedicated to producing and presenting original content representative of the African diaspora. Since it’s launch it has amassed over 15,000 registered users, with new content debuting every Wednesday. It runs a pricing tier for yearly subscriptions of $49.99 or monthly subscriptions of $5.99, with 24 hourrentals available at $3.99.
Blue Collar Hustle debuted in February 2017, and has since amassed over 40,000 views via its Youtube channel. It is also available to stream via Seeka.tv, Bingewave, and Go Indie TV. The complete first season will become available on KweliTV in early October.
BLUE COLLAR HUSTLE TO STREAM ON KWELI.TV
@Responsible Allen Iverson @KaliOshun @Gaspar Yanga @OmegaZero @Doomsday @Infamous45 @mcdivit85 @Sleepy Walker @The Black James Bond @Box Cutta @Prynce @Poitier @Trill Russell @Realdealholy @Buckeye Fever @NormanConnors
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That's a damn good look for KweliTV
breh. Bought to subscribe to this stream just off the strength of your show.
TransJenner
Banned
So you gotta pay for the movies
