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YouTube TV and Disney Reach Deal Ending Two-Week Blackout of ESPN, ABC

by jummy84 November 15, 2025

written by jummy84

ESPN, ABC and other Disney TV networks are coming back to YouTube TV.

Google and Disney finally ended their standoff, announcing a multiyear agreement Friday on pricing and terms for a renewed carriage deal for YouTube TV. Disney’s nets went dark on the internet TV service just before midnight ET on Thursday, Oct. 30, after the two sides remained far apart on a deal before the expiration of the previous contract.

Under the new agreement, ESPN’s full lineup of sports — including content from ESPN Unlimited — will be made available on YouTube TV to base-plan subscribers at no additional cost by the end of 2026. In addition, access to a selection of live and on-demand programming from ESPN Unlimited will be available inside YouTube TV.

The deal also lets YouTube include the Disney+ and Hulu bundle as part of “select YouTube offerings.” According to Disney, “select networks” will be included in various genre-specific packages that YouTube TV expects to launch in the future.

“This new agreement reflects our continued commitment to delivering exceptional entertainment and evolving with how audiences choose to watch,’’ Disney Entertainment co-chairmen Alan Bergman and Dana Walden and ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said in a joint statement. “It recognizes the tremendous value of Disney’s programming and provides YouTube TV subscribers with more flexibility and choice. We are pleased that our networks have been restored in time for fans to enjoy the many great programming options this weekend, including college football.”

In a statement, a YouTube spokesperson said Friday, “We’re happy to share that we’ve reached an agreement with Disney that preserves the value of our service for our subscribers and future flexibility in our offers. Subscribers should see channels including ABC, ESPN and FX returning to their service over the course of the day, as well as any recordings that were previously in their Library. We apologize for the disruption and appreciate our subscribers’ patience as we negotiated on their behalf. ”

The deal supersedes their prior distribution agreement, inked in December 2021 after a two-day blackout.

On Sunday (Nov. 9) YouTube began issuing one-time $20 credits to YouTube TV customers for the loss of Disney’s programming, in the hopes it would help stave off user cancelations.

Many YouTube TV subscribers dropped the service in frustration. According to a survey fielded last week, 24% of YouTube TV users said they had canceled or intended to cancel their accounts over the Disney blackout. A YouTube rep said that “while subscriber churn is always regrettable, it’s been manageable and does not align with the findings of this survey.” Disney took a hit, too, losing more than $4 million per day during the blackout, according to an estimate by Morgan Stanley analysts.

Google had said Disney was asking for an unprecedented fee increase for the full suite of ESPN channels, ABC local stations, FX, Disney Channel, Freeform, Nat Geo and more — while Disney claimed the tech giant was “refusing to pay fair rates for our channels.” According to Google, Disney was trying to “reset” the market pricing for its programming (so it could charge similarly higher rates in upcoming renewals with other pay-TV distributors) and that Disney was insisting YouTube TV take the Mouse House’s full lineup of networks. The negotiating teams were led by Disney Platform Distribution EVP Sean Breen and YouTube chief business officer Mary Ellen Coe.

The removal of Disney’s networks from YouTube TV came a day before a busy Nov. 1 Saturday slate for college football as major marquee teams face pivotal contests, many of them aired on ESPN and ABC. In light of the blackout, ESPN made its “College GameDay” football pregame show available free to watch via a livestream on X. YouTube TV customers also missed two airings of “Monday Night Football” on ABC and ESPN. (YouTube pointed out to users they could catch all of ESPN’s programming on the ESPN Unlimited subscription service.)

Along with Disney’s live channels, YouTube TV customers’ DVR recordings of the media conglomerate’s programming were removed, as is standard in such disputes. With the deal renewal, YouTube TV subscribers will regain access to recordings that were previously in their library, according to YouTube.

On Thursday, Disney CEO Bob Iger told analysts that the company had been “working tirelessly to close this deal” but said, “It’s also imperative that we make sure that we agree to a deal that reflects the value that we deliver, which both YouTube, by the way, and Alphabet, have told us, is greater than the value of any other provider.”

Disney Entertainment’s Walden and Bergman and ESPN’s Pitaro had previously addressed the impasse in several memos to staffers. “YouTube TV and its owner, Google, are not interested in achieving a fair deal with us,” the execs wrote in an Oct. 31 email. “Instead, they want to use their power and extraordinary resources to eliminate competition and devalue the very content that helped them build their service.”

Meanwhile, ahead of this year’s Election Night (Nov. 4), Disney asked Google to restore ABC on YouTube TV for one day to serve the “public interest.” Google declined — and instead suggested that Disney allow YouTube TV to make ABC and ESPN available while the two sides continued talks because those are “the channels that people want.” Disney didn’t go for the idea.

The Disney-Google clash became public Oct. 23, when Disney began alerting viewers that its networks could be removed from YouTube TV.

Disney has faced other tough negotiations with distributors amid the transition to ESPN Unlimited — the standalone streaming service launched in August that includes everything on the sports programmer’s lineup — and its continued investment in Disney+ and Hulu.

In 2023, Disney’s networks had a 10-day blackout on Charter Communications cable systems in a similar fight over price. To settle the Charter deal, Disney allowed Charter’s high-tier TV subscribers to access Disney+ and the ESPN+ streaming app. In 2024, ESPN and other Disney nets went dark on DirecTV for nearly two weeks before they reached a new deal. In October, Disney and Comcast quietly reached a carriage renewal deal.

Google has encountered no small amount of friction in deal-renewal talks this year for YouTube TV. Other programmers that have fought with the internet company include Paramount Global (now Paramount Skydance), Fox Corp. and NBCUniversal — each of which reached a new deal without a blackout. At the end of September, YouTube TV dropped Univision, with Google alleging the price increases sought by parent company TelevisaUnivision were drastically out of line with viewership on the platform.

YouTube TV is the biggest internet-TV service in the U.S., estimated to have more than 10 million subscribers. Next is Disney, which last week closed a deal to merge its Hulu + Live TV business with Fubo; together, those have almost 6 million subs in North America. Google had asserted Disney’s hardball tactics over a YouTube TV deal was “benefiting their own live TV products, including Hulu + Live TV and Fubo.”

November 15, 2025 0 comments

TV & Streaming

Disney And YouTube TV Reach Carriage Deal, Ending 15-Day Standoff

by jummy84 November 15, 2025

written by jummy84

Disney and YouTube TV have reached a carriage agreement, ending a pitched battle that dragged on for 15 days, frustrating consumers and fascinating the media business.

Included in the multi-year pact are carriage of ABC and ESPN, a portfolio of other networks. The Unlimited tier of ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer streaming outlet will also be included at no extra charge for YouTube TV’s 10 million subscribers. The bundle of Disney+ and Hulu will also be made available in “select YouTube offerings,” the companies said, and certain networks will also be part of genre-specific packages.

The genre packages and access to the new ESPN streaming service, which launched in August as a major hedge against cord-cutting, had been on the priority list for Disney negotiators for months. While comments by executives largely centered on disputes over pricing and fair market value, a sticking point in the negotiations – ingestion – reflected the complexities of the streaming era. The new pact includes a form of ingestion, but not into YouTube’s channel store. Content from ESPN Unlimited will be incorporated into the user experience of YouTube TV, allowing subscribers to view it within the app as opposed to having to jump out to the ESPN app.

“This new agreement reflects our continued commitment to delivering exceptional entertainment and evolving with how audiences choose to watch,’’ Disney Entertainment Co-Chairmen Alan Bergman and Dana Walden and ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro. “It recognizes the tremendous value of Disney’s programming and provides YouTube TV subscribers with more flexibility and choice. We are pleased that our networks have been restored in time for fans to enjoy the many great programming options this weekend, including college football.”

YouTube TV, which has grown into one of the top U.S. pay-TV providers since launching in 2017, will restore programming, including titles stored on cloud DVRs, from Disney over the next 24 hours. The restoration came in time for viewers to be able to tune in for a packed college football slate and Monday Night Football‘s Dallas Cowboys-Las Vegas Raiders game. At 15 days, the blackout was the longest ever for Disney and was threatening to extend a drought of college football to a third weekend in the prime of the season.

“We’re happy to share that we’ve reached an agreement with Disney that preserves the value of our service for our subscribers and future flexibility in our offers,” a YouTube spokesperson said in a statement. “Subscribers should see channels including ABC, ESPN and FX returning to their service over the course of the day, as well as any recordings that were previously in their Library. We apologize for the disruption and appreciate our subscribers’ patience as we negotiated on their behalf. “

November 15, 2025 0 comments

Music

Universal Music Group and AI Music Company Udio Reach Agreement in Lawsuit

by jummy84 October 30, 2025

written by jummy84

Universal Music Group (UMG) and Udio, an artificial intelligence (AI) developer focused on music, have reached an agreement in last year’s copyright infringement lawsuit, which UMG, Sony Music, Warner Music Group, and the Recording Industry Association of America brought against Udio and Suno. At the time, UMG accused Udio of copyright infringement on an “almost unimaginable scale” and training its AI models on the label’s recordings. A press release from UMG states that the two companies will now “collaborate on an innovative, new commercial music creation, consumption, and streaming experience,” as Billboard notes. The deal also includes a compensatory legal settlement for UMG.

UMG’s lawsuit against Udio was focused solely on infringement of the company’s sound recordings; the new agreement has established a licensing framework for UMG’s sound recordings as well as songs and publishing assets. Participating UMG artists and songwriters will receive financial compensation for the training of AI models and for its outputs. The new collaborative platform launches in 2026, and UMG artists and songwriters can opt in to participate. Songs created using Udio’s current model will be “controlled within a walled garden,” fingerprinted, and filtered before the new effects go into place.

“The new subscription service will transform the user engagement experience, creating a licensed and protected environment to customize, stream, and share music responsibly, on the Udio platform,” reads the press release. Billboard reports that users can create mashups, remixes, and tempo changes to existing, licensed works; swap vocals with UMG artists’ voices who opted in to the program; and can only listen to the creations within the service.

In a statement, Udio co-founder and chief executive Andrew Sanchez said, “This moment brings to life everything we’ve been building toward—uniting AI and the music industry in a way that truly champions artists. Together, we’re building the technological and business landscape that will fundamentally expand what’s possible in music creation and engagement.”

UMG chairman and chief executive Lucian Grainge added, “These new agreements with Udio demonstrate our commitment to do what’s right by our artists and songwriters, whether that means embracing new technologies, developing new business models, diversifying revenue streams or beyond. We look forward to working with Andrew who shares our belief that together, we can foster a healthy commercial AI ecosystem in which artists, songwriters, music companies and technology companies can all flourish and create incredible experiences for fans.”

October 30, 2025 0 comments

Halle Bailey And DDG Drop Restraining Orders And Reach Temporary Custody Agreement For Halo (Exclusive Details)

Celebrity News

Halle Bailey & DDG Drop Restraining Orders, Reach Custody Deal

by jummy84 October 28, 2025

written by jummy84

Halle Bailey and DDG have agreed to drop the domestic violence restraining orders (DVRO) they had against one another. They have also agreed on a temporary custody agreement for their son Halo. Signed documents obtained by The Shade Room show that both parties are finally aligned on plans for the next few months.

RELATED: Flo Milli Teases New Track Supporting Halle Bailey Amid Her Custody Battle With DDG (AUDIO)

As The Shade Room previously reported, Halle filed a DVRO on May 13, 2025, and DDG filed his on June 3, 2025. Earlier this month, DDG spoke about the rift in their relationship in his song ’17 More Years.’ In the record the rapper yearned for normalcy and advocated for Bailey to drop the court case. Well DDG’s wish seemingly came true!

Details About The Next 120 Days Of Halo’s Custody

The temporary custody agreement will commence in phases. For the first 60 days, DDG will have physical custody of Halo every Wednesday from morning until evening. He will also have Halo each month on the second and fourth Saturday. Halle will have Halo all other times. For the 60 days after that, DDG will be allowed to have his son overnight on some days. He will also have Halo from Wednesday to Thursday and every Saturday. For the holiday schedule, Halo will be with his dad on Halloween and Father’s Day. Halle will have him on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and New Year’s Day. Halle and DDG will split time with him on Christmas Day and his birthday.

What Else To Know About Halle & DDG’s Agreement

The agreement also states that neither Halle Bailey or DDG can post Halo or any information regarding him on social media. They must also ensure that their families comply with the order. They have also agreed not to disparage or speak ill of one another publicly or in the presence of Halo. So looks like fans won’t be getting cute Halo clips anytime soon. The stars’ next court date set for November 5.

Review Updated Court Documents Below

Halle Bailey & DDG Drop Restraining Orders, Reach Custody Deal

Halo Parents Reach Custody Agreement

Halle Bailey & DDG Drop Restraining Orders, Reach Custody Deal

Halo Parents Reach Custody Agreement

RELATED: New Era Loading! Halle Bailey Comes Through With Rare Life Update Ahead Of Major Career Move

What Do You Think Roomies?

October 28, 2025 0 comments

TV & Streaming

Lyon’s Classic Film Market Expands With AI, Platforms, Global Reach

by jummy84 October 3, 2025

written by jummy84

The International Classic Film Market (MIFC), the world’s only market dedicated to restoring and promoting heritage films, returns to Lyon alongside the Lumière Film Festival for its 13th edition expected to draw a record number of participants.

“All our indicators are up, both in terms of newcomers and international participants,” co-head Anaïs Desrieux told Variety.

Three high-profile guests of honor underscore the festival’s global reach: Andrea Kalas, VP of Media and Archival Services at Iron Mountain, Justine Ryst, YouTube’s France chief, and Gaëtan Bruel, the new head of the France’s film board CNC.

Another sign of the market’s growing industry pull comes from U.K.-based Park Circus, which joins this year as an official partner. The company handles global distribution of heritage titles for major U.S. studios as well as British and European libraries. CEO Douglas Davis will join Studiocanal’s Pauline Saint-Hilaire and Mk2 Films’ Benoit Claro for a roundtable on building international distribution strategies for heritage film.

Technology remains a hot topic, notably the use of AI in classic film preservation and restoration, with a focus this year on subtitling and dubbing. The debate will bring together heritage film conservation outfit Vectracom, Phont, a start-up specialised in so-called “emotional subtitling,” and translators’ representatives.

“No one at the table is opposed to progress, but the real challenge is to ensure that this innovation truly qualifies as such for the whole ecosystem,” said Desrieux. Co-head Gérald Duchaussoy added “subtitles are not neutral – subtitling is a creative activity that shapes how films are understood.”

New tools will be on display at the Classics Innovation Corner, where startups such as Phont, AI-powered search and licensing platform Refractio, and distributor-oriented CN Films will present their tech.

Another key theme is the growing role of streaming services in the circulation of heritage cinema, which Ryst is sure to address as she spotlights YouTube’s 20th anniversary.

“There is a great heritage offer on YouTube, with access to films, archives and programs dedicated to classic films, and content creators engaging whole new audiences,” said Duchaussoy.

Case studies will feature Sooner – the new merger of French streamers Universciné and Filmo –, heritage film platform LaCinetek, and entertainment site Allociné, which is launching a dedicated service, Allociné Classique. “Thanks to these platforms, the films are not just being preserved, they are being reintroduced to audiences in the digital era,” Desrieux noted.

From digital strategies to face-to-face deal-making, circulation remains a priority for organizers, with initiatives like the popular Re>Birth program, now in its third edition. The showcase pitches either recently restored titles carrying the Lumière Classics label or works seeking restoration partners for 10-minute sessions followed by one-to-one meetings aimed at sparking deals.

Hungary provides an inspiring example as country of honor thanks to its strong track-record in preservation and circulation through events such as the Budapest Classic Film Marathon. MIFC regular György Ráduly, head of the Hungarian National Film Archive, will be among the guests.

Other highlights include debates on the new AgoraEU program, Europe’s audiovisual heritage policy, and the power of curated retrospectives, with this year’s tributes to Martin Ritt and Konrad Wolf illustrating how restorations drive a second life in theaters, festivals, on TV and platforms. France’s arthouse exhibitors’ association, AFCAE, which marks its 70th anniversary, will examine the future of classic film on the big screen.

As always, there will be the market’s staple sessions, from catalogue holders’ previews to distributors’ line-ups and dedicated events for exhibitors.

African cinema will also take the spotlight with a showcase of the new podcast series “Cineastes d’Afrique,” celebrating pioneers of African filmmaking.

Looking to the future, a new European student workshop will bring together some 40 students from six universities to work with professionals in the heritage field. “We want to help the next generation build connections that will shape the sector’s future,” said Desrieux.

For Duchaussoy, the workshop reflects the market’s broader mission: “Heritage cinema is not just about looking back,” he said. “It’s about imagining the future, with new professionals, new technologies and new audiences.”

As Desrieux summed up, “Our goal is to give the heritage sector a stronger international framework and profile. That means bringing players together, questioning our practices and creating real business opportunities around the circulation of classic films.”

The MIFC runs in Lyon over Oct. 14–Oct. 17.

October 3, 2025 0 comments

Events

Reach announces University of Greenwich as 2026 university partner and DRPG named as second-time donor

by jummy84 September 30, 2025

written by jummy84

The Reach (Race, Ethnicity And Cultural Heritage) Events Scholarship Initiative has confirmed the University of Greenwich as its 2026 university partner, aligning the programme with one of the UK’s most diverse student communities and a leading centre for events and hospitality education.

Mary Ivers, Associate Director of External Engagement, University of Greenwich, said: “We’re delighted to partner with REACH Events Management Scholarship to create meaningful opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds in the events and hospitality industry. This collaboration reflects our commitment to inclusive education and ensuring all our students have the support and connections they need to build successful careers in their chosen fields.”

Robert Kenward, co-founder of Reach, said: “Confirming the University of Greenwich as our 2026 partner is a brilliant next step for Reach and for the students we exist to support. As we enter our fourth year, we’re moving from good intentions to durable impact. This is about longevity and legacy: a community-led programme that keeps widening who gets to thrive in our sector.”

DRPG has confirmed it will again sponsor the programme for the 2026 intake of students having been one of the first to support the programme since its inception. Dale Parmenter, CEO, added: “Breaking into the events industry shouldn’t depend on where you’re from or who you are. It should be about what value you can bring to the industry and how someone’s natural talent can be nurtured and grown. Talent is everywhere, but opportunity isn’t necessarily. That’s why we’re backing the REACH Scholarship again for 2026, this time with the University of Greenwich. This programme isn’t about ticking boxes, it’s about making real, lasting change. Creating an industry that’s truly representative and inclusive for the good of everyone. We just need to step up and make room at the table. It’s that simple.”

This announcement follows the launch last month of ‘Reach 2.0’ – a legacy-driven restructure that formalises governance, strengthens delivery, and sets a clear path to scale scholarships from three to five per year. The refreshed model introduces an Advisory Board to steer strategy, operations and decision-making, supported by active working parties across social, PR, coaching & alumni, events and fundraising.

About the Reach Events Scholarship

Launched in 2022, Reach provides students with £5,000 per year for three years to support Black, Asian and underrepresented minority ethnic students on events management degree programmes.

Scholarships are funded by industry donors who pledge £5,000 per year for three years. Beyond funding, Reach integrates students into the working world through work experience, internships, networking and employment opportunities facilitated by its partner network.

To date, Reach has partnered with Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Hertfordshire; the University of Greenwich now joins as the confirmed 2026 partner.

September 30, 2025 0 comments

Music

Quinta Brunson And Kevin Anik Reach Divorce Settlement

by jummy84 September 28, 2025

written by jummy84

Abbott Elementary star and creator Quinta Brunson and her estranged husband, Kevin Anik, have reportedly reached an agreement in their pending divorce. According to TMZ, Brunson filed documents that claim she and Anik have a written, mutual agreement on how to divide their property. The next step is for a judge to sign off on the settlement to finalize the divorce.

The Philadelphia native initially filed to legally dissolve her marriage in March. According to court documents, “irreconcilable differences” was cited as the cause of their split, and they “entered into a postnuptial agreement which governs the disposition of their property, and requested that each party cover their own attorney’s fees.

Brunson and Anik were wed in October 2021; however, the Emmy Award winner kept her life private. Most fans were not aware of her relationship until her 2022 acceptance speech.

Quinta Brunson at The Walt Disney Company’s 77th Emmy Awards Party held at Vibiana on September 14, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

Chad Salvador/Variety via Getty Images

“Even if you don’t give a lot, people want whatever they can get, and will take whatever they can get,” she explained to Bustle in June. “I remember seeing people be like, ‘She announced her divorce.’ I didn’t announce anything. I think people have this idea that people in the public eye want the public to know their every move. None of us do. I promise you.”

“No one wants [everyone] to know when you buy a house, when you move, when a major change happens in your personal life — it’s just that that’s public record information,” she continued. “I hate all of it.”

In the same interview, the 35-year-old also exclaimed, “Abbott has been so successful, and I want to use that success to get other people’s projects off the ground,” about her career future.

September 28, 2025 0 comments

Celebrity News

Sportsnet and Apple TV reach deal for Jays game

by jummy84 September 18, 2025

written by jummy84

TORONTO – Baseball fans will now be able to watch the Toronto Blue Jays’ potential playoff clincher Friday night in Kansas City on the team’s regular broadcast home in Canada.

Sportsnet, the club’s Canadian rights-holder, said Thursday it had struck a deal with Apple TV to simulcast the game on Rogers airwaves.

Entering Thursday’s games, Toronto’s magic number to clinch a post-season berth was three.

Before the deal, only Apple TV subscribers would have been able to watch the Blue Jays’ series opener against the Royals, which could seal Toronto’s spot in the 12-team post-season.

“This is a really exciting time of year for Blue Jays fans, and we wanted to try and find a way for Canadians to watch Friday’s game on Sportsnet, especially at this pivotal moment of the season,” a Rogers spokesperson said in an email. “In working with the Blue Jays, Major League Baseball and Apple TV, glad we found a way.”

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Almost all Blue Jays games air on the national sports network. A handful of Toronto games throughout the 162-game season air on Apple TV+ as part of the streamer’s partnership with MLB.

In a post on its website, Sportsnet said it will carry the Apple TV+ production of the game broadcast. The network added it would produce its regular pre-game show and post-game coverage.

Sportsnet said it recently approached MLB to engage the streamer on a potential deal.

In its website post, Sportsnet said that MLB facilitated an agreement, which will also see Apple TV take over exclusive broadcast rights of Toronto’s home game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sept. 26.

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The regular season continues through Sept. 28.

Toronto last made the playoffs in 2023. The Blue Jays were swept in their last three post-season appearances dating back to 2020.

Toronto hasn’t won a post-season game since making a second straight American League Championship Series appearance in 2016. The Blue Jays last won the World Series in 1993.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2025.

&copy 2025 The Canadian Press

September 18, 2025 0 comments

Celebrity News

Naomi Osaka Eliminates Coco Gauff At The U.S. Open To Reach Her 1st Major Quarterfinal Since 2021

by jummy84 September 2, 2025

written by jummy84

Naomi Osaka Eliminates Coco Gauff At The U.S. Open To Reach Her 1st Major Quarterfinal Since 2021

#NaomiOsaka is back!?

She cruised past #CocoGauff (No. 3) 6-3, 6-2 to reach her first #GrandSlam quarterfinal since 2021! The No. 23 seed looked sharp and composed, barely losing a serve on her way back to the top stage.

In a post-match interview, Naomi expressed:

“I just had so much fun out here. I was in the stands like, two months after I gave birth to my daughter, watching Coco. I just really wanted an opportunity to come out here and play. This is my favorite court in the world and it means so much to me to be back here.”

Did you watch the match?

September 2, 2025 0 comments

Events

Reach 2.0 launches: New Advisory Board, stronger Ambassador network, and a plan to scale scholarships

by jummy84 August 21, 2025

written by jummy84

The Reach Events Scholarship Initiative today unveils ‘Reach 2.0’ – a legacy-driven restructure that formalises governance, strengthens delivery, and sets a clear path to grow scholarships from three to five per year.

The Reach (Race Ethnicity And Cultural Heritage) Events Scholarship Initiative was launched in 2022 to provide a fund and help support Black, Asian and unrepresented minority ethnic students to study on events management degree programmes and enter the industry. The initiative works to provide £5,000 yearly scholarships to support event management degree students at university with their living expenses over three years of study. Students apply directly to the university, who then select the candidates and arrange the funding.

The scholarships are funded by industry donations; organisations pledge to give £5,000 per year for three years. Reach has grown to offer students more than the scholarship – it is also integrating students in the working world by introducing them to employers for work experience, internships, networking and employment opportunities.

Reach 2.0 is a refreshed model, introducing an Advisory Board to steer strategy, operations and decision-making, alongside active working parties across social, PR, coaching & alumni, events and fundraising.

Robert Kenward, co-founder, Reach: “As we enter our fourth year, Reach has grown beyond what one or two people can do. I’m incredibly grateful to the industry friends who helped get us here – Priya Narain, Marty Fullard, Gabby Austen-Browne and Jonathan Sibley are superstars, and now Reach needs to have longevity and legacy so it needs to stand on its own feet with shared ownership. Reach 2.0 puts specialists around the table, organised into working parties that deliver measurable, actionable outcomes and also more visibility for the programme.”

Kenward continues: “We did good work in the past; now we’re set up to do great work for the long term. My focus is securing five donors a year (up from three) so we can fund more scholars, while an engaged Advisory Board leads the programme’s overall strategy and deliverables. I’m an ally, not a person of colour, and as one of our ambassadors so eloquently put it, ‘you can’t be what you can’t see.’ That’s why this next phase is community-led, designed to outlive me and keep championing who gets to thrive in our sector.”

Anupa White, director, Principal Global Events and Advisory Board director: “The Reach Events Scholarship is about more than opening doors – it’s about changing the face of our industry. By providing funding, mentorship, and invaluable connections, we are empowering talented Black, Asian, and minority-ethnic students to step into the events, MICE, and hospitality sectors with confidence. I’m thrilled to welcome such a diverse and talented group to our Advisory Board and ambassador team. Their expertise and passion will be invaluable in driving the Reach Events Scholarship forward.”

Advisory Board

Robert Kenward, fitability® recruiter & founder, Jigsaw Talent Solutions
Anupa White, director, Principal Global Events
Janine Hart, managing director, Pure Communications Group
Nadu Placca Rodriguez, CEO, The Zoo XYZ
Rummanah Promi, event co-ordinator, BUTL
Samantha Salisbury, events manager, Jonsam Events Ltd

Ambassadors

Roeleen Johnson, head of account management & implementation, Hotel and Travel Solutions Ltd
Diana Frederiksen, head of business development, conferences & events, Excel London
Cherise Scotland, people and culture manager, EMC3
David Ogiste, founder, Nobody’s Café

To date, Reach has partnered with Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Hertfordshire, with the university partner for 2026 to be announced later this year.

Companies that are interested in making a positive and long-term impact to D&I in the industry can contact Robert Kenward ([email protected]) for more information.

August 21, 2025 0 comments

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