Dedicated to telling Black stories, Arlington’s kweliTV is now streaming on Comcast platforms

Interactive streaming platform kweliTV has launched its services on Comcast’s Xfinity X1 and Xfinity Flex outlets.

Based in Alexandria, Virginia, kweliTV offers an ad-free subscription video on-demand service that features independent Black stories through indie films, documentaries, news and more. Comcast’s X1 and Flex customers can now subscribe to kweliTV for $5.99 a month.

“We’re elated that kweliTV’s compelling, indie programming is now on Comcast’s Xfinity X1 and Flex,” said kweliTV founder and CEO DeShuna Spencer in a statement. “This launch allows us to amplify the stories of our 250+ promising and award-winning independent — mostly black — filmmakers from the U.S. and abroad as well as access a broader audience looking for more content that features authentic black storytelling.”

Spencer began conceptualizing the business plan for kweliTV back in 2014. After winning $20,000 from a grant program, the former crime beat reporter began develop a beta prototype for the streaming service, and the company officially launched in the fall of 2017. The kweliTV platform was first available on Google Play, Roku and Apple TV and has since expanded to Amazon Fire and iOS. The company reports that 98% of the content featured on kweliTV come from film festival selections and 65% of the films have won awards.

“We want to be that space in which people — if they want to know what’s happening around the world — they come to us to learn about social justice issues affecting people of color,” Spencer told Technical.ly in 2018.

Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.

“Xfinity is proud to offer kweliTV on X1 and Flex and among our growing library of streaming options that highlight black culture within our Black Film & TV collection,” said Keesha Boyd, Comcast’s executive director of multicultural consumer services. “Getting to know DeShuna’s story as an entrepreneur and hearing her passion for finding independent content that centers on the global black community is beyond inspiring.”