Who is TAAN TV
TAAN TV is a digital television network dedicated to providing programming on-demand and via live streaming. We provide original programming produced by TAAN TV, talk shows that include sports, politics, community-based, and more; music shows, independent films, as well as remote coverage, and on-location broadcasting.
MEET THE CREATOR
LAURA THOMPSON
CREATOR | CEO
I was a member of a collaborative space in San Antonio, Texas. The organization that will remain nameless offered members $25,000 to startup and kickstart their business. I was one of a few African American businesses that had a membership there. When TAAN TV attempted to apply for the startup capital, we were immediately told that they wouldn’t be interested in investing in TAAN TV. They told me that I should start a YouTube Channel and told us that there was no need for a channel that targeted the African American community. Needless to say, I didn’t listen to them.
Even before I was turned down for startup capital, I worked for a local Internet company in San Antonio, Texas, and saw how the Internet could support some type of television platform, I just didn’t know how the technology could work. That was in 1995. So I decided to register the domain name, The African American Network and kept it. I’ve owned the name for almost 26 years. What foresight!
When I was growing up, I didn’t like history because I didn’t see very many successful African Americans in the history books. I didn’t really like television because there were not very many positive stories or shows about African Americans. Most of the content was either negative, portrayed African Americans as uneducated, working in low-level positions, or making fun of African American people.
Instead of complaining about why there were no positive shows about African Americans, I decided to create a platform where I controlled the content, the length of the shows, and a platform that provided African Americans with a voice and means to tell their own stories. And thus the African American Network was born.
Now, we are one of the leading providers of original content for African Americans and content produced/created by African Americans.
TAAN TV is changing the way African Americans see themselves and is changing the perception of how others see us. TAAN TV – The African American Network has a Local Feel with a Global Reach!
BOARD MEMBERS
LAURA THOMPSON
CEO/CHAIR OF THE BOARD
Laura Thompson studied Accounting at the University of Houston and Communications at Howard University. She is the Creator of TAAN TV – The African American Network. Laura has dedicated her entire working life to providing a platform to showcase the achievements of African Americans in various mediums. She was CEO of Laura Thompson Agency, an Advertising, and PR firm for 16 years. She is a published author and has founded several organizations that have served as a springboard to creating TAAN TV. Television has been a lifelong dream of Thompson and providing an outlet for African Americans to see themselves in a different light.
PHILIP TOWNSEND
VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
Philip Townsend is a graduate of Langston University in Langston, Oklahoma. He studied Communications and worked in the communications field in broadcasting and has his pulse on the entertainment industry. Townsend is a great decision-maker and pays attention to detail. Phil is a fact finder and loves to research before he speaks on a topic.
VANCE BRADFORD
CO-CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER/TREASURER OF THE BOARD
Vance Bradford has degrees in both Human Relations and Business Management. He is an excellent negotiator and has a knack for identifying talent. He has managed and cultivated opportunities for many national comedians, including, but not limited to Nephew Tommy with the Steve Harvey Morning Show; Reginald Ballard aka Bruh Man from the hit television show Martin; Juan Villareal, and the list goes on. He’s worked with major networks like BET, HBO, and ShowTime. His lifelong dream has been to create content for television. He’s produced multiple shows for TAAN TV like Jazz Plus, 69 Comedy, Dr. B’s Buzz, In the Room, and more.
LA JUANA CHAMBERS LAWSON
SECRETARY
Mrs. La Juana (LJ) Chambers Lawson MPA, PMP, LSSGB, as seen in the O, The Oprah Magazine, Entrepreneur, Forbes, and Voyage Dallas, is the Owner, CIO, and Principal Consultant of Tacit Growth (TGS) Strategies LLC, an IT project management firm best known for its international business development consulting. LJ prides herself on being a family-oriented educator, mentor, and perpetual learner.
ASHTON C. THOMPSON
BOARD MEMBER
Ashton Thompson is a graduate of Sanford Brown College where he studied Design. He’s a graphic designer, social media expert, manages many groups on Facebook, one of which Facebook specifically reached out to him to manage. He has a clothing line called Money on Stax and brings a young creative perspective to TAAN TV.