ATLANTA – January 14, 2021 – AspireTV, the network that celebrates and reflects Black culture and urban lifestyle, has struck a deal with Kin, an entertainment company that creates unscripted programming that resonates with women ages 25+, to bring hit online series Side by Side to linear television. The network has licensed 40 half-hour episodes of Side by Side, a docu-follow show featuring twin sisters Malika and Khadijah Haqq, that will premiere Tuesday, Jan. 19 at 8 p.m. ET, with two additional series to be announced at a later date. This marks the first time that the series, which debuted in 2019 and has accrued almost 20 million views across Facebook Watch, YouTube, and Instagram, will be available to fans on linear television.
“As the network leader in Black and urban lifestyle programming, we are thrilled to be partnering with Kin, the leading producer of content in this category,” said Melissa Ingram, senior vice president, Multicultural Networks and Strategy, UP Entertainment. “The launch of Side by Side on AspireTV is just beginning of the fresh content we’ll be delivering to our viewers throughout the year.”
Michael Wayne, CEO of Kin, said, “We think AspireTV is the perfect television home for Side by Side. Our goal at Kin is to create successful unscripted entertainment franchises primarily distributed across social platforms. The partnership with AspireTV shows that talent like Malika and Khadijah can entertain audiences no matter what platform they watch it on.”
Side by Side features Malika and Khadijah Haqq, ride-or-die twins that rarely leave each other’s side, but their lives are anything but identical. Malika has just begun to navigate her way through motherhood with the arrival of her new baby son. On the other hand, Khadijah is a seasoned mother of three who loves spending quality time at home with her family. With different takes on romance, skincare, and how Khadijah really should have reacted to her son’s first girlfriend, they dish about it all. Side by Side lets fans get up close and personal with the twins, who are life-long models, actors, and co-stars on hit reality show Keeping Up with the Kardashians. The Haqq sisters are social media powerhouses with over 7.5 million social followers combined.
