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Black Entertainment Television (BET) is a cable television network target towards the African-American demographic. The network is essentially the urban equivalent of MTV, as most of its programming comprises of hip hop and R&B music videos and related programs.
Format
BET was founded by Robert L. Johnson in January of 1980. Johnson was also the chairman and chief executive officer of BET until handing over the title of CEO to Debra Lee. In 2001, BET was purchased by Viacom and then merged into its subsidiary, MTV Networks, but then, because of the outcry of the network's workers, Viacom de-integrated BET from MTV Networks.
On weekdays and Saturdays, BET focuses mainly on music programming with shows like 106 and Park and Rap City, while also airing black sitcoms such as The Parkers, black dramas like Soul Food, a stand-up comedy program called Comic View, and various black movies.
On Sundays, BET carries gospel music and other religious programming for the greater part of the day, and is home to many shows, including Let's Talk Church, hosted by Bobby Jones, a well-known and liked Gospel singer within the black community.
BET has three other music-oriented networks in its stable, BET Hip-Hop, BET Gospel, and the most widely known BET Jazz (formerly BET on Jazz).
Criticism
Many critics, from Public Enemy rapper Chuck D , to journalist George Curry , to students at University of Maryland, College Park and Howard University , to writer Keith Boykin , to cartoonist Aaron McGruder of The Boondocks, have protested BET's programming and actions. One of the most commonly-heard criticisms is the fact that the network is almost solely based upon music entertainment, hip hop music in particular, and does not focus on the public affairs of the black community. This is a problem that has been made worse by Viacom's cutbacks of BET's public affairs department and the firing of BET Tonight talk show host and social commentator Tavis Smiley in March 2001 . BET then went on to discontinue BET Tonight altogether, along with the youth panel program Teen Summit and morning news broadcast Lead Story, in 2002.
It did, however, also launch a daily newscast, BET Nightly News with Jackie Reid, which began in 1999. It was replaced in October 2005 by a new news operation, still with Jackie Reid as the main anchor, that delivers news updates on BET throughout the day, not just at night.
The network has been noted to ban artists for videos that reach a broader propective. Eminem was one of the first artist to have one of his videos banned on BET after protest from Michael Jackson, Steve Harvey and others after the release of "Just Lose It". The response backfired after critics stated that Eminem video parody is far tamed than the Nelly's "Tipdrill" video that makes derogratory references as well as degrading images of women.
The channel has also undergone criticism by many black people who feel that the channel helps to perpetuate harmful black stereotypes by airing mostly hip-hop videos, aimed at young people, that often have misogynistic, materialistic, and/or violent themes. Detractors are also quick to point out the irony they see in the network's choice to also show strong religious programming once a week. The dramatic series and sitcoms that the network have aired have all been reruns, including, in the past, shows such as Amen and 227, and currently Girlfriends, The Parkers, and the Soul Food series.
The network's success, and the controversy over its content, has spawned a few smaller competitors aiming toward the African-American market. The most prominent competitor, TV One, mostly eschews BET's music-based programming for more family-oriented fare.
Popular Original BET Shows
- 106 & Park: BET's Top 10 Live
- Rap City
- BET's Comic View
- BET: Uncut
- BET.com Countdown
- BET Style