BET Media Group
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television broadcasting |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Founder | Robert L. Johnson |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | George Cheeks (President, CBS Entertainment Group) |
| Products | BET, BET Her, BET Gospel, BET Jams, BET Soul, BET+ |
| Owner | Paramount Global (through CBS Entertainment) |
| Parent | CBS Entertainment Group |
Black Entertainment Television LLC operates as the BET Media Group (previously known as BET Networks) and is an American television enterprise owned by the media giant Paramount Global through its CBS Entertainment division. Established in 1983 by entrepreneur Robert L. Johnson, BET was acquired by Viacom in 2001. The company primarily serves African American viewers via its flagship channel BET and affiliated networks, while also managing the streaming platform BET+. Additionally, Johnson founded AMC Networks-owned Allblk. BET is recognized for hosting the BET Awards, an event honoring Black artists and minority communities. In 2024, Skydance Media announced plans to acquire and merge with BET as part of a strategic growth initiative.
Origins
Robert L. Johnson, formerly a cable industry lobbyist, initially launched BET in 1980 as a programming segment on Madison Square Garden Sports Network (which later became USA Network), before establishing it as an independent channel in 1983.
In 1991, BET achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first Black-owned television company to be publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange, reflecting its growing market presence and financial success.
During the late 1990s, BET broadened its offerings with digital cable channels such as BET on Jazz (which was later renamed BET Her), focusing on jazz music and Black cultural content. In 1998, it partnered with Starz to launch BET Movies: Starz! 3, a premium channel dedicated to films targeting African American audiences. Following Viacom's acquisition of BET and its control over Showtime, BET withdrew from this partnership; the channel subsequently transformed into Starz InBlack.
Developments in the 2000s and 2010s
In 2000, Viacom declared its intention to purchase BET Holdings Inc. for more than $2.3 billion, finalizing the acquisition in 2001 and incorporating BET into MTV Networks before creating BET Networks as a separate division.
Robert Johnson stepped down as CEO in 2005, with Debra L. Lee taking over leadership. That same year, Viacom underwent restructuring, spinning off a new Viacom entity that encompassed MTV Networks, BET Networks, Paramount Pictures, and Famous Music (which was later sold in 2007), while CBS Corporation retained other assets.
By 2007, BET had expanded its network lineup to include music-centered channels such as BET Hip Hop and BET Gospel and launched original series including Baldwin Hills, Hell Date, Sunday Best, and Hip Hop vs. America. Reginald Hudlin resigned as president of entertainment in 2008 and was succeeded by Stephen Hill, who also served as executive vice president of music programming. In 2010, Ed Gordon returned to host news-related shows.
In 2015, responsibility for VH1 Soul and MTV Jams shifted to BET Networks, with both channels rebranded under the BET brand.
In March 2017, Stephen Hill and executive vice president Zola Mashariki departed from their roles; Connie Orlando was appointed interim president of programming.
In July 2017, BET entered into a strategic alliance with Tyler Perry, who signed a multi-year agreement with Viacom to develop film and television projects such as The Oval and Sistas for BET. This deal also included co-ownership of the streaming platform BET+, enhancing BET's content portfolio and digital footprint.
Skydance-Paramount merger and prospective divestiture
After the 2019 re-merger of Viacom and CBS, which resulted in the creation of Paramount Global, BET transitioned from Paramount Media Networks to fall under the CBS Entertainment Group led by president George Cheeks. The division overseeing BET’s properties was rebranded as BET Media Group. In March 2023, Paramount Global considered divesting a controlling interest in BET Media to generate capital for its primary streaming platform, Paramount+.
Among the interested purchasers were notable figures such as Shaquille O'Neal, Tyler Perry, Sean "Puffy" Combs (founder of Revolt TV), and Byron Allen, owner of Allen Media Group—which operates TheGrio and The Weather Channel. Although Paramount temporarily halted the sale process in August 2023, discussions resumed by December with Byron Allen submitting an updated bid valued at $3.5 billion.
Starting in April 2024, negotiations commenced between Paramount, its parent company National Amusements, and Skydance Media concerning a tripartite merger. By July 2024, Skydance had reached a preliminary deal to acquire National Amusements’ stake and merge with Paramount. Simultaneously, Paramount entered talks to sell BET Media to an investment consortium led by CEO Scott Mills for approximately $1.6 to $1.7 billion. On July 7, 2024, Paramount’s board sanctioned the merger with Skydance. Executives at Skydance expressed support for shedding non-essential assets like BET Media in alignment with their strategic focus.
Television
The year indicated corresponds to each channel’s launch date.
- BET (1980)
- BET Her (1996)
- BET Gospel (2002)
- BET Jams (2002) – previously known as MTV Jams
- BET Soul (1998) – formerly VH1 Soul
- BET+ (2017) – operated by Tyler Perry Studios
Films released
| Title | Release date | Co-production partners | Distributor | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nobody's Fool | November 2, 2018 | Paramount Pictures | Debut film from Paramount Players | |
| What Men Want | February 8, 2019 |
|
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| Body Cam | May 19, 2020 |
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| Karen | September 3, 2021 |
|
Quiver Distribution | |
| King of the South | To Be Announced |
|
Genius Minds Pictures |
BET Digital
Operating since 2006 as a subsidiary of BET Networks, BET Interactive, LLC manages digital initiatives. Previous digital platforms included BET on Blast and BET Mobile.
BET Walk of Fame Awards
Launched in 1995, the BET Walk of Fame Awards contributed proceeds to social causes through partnerships with the United Negro College Fund and the BET Foundation.
BET Home Entertainment
BET distributes its programming via DVD and video-on-demand through BET Home Entertainment. Since 2007, distribution responsibilities have been handled through a collaboration with Paramount Home Entertainment, a sister entity since 2001.
External links
- Articles with short description
- BET Networks
- American companies founded in 1983
- United States television broadcasters
- Cable network organizations in the United States
- New York City-based companies
- Mass media firms established in 1983
- Paramount Media Networks
- Paramount International Networks
- Mergers and acquisitions in 2001
- 5
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment
- American companies established in 1983