The views and opinions expressed in the following feature editorial are those expressly of the writer of this piece and do not necessarily reflect those of HipHopDX.
“Our leader, Bob Johnson had a dream…a dream that would accomplish what hundreds of years of slavery, Jim Crow and malt liquor couldn’t—the destruction of black people!” –“Boondocks” BET Parody.
BET can’t win. Black people won’t let it. No matter its efforts, many in the black community revile the once black-owned cable network. Some have such a disdain for the network that even when it does well, it’s still met with indifference, orneriness and contempt. Has BET’s history of letting down the black community with subpar programming landed it on a channel below redemption?
Last month, Black Entertainment Television aired its marquee program, “The BET Awards.” Social networks were flooded with harsh commentary about the show, the network’s overall programming and of course, Free’s (ample) rump. The latter became a trending topic on Twitter. Now in its eleventh year, the awards show was indeed a little weak. The pool of talent lacked diversity as was displayed in the constant pop-ups of Rick Ross, DJ Khaled and Chris Brown. The usually on point nostalgic act missed the mark this year with an uncomfortable performance by Alexander O’Neal and Cherrelle that included slurred speech and missing teeth. There was also a time delay for profanity and a misstated announcement of the Viewers’ Choice Award. But even with all of these mishaps, some of the critiques seemed harsh, mean and unforgiving.
Shit, if gay people are marching for the right to suck dick in peace, niggas should march for #Free‘sAss.
High Expectations For BET
Are BET and their programming executives held to a higher or different standard than their black counterparts at other networks? Christina Norman, a black, female executive was responsible for VH-1’s “Flavor of Love.” In her defense, she also was instrumental in VH-1’s “Hip Hop Honors.” She went on to hold a position at Oprah’s OWN network, and largely sidestepped the criticism directed at her BET counterparts, Debra Lee and Reginald Hudlin.
When we throw the title “black” on anything, it can add a certain amount of pressure and accountability. When you separate yourself from the pack—stake a claim for blackness—there’s a responsibility to represent and speak to the culture. Other general entertainment networks have the luxury of courting viewers of all races, genders and cultures. Sometimes they reach black people, sometimes they don’t. But because those with less melanin haven’t made a commitment to reflect black life, we don’t expect them to accurately tell our stories.
Launched over thirty years ago by Bob Johnson, BET began as a two-hour programming block on a cable satellite system. Not a bad start for a channel lacking capital, but a bad look, especially when programming didn’t change quickly enough. Eventually (eight plus years later), the network added a few socially responsible programs that addressed the needs of the African American community like “BET News with Ed Gordon,” “BET Tonight with Tavis Smiley,” “Teen Summit” and “Lead Story.” But the number one network among African Americans rarely gets credit for strides like this. Audiences instead remember the sloppy and lazy programs like “Hell Date,” “BET Uncut” (a lot of men might argue that this show was indeed quality programming) and “Cita’s World.” And while the network has gotten a lot of flack in the past for canceling many of its public affairs programs, it often goes unmentioned that the horrific ones have been removed from the air too. Johnson would go on to sell the network to Viacom in 2000 for roughly $3 billion.
Different Shades Of Black
“The upside of being a part of a post-civil rights generation is that black folks really are more diverse. But the flash point for that diversity is caught up in Hip Hop. So you have a generation that says, ‘I’m gonna wear my sneakers, and I’m gonna wear my pants how I like them…Then you have a generation that says, ‘I did not get bit by dogs for you to conduct yourself this way. Then the younger generation says, ‘Yes, you did. This is what freedom means.’” –Reginald Hudlin BET Director of Programming, 2005 – 2008 [quote taken from Oct. 2008 Vibe magazine].
During the same year Hudlin gave Vibe the above quote, he voluntarily resigned from the network. But his words speak to the fact that Black culture is complex. We’re not all one thing. Not all Black people care about moving the race forward or debunking painful stereotypes. Some just want to laugh, party and wear snapbacks. This kind of polarization makes it harder to effectively target or market the culture without isolating some people. What is quality programming to one person is trash to another. Earlier this year while watching the movie Belly 2: Millionaire Boyz Club (not to be mistaken for the original classic Belly) on BET, I had a thought: “This is actually someone’s favorite movie.” While it was far from “Star Cinema,” it appealed to another group of people that were just as black as me (if not more black).
Life (and MC Breed) have taught me that there’s no future in fronting. So, I’ll admit, BET has often failed the black community. But many of us have failed BET as well. I cannot think of another race of people that tear down the efforts of their own, even if they have failed miserably in the past. So, why are we so resentful of BET? Could it be that the television network represents the things we hate most about ourselves? Things that frustrate us in our own personal and professional lives. The black community has its own set of unique struggles and it’s silly and unreasonable for us to expect a network that reflects us to be free from these same burdens. Like it or not, BET is a mirror of the black culture and its current condition. That means the good and bad stuff.
Over the past few years the network has reached a number of milestones. The biggest and most recent, undoubtedly was the acquisition of “The Game” from UPN. Nielsen Media Research reported 7.7 million viewers tuned in to the premiere, making it the highest-rated telecast of a sitcom ever on an ad supported cable network. That’s a pretty big deal. BET has also demonstrated its commitment to growth with original programs and specials like “My Mic Sounds Nice,” “Black Girls Rock!,” “American Gangster,” “Let’s Stay Together” (okay, maybe not that show), “Rip the Runway” and “Sunday Best.” The network even enlisted Tracee Ross and Malcolm-Jamal Warner (the all grown up Theo Huxtable) for their upcoming original series, “Reed Between The Lines.” And while these types of programs might not tickle your fancy, many black people (like your cousin) really enjoy them. BET cannot be all things to all black people, especially since the black culture is not a homogenous one. One network cannot bear the responsibility of representing every block, mansion, front desk or board room that black people find themselves in today. Perhaps the continued growth of black targeted networks like TV One and Centric (the latter is owned by BET) will help balance the seesaw of social responsibility and provide BET the wiggle room it desperately needs. Black Entertainment Television no doubt has a lot of growing to do, but so do we.
Lakeia Brown is a freelance writer living in New York. Her work has appeared in publications and websites like Essence, The Atlanta-Journal Constitution, New York Newsday and Theroot.com.
BET SUCKS! How can anybody say that BET is good when 95% of the programs suck and don’t educate and/or empower blacks. I mean, really, do we really need 2 hours of 106 & Park??!!
PLEASE TAKE BET OFF THE AIR ASAP!
since when is it the job of television to empower or educate? Tv is a money making business.
I fully agree with you. They have us right where they want us. Dumb about society and government, dumb about the things that really matter all we think that matters are celebrities and money. When I bet you most of the people watching BET have no idea whats going on with the debt ceiling right now.
It’s your job to educate yourself.
you know whats worse for black people than BET? Not reading things and making baseless statements.
LMAO NEVER, NEVER expect television to educate you. Even pbs doesnt tell the full story.
kill your tv.
experience life
read books/
I read a quote that said something like this “If you discover something or learn a great secret that you want to keep the world from knowing about…Write about it in a book”
The original commenter is part of the problem….At no point in any persons life should they rely on tv to fully educate/motivate them.
1st, good material. Read in detail.
BET went downhill as soon as Viacon bought them about 10 years ago. Since then, it’s just an extension of MTV.
BET died when Viacom bought them.
1.)106 & Park left 106 & Park (Harlem) and moved to the white part of town.
2.) AJ and Free left
3.) Rap City left the basement and got a bougie.
4.) Good music got pushed to BET Uncut, then that got canceled and more skin was shown in the daytime.
we criticize BET because for the most part it’s filled to the brim with ignorance and pander toward ignorance. yes they have made many great milestones, but when you cancel the best (read:intelligent, socially conscious, or funny in an intellectual or witty all encompassing way) shows in favor of stuff like Hell Date, your taking a step backwards. if you agree that BET is a reflection of our race, than yes, we should hold this ONE CHANNEL to a higher standard. it would be different if there was 6 or 7 places to go for diverse programming for blacks. but we have ONE CHANNEL. They need to represent us in a better light
Kill your TV>
Stop criticizing how shitty BET is amongst other channels.
Criticizing how ignorant BET is amongst other channels is like criticizing what turd is the smelliest.
All TV is bullshit!
You’re crazy “Man Vs Wild” is the shit….And most of Discovery/History Channels shows are on point.
read a book man vs wild is bullshit.
Watching an episode of Basketball wives kills approximately 45% percent of your brain cells.
ARE WE REALLY ASKING BTHIS QUESTION IN 2011?
TRY AND WATCH 106 AND PARK. I DARE YOU.
WHERE’s RAP CITY? WHERE’s HIP HOP CULTURE?
THE ORIGINAL CONTENT? 100% COON MATERIAL.
NOTHING STIMULATING INTELLECTUALLY, NO HISTORY, AND THE MUSIC THEY PLAY IS AWFUL. ROCSI IS A HERO TO BIRDS IN THE HOOD, AND THAT IS A SAD THING MY BROTHAS.
ADD TO THE FACT, BET ISN’T BLACK OWNED.
BET BEEN TERRIBLE FROM THE JUMP. THEY BEEN HURTING MORE THAN HELPING FROM THE JUMP.
RAP CITY WAS THE ONLY THING WORTH WATCHING AND THEY YANKED THAT YEARS AGO.
YOU’LL SEE A DOC ABOUT BLACK STREET THUGS ON BET BEFORE YOU’LL SEE A DOC ON THE KING OR MALCOM X.
IF YOU CAN WATCH BET, YOU HAVE A VERY LOW IQ. SICKENING CHANNEL WITH A SICK AUDIENCE.
As a black person I can safely say that BET neither entertains nor represents me. They need to change the name so as to conform with the rest of the bullshit on TV and not falsely represent black people.
They nominated bieber for an award but not em…and em had the highest selling “rap” album of the year. Doesn’t make much sense.
Best selling rap album of the year? Emniem had the best selling album of the year. Period. Well atleast domestically.
BET makes black people look bad (so does waka flaka flame and souja boy), and just having a channel for black people is ignorant. We would hate if white people had a channel called “WET” lol.
Don’t be naive. White people practically have their own channel too; it’s called Country Music Television. There are several channels that focus mainly on one group of people (whether it’s race, gender, or even religion). I see at least 30+ channels like that, such as Oxygen, BBC, Spanish channels, and like 20 Christian channels on my DirecTV guide. You don’t see anyone else complaining about channels like those, because they just don’t fuckin’ watch ’em or give a fuck.
Besides, BET hasn’t been black-owned for over 10 years, so they might as well change the name to something else (that would make white people stop bringing that bullshit up in their little reverse-racism arguments). The programs on there are more like what BET’s white execs. in control would rather want us to watch instead (because they know alot of us would imitate what we see on there). And don’t get me started on the fuckin’ stereotypical commercials on that channel…
@sks706, CMT is not based on race, but rather on a music genre which happens to be mainly dominated by whites folks(like black folks dominate hip hop)so its not like BET.Darius Racker is black and sings good country music and is oftenly show cased in CMT.As a black person I don’t like the whole idea of BET as a channel for representing the blacks,especially because they air shows that are drab and unoriginal.There have been succesful black shows but they have not been on BET.
@Teddy – but you’re missing the point Sks was making that most television stations are catered to White people. Surely, more than 70% of television shows/channels are catered toward Europeans.
Whites don’t have to bundle up all their ideas on 1 channel like B.E.T. does.
People still watch BET?! Is MTV still around, too?
Ah, man. I officially became an adult.
for real
you’re not missing much… mtv doesn’t even play music any more! all they have is re-runs of That 70s show… super donkey balls lame!!!!!
BET was alright when Donnie Simpson hosted Video Soul but like so many things in our community we have a tendency over time to be pulled to the lowest common denominator. And revel in muck and mire proudly, because it’s For Us By Us muck and mire. But with Viacom owning BET it ain’t even our muck and mire anymore it’s Sumner Redstones’.
cosign
BET=COON Network.
yo why u planking that shit dead
Planking = Slave
How you gonna call it the coon network and you hitting the slave pose…. Stupid ass niggas…
si guey!
This should be questioned as to whether or not HipHopDX is trying to desensitize BET’s social responsibility. They are socially obligated to uplift Black America given that it is their demographic, IF they claim to be about that, BUT, in reality? BET is owned by Viacom. Therefore, all that is seen is subjected to a white man’s standards and a white man’s incentives.
I stopped watching BET back in the 90’s. They really don’t offer anything new.
“Not all Black people care about moving the race forward or debunking painful stereotypes. Some just want to laugh, party and wear snapbacks.”
That’s the one thing I took from this as well.
EXACTLY! Yet this channel caters to little, if any of the people who DO care about moving the race forward or debunking painful stereotypes. Personally I was ALL THE WAY done w/ BET when I read the following message after an episode of 106 & Park: “The views represented are neither made on behalf of BET nor endorsed by BET”
lol at the boondocks episode wasnt that episidoe banned and only showed in canada
It’s not BET that’s the problem, it’s the White (Racist Suspects) that own and run Bet that is the problem. BET could be a beautiful and positive thing for Black people IF the White (Racists Suspects) wanted it to be that way but they don’t and the evidence is what they put out in their programming.
But the black people that watch and talk about the shows on Bet arent to blame at all huh?
you dumb fuck a black dude owns it his name is BOB JOHNSON and he’s the one making your race look the way it does on that channel you the racist you ignorant pussy
@gnrltrz – You CLEARLY don’t know the history of BET, NOR did you read this article in full.
No, Bob Johnson no longer owns BET. It is owned by Viacom. BET is MTV’s black brother.
MTV owns BET; that’s the problem….and Hip Hop has become as overexposed and taboo as Country had gotten in the 90’s. Weezie is like Hip Hop’s Garth Brooks; the last artist both the Mainstream fans and Hardcore fans will listen to.
Hip Hop is Dead; what’s being given to us on BET & MTV is just an abomination….
If you have enough time to watch a show about keisha coles sister and mom or toya and her family issues, you clearly are contemplating suicide.
Well like everyone below me said, it isnt even owned by black people. So why would you expect anything more than ignorance, trife, and negative images. NO show on BET is brain-stimulating, accesses the far-reaches of positive black culture, or even hosts a show speaking on african-american development. All you do see is Hell Date or 106. I watched hell Date lastnight and i morphed into a coon. Yup. BET does that to you now.
They R own by viacom so there nothing U could really do. Playboy
The only way BET will stop people from crying about it is if they ran Farrakhan speeches 24/7
Then it would be okay, except nobody would watch it
But the minute they put something on to Entertain that isnt educational its “Uhhhh, how is this helping our community, uhhhhh”
Its a TV channels job to save the world, its job is to entertain…… But so many people are uptight they get mad at anything that isnt preaching to you 24/7
Was that tweet really necessary?
yes
yes apparently it was needed to show how “harsh” people were being on BET. No way they could display a tweet that was well written and presented a good argument towards BET, so they looked for the most outlandish tweet to add edge too the article and make it look like the people that talk negatively bout BET arnt logical.
BET and MTV have both sucked for a long time so there a bunch of whack reality shows that make the population even dumber
Dear BET, bring back Martin, Living Single, and Cosby re-runs atleast because The Game sucks!
BET (Bullshit Entertainment Television)…BET lost its flare after they cancelled rap city, and long before that there was some good shit on there..106 and park was the shit up until AJ and Free (that booty) left the show
good read nice work hip hop dx
Thanks for these editorials HipHopDx! RR and other sites blow…no content.
I’m not trying to defend BET in any way. But people shouldn’t be expecting to get their morals and values from a television network. Just my thoughts.
There is nothing no one can do for b.e.t. they are illuminati controlled and they will carryout the illuminati’s agenda!!! This is old news I have been saying for years that b.e.t. is fucked up, and does nothing educational or anything of that nature for black people!!
LMAO at blaming a TV Station for the lack of education in your community.
hey dumbass if you read my comments you would see thats not what I said smartass muthafucka!! Did I say b.e.t. was responsible for the education of an entire community…. no i did not fuckboy
it should be c.e.t. = coon entertainment television
B.E.T. should follow suit and establish an upgraded version called “B.E.T. 2.0”. One channel (B.E.T.) for the mindless entertainment & the other for more enlightening television programs. For example, B.E.T. can bring back former popular shows – put a twist on them & create new ones. Programs that could showcase on both networks:
BET Uncut
106 & Park
Spring Bling
Rap City : The Basement (BET 2.0)
Teen Summit (BET 2.0)
Hell Date
BET Nightly News (BET 2.0)
Sunday’s Best (BET 2.0)
The Boondocks (yes they should acquire the docks – BET 2.0)
The Game
Everybody Hates Chris (BET 2.0)
College Hill
Comic View
The Cosby Show (BET 2.0)
A Different World (BET 2.0)
So on and so forth… and finally show movies that have some real meaning/value instead of shit like Friday, After Next and Original Gangstas, smh…
I think BET fails to reach all black people they are just aiming for one demographic. I remember BET news and programs that reached the adult viewer who wanted to keep up with the news and politics. I understand rating are important but our channel turned into a black MTV for a while. I do see some changes in the programing but we have to be responsible to demand more from our channel instead of bashing. Nobody is going to care but us.
They need to take it bac to the music play more videos and keep it real
Not to be silly, put there’s more “substance” on the web than we’ll ever witness on television. And I dont have to wait for it to be on the schedule, or forget to record it, or sit through commercials. The thing that makes money so evil is the same thing that makes it so beautiful…. it forces change. If people want BET to change then they need to create programming something that will threaten their pockets deeply enough. TV programming will be very interesting when cellular networks get fast enough to watch good quality video without waiting forever or having to rely on wifi.
This honestly was the dumbest article I’ve read in a while.
This quote ethers yourself:
“Not all Black people care about moving the race forward or debunking painful stereotypes. Some just want to laugh, party and wear snapbacks. This kind of polarization makes it harder to effectively target or market the culture without isolating some people.”
This gatdamn sambo channel only cares about such. The people who remember the quality viewing and who actually aren’t zombies just don’t watch this crap.
I don’t know if this is an apologist article for BET and their recent shortcomings, but it dang sure sounds like it. The programming is ass. It’s not a hint of variety on it. It’s like it fuels everything “negative”. It’s not showing all facets of life, i.e. reality, when it comes to life not only as a black man or woman but in general.
I’m not saying you have to save the world. I’m just saying you have to show QUALITY off the bat. I haven’t watched BET in years nor do I plan on doing so. Hell I haven’t watched MTV in years nor do I plan on doing so. Why? All of them stinks… but it’s sadder to see BET do it because you would think black folks wouldn’t stop hindering their own. Hell BET’s programs all were swagger jacked from MTV basically.
Point blank, BET is for followers, those who wish to be with “what’s hot”, and blind sheep. Typical because our people are consumers for the majority and not producers. Niggas flock to what is the latest fashion and all to the very extreme, knowing damn well they can’t pronounce half of it, let alone afford it, just cause a rapper says so…knowing they won’t have it in their closets in 6 months.
Just a small issue in a big problem.
Its hilarious to me how some people want to down the station for not being socially conscious and not helping with the advancement of black people and then turn right around and call Rocsi A “hero to birds in the hood.” On one hand, and I am just using the above statement as an example, you are upset about its lack of integrity and educational value. However, on the other hand, you put down people that host the shows and call them and the network “coons!” WTH, Your’e not making the situation better. Now I agree, BET is horrible. They lack stimulation and they lack awareness but wait, When good shows were on BET not many people supported them. Thats why they got cancelled. Im a Hip Hop lover and was there when it got started. I also know the value of an education. 106 and park is the expression of a new generation. The generation before us used to put down hip hop and say it was noise that wouldn’t last. Everyone has different feelings about new things. All Im saying is if you dont like it then turn it off. Educate your own children. Television is not a babysitter or a parent. If you educate your own kids then they will pass that positivity on to the next generation. We know BET sucks but dont blame it for the mass ignorance of a generation. Thats OUR fault! Ijs….
Aint nobody bout to read all this shit u wrote
#dumbass
^^^let me guess you probably never read a book because you think its not cool right?
I don’t think people are blaming BET for the destruction of black people (even though that Boondocks episode says otherwise). Its just that Black people don’t like the fact that BET claims to be a channel for our people and by our people yet the majority of the programs only project 1 facet of our people – the ignorance.
Also, Black people shun BET or don’t wanna be affiliated with the station because our people are realizing that many in entertainment don’t have our best interest at heart – so in turn they feel like – “Why should we support them?”
I think this article makes some good points and goes hand in hand with the Rage Against the Machine article the other day, the difference being that in that one Sims blames the man for everything while Brown is willing to admit that, no matter how you spin it, people need to support this shit for it to succeed.
If both articles prove one thing, it’s this: people enjoy retarded shit. In a business profit trumps social responsibility, the latter is just a bonus that already profitable businesses can afford. It’s possible that if BET came up with some really quality programming, supported it right, gave it time to gain interest, etc. it could succeed, but retarded shit draws more people in faster, and people who are already watching retarded shit will get excited if they see commercials for more retarded shit in a self-reinforcing cycle.
I hope to God BET doesn’t represent all or most black people…just people who want to be placated by a TV all day. People really interested in quality programming don’t have time to watch TV like that, anyway, they have the internet and Netflix and HBO and shit.
MAN BET IS WACK NOW , 106 & PARK IS SO GARBAGE , ITS ALL WACK MUSIC AND LAME ARTIST AND KIDS . BRING BACK THE SLOW JAMS AND RAP CITY IN THE BASEMENT .
THEY ARE UNDER OUR CONTROL
Black Evil Television is an affront to any black person with sense. The fact that you list American Gangster as part of its progressive new programming is an insult in itself.
It is black power television?
I understand what the author is trying to say, but it’s still kinda convoluded. Yes, BET is not CNN or an afternoon special. It’s not their job to be some educational philosophical enlightenment station. But at the same time, that doesn’t give them the right to air some half-assed programming and call it Black Entertainment Televesion simply because there’s black people in it. If you notice, BET nowadays actually consists of reruns of old syndicated shows, reruns of hood films, 106 & Park, The Game, and the 3Am-Morning Gospel stuff, which is far better than the days of Hell Date and The Boot, which was when BET was really just a tanned MTV. To me, a plus is that 106 and Park is still going and even seems more successful recently (they just extended it to be a 3 hour show). It’s good that BET still has a video countdown show that isn’t in like 3AM when no-ones watching (AMTV), especially since TRL shut down and not everyone has the Fuse channel. And to be honest 106 as a show isn’t that bad. They have freestyle friday to keep battle rapping alive, wild out wednesdays to get the crowd involved, etc. But when you look at the actual videos they play, it’s garbage. It’s like they don’t want to have anything to do with music with a message that isn’t “shake that ass”. Remember the whole issue with De La Soul and Little Brother being “too intelligent” for 106, according to BET? It’s not like they just totally blank it out either, its just that And Rap City, the only show where one could see
Really Viacom and Debra Lee should take the blame for this. Shit was all good before Bob sold BET. Now it’s all fucked up.
shit is true.i loved rap city.back when music had identity.back when rnb was rnb and rap was rap.now everything is a desperate attempt to land a hit.pop/electronica/rnb/rock/rap shit.remember when a grown man or woman could land a hit single and pre-teen’s werent taken seriously?yeah,less than a decade ago.these last few years in music/television have been trash.BET’s programming should take a few notes from spanish language channels who have a huge variety of programming,millions in advertising,dozens of news related shows,and its music award shows..plural.im an 80’s baby.i grew up in the 90’s.i remember how deep rap/rnb was.tupac and biggie would have little to no success in this music era.little kids dont get mad but music does suck nowadays..theres a reason your rap legends come from the 90’s.
ban HIPHOPDX=PAYOLA
the fact that viacom owns BET answers the question to this article plain and simple.. Go read the “rage against the machine” article and you will be well informed on the industry and its corruption. 1love
This article gives BET way too much credit. For the past 10 years its been nothin’ but coonin’ all day. It doesn’t represent the diversity in the black community by any means. Just a network that sold out to old white guys at viacom. No class either. Like beer in a wine bottle. Only show I watch is everybody hates chris.
Mr. Johnson like you said no matter what you gone always have haters and the haters are white people that don’t want black people to have nothing or succeed It’s nothing but evil and we as black people will never let that happen that’s what they want but they ‘re not gone get it.