BET (Black Entertainment Television): Reviews

BET also known as Black Entertainment Television is one of the largest cable network channel targeting mostly young urban viewers. Founded in 1980 by Robert "Bob" Johnson, the original purpose of the channel was to show music videos. BET was sold to the parent company Viacom in 2001 for $3 billion and since then has already doubled its worth. Due to the competitive cable market, BET started to create a variety of different shows other than music videos with hope to expand its audience. The network now reaches more than 80 million households in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean, according to Nielsen Media Research, with 2006 its most-watched year ever, representing a 17 percent increase in viewership over the previous year.

Their most popular programs include Bobby Jones Gospel, BET's Top 25, Comic View and their highest rated show 106 and Park. BET also airs the BET Awards Show each year. The show honors African American entertainers, athletes and actors for their accomplishments. Other shows include Access Granted which features an artist and the making of their video from start to finish. Just like any other cable network these days, BET has a reality television series called College Hill which is about African American college students living together that focuses specifically on life at a historically black institution of higher learning. BET also covers news specials such as gun violence, AIDS epidemic, Hurricane Katrina and most recent the 2008 election.