January 12, 2006

The Klan's Favorite Network

By Andrew Sumereau
After celebrating the 25th anniversary of the founding of BET, Black Entertainment Television, Robert L. Johnson has handed over the responsibilities of President and CEO to Debra L. Lee, reports The New York Times in a fawning piece in Tuesday's Arts section. Viacom, parent company of BET, is very pleased with the network's success. With a solid business plan, revenue growth of 20 % annually, and increased viewership of 17 % in just the last year, BET is a rare success story in the ever—fragmenting cable business—world. Many cable television viewers will no—doubt recognize BET as the channel they hastily pass on the way to more enlightening fare. Undulating female posteriors, pointing gangsta thugs, violence, and angry racist imagery appear to be the chief entertainment elements of BET programming. One can readily enjoy it here in central Pennsylvania on channel 38 just past the Weather Channel. In uniquely Times—ian fashion, the reporter acknowledges that...(Read Full Article)