Who owns BET? Definition and Founder

It is uncommon for individuals both in America and the world at large not to have heard of the popular TV network BET. If you are familiar with the TV station you should know that it is the home for African American entertainment.

In case you do not know what BET stands for, you sure are in the right place to find out as all you need to know about BET would be treated in the article.

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What Does B.E.T Stand For?

In case you’ve never had a thought of what BET stands for the B stands for Black, E for Entertainment, and T Television which can be called Black Entertainment Television altogether.

It made its debut on January 25 1980 as a station that aired for 2 hours which was gradually was increased to 24 hours at the end of that same year. Currently, it has its headquarters in the nation’s capital (United States of America) Washington, D.C.

Back in the BET was the most popular TV station for African American youths due to its richness in black entertainment. Over the years they saw reasons why more entertainment channels should be made due to their large number of viewers. Today, BET now has BET Gospel, BET on Jazz, and BET Hip-Hop, BET Pictures, and BET International.

Who is The Founder of BET?

Are you in search of the answer to the question of who owns BET? Well, here it is.

The founder of the world’s biggest black TV station is Robert L. Johnson. He founded the company in 1980 and has since been in existence. He was a television businessman, who saw the need to create a TV station for African Americans since most TV stations aired less black entertainment at that time.

Johnson made a move to partner with various record companies to promote the music videos of R&B and hip-hop artists. Also, TV commercials and more were included. The TV station is basically for African American entertainment.

In 2000 Robert L Johnson sold BET for a huge sum of $3 billion to Viacom Inc. The transaction made Robert L Johnson the first richest black man in the United States.

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BET Finances

BET today has over 80 million viewers all over the globe. With over 80 million subscribers they have paved their way into success in the early nineties which has equally leveled the company into a multi-billion dollar company.

As of 1997 BET raised a net income of $23.8 million on a total income of $154.2 million. A whopping sum of $80.6 million was made from commercials, $69.3 million was generated also from subscriber bills, and lastly 4.4 million came from other sources.

BET Awards

Like numerous awards by entertainment channels, BET is among the most valuable and highly recognized awards in the world today. The BET Awards came to acknowledge and celebrate the African Americans in the entertainment industry.

It started in 2001 in Paris las vegas and has since then been in existence. Big musicians and Hollywood stars have received awards from the BET platform. It has also spread to the continent of Africa as various artists from South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana other nations in Africa have been awarded by BET.

The BET awards do not cover musicians and actors only but also sports and other genres of entertainment. Below are basic facts about the BET Awards:

• The BET Awards ceremony was first held in 2001 in Paris Las Vegas 2001.
• From 2002 to 2005 BET moved from Paris Las Vegas to hold the awards ceremony in Hollywood’s Kodak Theatre.
• Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium held BET Awards from 2006 to 2012.
• The BET Awards was celebrated in 2013 changed its venue to Los Angeles’ Microsoft Theatre.
• Popular hosts that have worked with BET Awards are Steve Harvey and Cedric the Entertainer, Mo’Nique, Will and Jada Smith, Damon Wayons, Jamie Foxx, Queen Latifah, Kevin Hart, Samuel L. Jackson, Chris Tucker, Chris Rock, Anthony Anderson, and Leslie Jones.
• The various fields of entertainment that are awarded by BET includes Album, Hip-Hop, Gospel, R&B, Group, New Artist, Collaboration, Music Video, Music Video Director, Centric Award, Viewer’s Choice Award, Movie, Male and Female Actor, Male and Female Sport, and International Viewer’s Choice Award.
• The artists that have the most BET awards as of 2017 in ascending to descending order are Beyonce (26), Chris Brown (14), Drake and Serena Williams (tied at 12), Nicki Minaj (11), and Kanye West (10). This shows that Beyonce has so far gotten the highest number of awards.

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Conclusion

African Americans needed a platform where their lives would be spread across the world just like other races has.

The BET platform has greatly achieved that and more. Who owns BET and other related questions to the topic have been dealt with in this article.

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