Black folks reject BET

Recently National Public Radio (NPR) did a segment on how the cesspool of misogynist, homophobic and criminal nonsense better known as Black Entertainment Television (BET) is being rejected by African Americans who want more respectable programming that reflects their lives.

The Washington Post did an article a couple of weeks ago discussing the problems with the network.

From The Washington Post:

...Last month, Coates, in conjunction with the Parents Television Council and onetime BET video programmer Paul Porter of Industry Ears, released a study analyzing adult content on two BET video shows, "106 & Park" and "Rap City," along with MTV's "Sucker Free" -- prime-time programs that they charge are marketed to and viewed by children. Among the conclusions: In March, on the shows cited, there was one instance of adult content -- references to drugs, sex or violence -- every 38 seconds...

...BET, founded in Washington in 1980, emerged in the aftermath of the black-power '70s, riding a crest of hopes and expectations as the first black network. In the early days -- also the early days of rap -- the network was a family affair, with all ages tuning in. It was "Video Soul" with a genial Donnie Simpson and the wholesome Sherry Carter. It was nighttime newscasts with a sober-looking Ed Gordon. It was talk shows and Teen Summits and Mandela Freedom Fund Telethons. But along the way, things shifted. Newscasts shrank to sound bites. Hip-hop, or at least, commercial rap, morphed into something else, something harder and crasser. Videos took on a dominant role...

You can read BET CEO Debra Lee's sorry letter-to-the-editor, criticizing the above article.

I personally stopped watching BET about ten years ago when the channel become totally dominated by "booty" videos. Sometimes I can tolerate watching TV One, but you can only watch so may episodes of Good Times!

While there are a lot of people who dislike the network publicly, obviously there are enough viewers who watch BET's current programming that it will not change anytime soon. Unfortunately, Viacom, BET's parent owner, only cares about green, not black.