The Queen's Chair: When BET Mattered

Remember when BET first came on the air? Founder Robert Johnson was deemed a "visionary." He was hailed for following in the steps on Ebony Founder John H. Johnson. The intent of BET was to let America get a better about who and what we are and correct the images that people saw of us. It started out as a good idea, but some of us never watched. We complained that the network was too cheap (and they were) to invest in quality program and on paying its people.


BET showed music videos, award shows, BET news, business news, stock market reports, profiles on national movers and shakers,and some special programming. For a while. Then a lot happened.

News programming vanished. BET is mostly comprised of music videos opting to gear to a younger audience. So we have been subjected to images of half-naked women shaking their behinds.I would like to see more comedy specials with black comedians and entertainers. I have watched and enjoyed The Rosa Parks Story and The Josephine Baker Story with my children. And my newest vices are Sunday Gospel's Best, a black version of American Idol, and The Game. Being the movie nut that I am, I can be found glued to the set when Black Cinema is on, if it's a movie I haven't seen or a classic.

The station now has such shows as Tiny and Toya, Music Matters, Play By Fame, Monica Still Standing, The Michael Vicks, 106 and Park, The Family Crews, One on One, The Game, The Mo' Nique Show, College Hill, and The BET Spring Break.

Johnson sold the company and made millions. In the process, he sold us out. My age bracket tends to NOT watch BET. The station has had to come up with new programming to build up its audience. They covered Obama's run for The White House and his inauguration...like everyone else. Changing Lanes is a new reality show focusing on NASCAR's attempts to increase its numbers of black drivers. And there are documentaries and dramas like the one highlighting Trey Songz.


There are new offerings on the horizon like TV One. However because of the changes in technology, it might be a little too late. BET like so many other black businesses are coming to the table last.They aren't living in the New Digital Age. Everything has changed. Our viewer habits. How we communicate. And we like to receive our entertainment. Black people spend more than 55% of their income on entertainment. We have the latest when it comes to TV, cellphones, movies, music (and yeah, we buy bootlegs on the last two I mention) DVD's, VCRs, and some of us have VCRs that have been upgraded.

This past weekend, I recorded a gospel play on BET, A Mother's Prayer. (See previous blog) And I have to tell you just because we are black doesn't it make it alright to produce, but expect our people to be content with poor quality or a substandard quality. I'm sick of seeing that on BET. If you are listening something, BET I really want to support you. Something has got to change.