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After quitting his job as a cable company lobbyist Robert L. Jonson decided it was time to move onto bigger and better things. After acquiring a lone for fifteen thousand dollars and another investment of five hundred thousand dollars from John Malone; Robert Jonson launched his own television network: Black Entertainment Television (BET). As the name states BET is geared towards African-American youth and programming includes comedies, the very famous BET music awards, and lots and lots of music videos.
BET has a few sister networks which offer specialized programming. Centric, formerly known as BET Jazz is BET's sister channel dedicated to music, movies, and reality shows geared toward older audiences. Despite what they would like you to believe, BET is marketed to persons 16-36 so if you don't like most of their programs try Centric.
In recent years BET has come under criticism from people such as the creators of the Boondocks. In 2008 BET was featured on an episode of the urban cartoon drama The Boondocks, in the episode the executives of BET were portrayed with beast like behaviors and their main goal was the destruction of black people on a whole. Needless to say the episode was banned from most major networks, but is still available online. I do not take the criticism from the Boondocks seriously, because the same things they are accusing BET of, are the same things featured in their programs. Drugs, sex, excessive violence, and strong language are all present in the Boondocks.
BET is not my favorite channel, but it has earned its spot on my must see list. BET is also available in the UK through its sister channel BET UK and in Canada through most cable and satellite service providers. So make sure to check them out. 9/10
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