BET Media Group

Black Entertainment Television LLC (doing business as the BET Media Group, and formerly known as BET Networks) is an American television company currently owned by American media conglomerate Paramount Skydance Corporation under its Media Networks division. Founded by Robert L. Johnson in 1983, the holding was bought by the first incarnation of Viacom in 2001. BET owns networks aimed at African Americans, including BET and their related sister channels. It also operates BET+, with Robert L. Johnson also founding AMC Networks-owned ALLBLK.

In 1980, Robert L. Johnson, who left his position as a cable lobbyist; established his own cable network called Black Entertainment Television. It was originally a programming block on the Madison Square Garden Sports Network (later renamed to USA Network), until it became a separate channel in 1983.

In 1991, the network became the first black–controlled TV company to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Starting in the late 1990s, the network expanded with the launch of digital cable networks: BET on Jazz (later known as BET Jazz, BET J, Centric, and BET Her), created originally to showcase jazz music–related programming, especially that of black jazz musicians; in 1998, it entered into a joint venture with Starz (then–owned by John Malone's Liberty Media) to launch a multiplex service of the premium channel featuring African American–oriented movies called BET Movies: Starz! 3 (later renamed Black Starz after BET dropped out of the venture following its purchase by Viacom, then–owner of Starz rival Showtime, and now known as Starz InBlack).

In 2000, Viacom announced plans to purchase BET Holdings Inc. for more than $2.3 billion. The deal closed in 2001, with BET Holdings' networks becoming part of MTV Networks; but was eventually placed under BET Networks.

In 2005, Robert Johnson retired as CEO, and was replaced with Debra L. Lee. Around the same time, Viacom was looking into splitting into two entities following multiple issues surrounding the company.^{[citation needed]} On December 31, 2005, a new incarnation of Viacom was created as the new parent of MTV Networks, BET Networks, Paramount Pictures, and Famous Music (later sold to Sony Music in 2007^{[citation needed]}). The "new" Viacom would be spun-off from what became CBS Corporation, the legal successor to the original Viacom; which would retain CBS, Paramount Television, UPN, CBS Radio, and Paramount Parks (later sold to Cedar Fair in 2007).^{[citation needed]}

By 2007, BET had launched two more music–oriented networks, BET Hip Hop and BET Gospel. The flagship network would also launch new original programming by this time, including reality shows Baldwin Hills and Hell Date, competition show Sunday Best, and town hall–style discussion show Hip Hop vs. America. BET's president of entertainment Reginald Hudlin resigned from the network on September 11, 2008. He was then replaced by Stephen Hill, who is also executive vice president of music programming and talent. BET announced in March 2010 that Ed Gordon would return to the network to host "a variety of news programs and specials".

In 2015, oversight of VH1 Soul & MTV Jams was moved to BET Networks, with both networks relaunched under the BET brand.