What Happened To BET: Why Nobody Watches The Channel Anymore - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 01-09-2023, 03:26 AM

Quote:

We all remember BET right? Black entertainment television, home of classic shows like Rap City and 106 and park? In the late 90s and early 2000s BET was a huge part of the culture serving as like the black MTV.

But over the years, it has almost become a meme of how much BET sucks these days. It's crazy but it's almost consensus that BET is no where near what it used to be. And why is that? Let's find out.

I'm Nate the great from takeflight214.com and this is the rise and fall of BET.

tenter · 01-10-2023, 01:47 PM

looking at schedule: currently BET airs Black-ish, Living Single, Martin, Tyler Perry's House of Payne, The Neighborhood, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns, Tyler Perry's Sistas, Tyler Perry's the Oval, Kingdom Business, and some movies...

Hawkee · 01-14-2023, 03:49 AM

When BET was launched in the 80's it was a channel that had something unique and different than any other cable channel and with a variety format with comedy concerts sitcoms cooking shows talk shows game shows and music shows and movies BET would be hit with competition in the long run. But as the 90's began BET started focusing on the young hip crowd by having music shows and shows aimed at teens and the college crowd such as Teen Summit and Video Soul and more but while still keeping it's old audience BET started expanding their channel to become an empire by having spin-off channels such as BET Jazz Centric "now BET Her" and by having an empire has made BET one of the top channels in cable. But even with the earlier competitors TV One and Bounce BET is still surviving all this time. But why I think BET went downhill was when they turned themselves into what Reelz TV has done by having shows about celebrities that are dead and living with titles such as The Real Whitney Houston The Will Smith History and Chadwick Boseman The Real Truth Behind Black Panther and they should limit these shows to a maximum and focus more on sitcoms and add original movies. Another thing about BET is that they have no game shows and if they had new original game shows it would get BET ratings because it seemed that they got the rights to Steve Harvey's Family Feud and they should've aired the reruns of Cedric The Entertainer's Who Wants To Be A Millionaire instead. But BET still will be huge as the future goes on
Bestie

Duster76 · 01-15-2023, 12:34 PM

"Why Nobody Watches The Channel Anymore"

Well about that, each year Variety provides a listing of the top rated networks, this year out of 159 networks listed BET was tied for 37, and was number 35 in the coveted 25-49 age group!

cleverfun3000 · 01-24-2023, 03:56 PM

Yong Fang · 01-27-2023, 12:43 PM

When I was back home at my parents house there was a station that mostly had "Black Entertainment" that showed a block of Sanford and Son and Good Times. I dont know the name of it but it seems fairly popular.

Maybe we have gone past as a culture of distinguishing race in entertainment anymore. Oddly BET of course lacks diversity, because of its name.

biffbronson · 01-27-2023, 01:16 PM

I receive TheGrio in my area, but I don't know of any sitcoms currently airing on it -- mostly dramas, reality, and HBCU sports. They do have Comics Unleashed though.

favoriteshow · 02-01-2023, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by biffbronson

I receive TheGrio in my area, but I don't know of any sitcoms currently airing on it -- mostly dramas, reality, and HBCU sports. They do have Comics Unleashed though.

TheGrio also air movies. Like Bounce, they are both over the air digitnets.

On the cable side, there is also TV One and Cleo TV, its sister channel.

So BET is hardly unique anymore.

On the premium side, Starz and Showtime have black content along with Hulu and probably Netflix.

I think TheGrio is free for any carrier that wants to carry it.

I was in a hotel that had DirecTV satellite, and watched a movie or part of one from that channel. Apparently, it is also on Hulu with Live TV.

FrndlyTv used to carry LightTV, the predecessor of it, but chose not to carry it while adding GAC and feTV and channels that skew away from something like TheGrio.

I have emailed them to offer it. Notably, It still offers The Weather Channel that is same ownership as TheGrio.

While it might seem woke to offer it, I was impressed it offers movies and dramas, and think its movie and drama selection can reach a wider audience. It also might be free as mentioned.

Archive_87 · 02-02-2023, 04:14 AM

Deleted

MikeLutton · 02-02-2023, 04:25 PM

family matters has joined the Bet Schedule starting next monday with Mornings 8:00am to 11:00am

tenter · 02-03-2023, 04:25 PM

BET though used to air Family Matters reruns for quite long time around 2009 until around 2013. But I guess it's returning back starting next Monday. And interesting..

TMC · 04-13-2023, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Bob Johnson would accomplish what many in Black America strive for, wealth. In this HYPE+ special report we look at Johnson's most notable deal of selling his BET Network to Viacom after running it for 20 years.

Hawkee · 04-16-2023, 01:24 AM

I used to watch BET for their music videos to learn about the new releases in music and when they had music video shows that was truly when BET was at it's peak but if you look at BET today you'll see why they have so many Tyler Perry movies and shows is because I really think Tyler Perry wants to secretly buy BET and turn it into TPC or Tyler Perry Channel. Because as you know Tyler Perry is one of the top successful entertainers in the world and if he bought BET he would be so happy with his own network. But if BET could change back to a variety format and focus not so much on sitcoms and movies it would improve it a lot
Bestie

TMC · 04-20-2023, 05:58 AM

Somebody elsewhere said that BET really started to decline when they moved away from being the hub of black culture into a ratings grab. More specifically, they removed the news, interviews with black dignitaries, and sports shows concentrating on black athletes, and replaced them with ratchet content.

They also started (perhaps unintentionally) a generational divide between the black community, where they alienated the older black viewers who were with them when they began the channel and sought out the younger viewers, and removed the content that could have bridged the generational divide (i.e. Teen Summit, etc.).

TMC · 06-13-2023, 01:46 AM

Report: Tyler Perry to Take Control of BET

According to a recent report from The Streamr, Tyler Perry is set to take control of the cable channel BET, giving the billionaire control.

01-14-2023, 03:49 AM	#3
Hawkee Michael Fassbender Fanatic Moderator Forum Star Join Date: Jan 17, 2016 Location: California Posts: 10,728	When BET was launched in the 80's it was a channel that had something unique and different than any other cable channel and with a variety format with comedy concerts sitcoms cooking shows talk shows game shows and music shows and movies BET would be hit with competition in the long run. But as the 90's began BET started focusing on the young hip crowd by having music shows and shows aimed at teens and the college crowd such as Teen Summit and Video Soul and more but while still keeping it's old audience BET started expanding their channel to become an empire by having spin-off channels such as BET Jazz Centric "now BET Her" and by having an empire has made BET one of the top channels in cable. But even with the earlier competitors TV One and Bounce BET is still surviving all this time. But why I think BET went downhill was when they turned themselves into what Reelz TV has done by having shows about celebrities that are dead and living with titles such as The Real Whitney Houston The Will Smith History and Chadwick Boseman The Real Truth Behind Black Panther and they should limit these shows to a maximum and focus more on sitcoms and add original movies. Another thing about BET is that they have no game shows and if they had new original game shows it would get BET ratings because it seemed that they got the rights to Steve Harvey's Family Feud and they should've aired the reruns of Cedric The Entertainer's Who Wants To Be A Millionaire instead. But BET still will be huge as the future goes on Bestie
	__________________ Hawkee and Aguilar, Hoping to be a great team

01-24-2023, 03:56 PM	#5
cleverfun3000 Member Senior Member Join Date: Sep 18, 2008 Location: Manhattan Posts: 1,685
	__________________ I'm not speaking for everyone. Just myself and those that agree with me.

02-02-2023, 04:14 AM	#9
Archive_87 Archive_87 Occasional Poster Join Date: Dec 12, 2022 Location: NYC Posts: 49	Deleted
	Last edited by Archive_87; 04-12-2023 at 01:19 AM. Reason: Deleted

02-02-2023, 04:25 PM	#10
MikeLutton Mike Lutton DVD Legend! Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 05, 2005 Location: usa pennsyvania Posts: 6,870	family matters has joined the Bet Schedule starting next monday with Mornings 8:00am to 11:00am
	__________________ Tv And DVD Addict got over a hundred dvds in my collection more than anyone in the neighborhood. also huge Animal lover family man

01-10-2023, 01:47 PM	#2
tenter Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 28, 2014 Posts: 3,564	looking at schedule: currently BET airs Black-ish, Living Single, Martin, Tyler Perry's House of Payne, The Neighborhood, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns, Tyler Perry's Sistas, Tyler Perry's the Oval, Kingdom Business, and some movies...

01-15-2023, 12:34 PM	#4
Duster76 Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 01, 2008 Location: New jersey Posts: 1,639	"Why Nobody Watches The Channel Anymore" Well about that, each year Variety provides a listing of the top rated networks, this year out of 159 networks listed BET was tied for 37, and was number 35 in the coveted 25-49 age group!

01-27-2023, 12:43 PM	#6
Yong Fang Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 04, 2009 Location: Memphis Tennessee Posts: 3,072	When I was back home at my parents house there was a station that mostly had "Black Entertainment" that showed a block of Sanford and Son and Good Times. I dont know the name of it but it seems fairly popular. Maybe we have gone past as a culture of distinguishing race in entertainment anymore. Oddly BET of course lacks diversity, because of its name.

01-27-2023, 01:16 PM	#7
biffbronson Sentimental Fool Forum Star Join Date: Aug 22, 2009 Location: Near Notre Dame Posts: 10,266	I receive TheGrio in my area, but I don't know of any sitcoms currently airing on it -- mostly dramas, reality, and HBCU sports. They do have Comics Unleashed though.

02-03-2023, 04:25 PM	#11
tenter Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 28, 2014 Posts: 3,564	BET though used to air Family Matters reruns for quite long time around 2009 until around 2013. But I guess it's returning back starting next Monday. And interesting..

04-16-2023, 01:24 AM	#13
Hawkee Michael Fassbender Fanatic Moderator Forum Star Join Date: Jan 17, 2016 Location: California Posts: 10,728	I used to watch BET for their music videos to learn about the new releases in music and when they had music video shows that was truly when BET was at it's peak but if you look at BET today you'll see why they have so many Tyler Perry movies and shows is because I really think Tyler Perry wants to secretly buy BET and turn it into TPC or Tyler Perry Channel. Because as you know Tyler Perry is one of the top successful entertainers in the world and if he bought BET he would be so happy with his own network. But if BET could change back to a variety format and focus not so much on sitcoms and movies it would improve it a lot Bestie

04-20-2023, 05:58 AM	#14
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 124,441	Somebody elsewhere said that BET really started to decline when they moved away from being the hub of black culture into a ratings grab. More specifically, they removed the news, interviews with black dignitaries, and sports shows concentrating on black athletes, and replaced them with ratchet content. They also started (perhaps unintentionally) a generational divide between the black community, where they alienated the older black viewers who were with them when they began the channel and sought out the younger viewers, and removed the content that could have bridged the generational divide (i.e. Teen Summit, etc.).

06-13-2023, 01:46 AM	#15
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 124,441	Report: Tyler Perry to Take Control of BET According to a recent report from The Streamr, Tyler Perry is set to take control of the cable channel BET, giving the billionaire control.