Brouhaha over BET
 

From the LA Times

Brouhaha Over BET Continues
Fraternity and sorority leaders critical of the network plan to meet again. But they say a letter urging a boycott was just an early draft.
By GREG BRAXTON, Times Staff Writer

The rap continues over the rap and music videos featured on Black Entertainment Television, or BET.

The Council of Presidents, a coalition of leaders from national African American college sororities and fraternities, are scheduled to meet this weekend to discuss continuing concerns over videos airing on the black-themed network that feature scantily clad women and rappers bragging about their money, jewelry and sexual prowess. The group has been worried about the impact of the videos on youth.

However, the discussion will fall short of a threatened boycott of the network to which the leaders are being linked, through a letter circulating on the Internet. That letter denounces BET and its founder and chairman, Robert Johnson, for not operating "in the best interest of the African American community," calling his response to their concerns "not only unacceptable" but " . . . insulting."

Among the nine groups named in the letter were the fraternities of Omega Psi Phi Inc., Alpha Phi Alpha Inc. and Kappa Alpha Psi Inc., and the sororities of Alpha Phi Alpha Inc., Delta Sigma Theta Inc. and Zeta Phi Beta Inc.

Several of the sorority and fraternity leaders named in the letter said they did not endorse its tone or content. They called the letter an "early draft" composed by the National Pan-Hellenic Council, a group that consists of representatives of the nine Greek letter fraternities and sororities, and was never formally approved by the Council of Presidents.

Members of the Council of Presidents say they are not pleased that the letter was released. And while they continue to have concerns about BET's programming of rap videos, no boycott is being planned, they said.

"To discuss a boycott right now is just ludicrous," said Barbara Carpenter, the national president of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc.

Carpenter said that she and other Council of Presidents members met with Johnson in September about the videos. "He made it clear that he is a businessman, and that BET is a business," said Carpenter. However, she added, Johnson wanted to continue a dialogue with the group, "and he said we could work together on some things."

BET executives maintained that the network does not control the content of the broadcast videos, which are sent to them by record companies. The videos are not aired "when the content in our opinion is extreme," and labels are regularly asked to make revisions.

Johnson reportedly told the leaders during the September meeting that they should talk with key record label executives to voice their complaints.

BET has often come under fire from those viewers as well as some in the black creative community who have felt the network has not lived up to their vision as an outlet for meaningful entertainment by and for African Americans. They say the focus has always been too much on music-related shows—in particular hip-hop videos that stress the materialistic and the sexual.

In defense of the network, Johnson has said BET has always been successful, financially and creatively. And although some predicted the network might change its programming strategy after being acquired last year by media giant Viacom, much of BET's lineup still leans toward music shows aimed at a young audience.

BET President and Chief Operating Officer Debra Lee said earlier this year that the network is coming off its highest rated season, and that its research indicated that viewers want the network to "evolve, but not totally deviate" from its existing formula. She noted it airs a wide range of shows in addition to videos.

The Nov. 2 letter sent to Johnson said that the coalition raised concerns "about the type of videos shown on BET that have negative influences on our community, particularly our youth. We believe that these videos are an exploitation of African American youth."

The letter also criticized what it called BET's lack of support of black businesses, institutions and community leaders.

"Your response made it clear to us that your priority is to increase profits without regard to the negative impact on the African American community," the letter said.

The letter concluded with the threat of a national boycott. "Additionally, it is our intent to communicate this boycott to Viacom and all BET advertisers."

Kelli Richardson-Lawson, BET's executive vice president of marketing and communications, said in a letter to the Council of Presidents and the National Pan-Hellenic Council that the network wanted to continue a dialogue about their concerns: "I truly look forward to working with you as we move forward in partnership. We are very proud of our company, and we want you, the leaders of the community, to be equally proud of the network that serves you."

Said Carpenter: "We have let the Pan-Hellenic Council know in no uncertain terms that this letter should not have gone out. And the fact that Mr. Johnson is willing to have dialogue with us is very encouraging."

Too bad
 

I wish they had decided to boycott BET and Viacom... They are not representative of me and I am offended by much of their programming...

I wonder who wrote the email...I personally don't watch BET. The level of programming sux. Even MTV has more educational programming....

Disagree w/ the terms of the boycott
 

I think to some extent the terms stated in the boycott overemphasize the bling mentality of hip hop. I do agree that there is an uneven diversity of the programming but what does that have to do with the rap videos. It's funny when you think about it. Country music for instance glorifies a small culture within the anglosaxon community that isn't representative of the majority. It doesn't get the same outlook as rap, even though it is just as extreme on it's end of the spectrum. Rap started with talk about parties and having fun. I for one am glad it has gotten back to that. Don't get me wrong BET needs to change. Can I see the Jackson 5 cartoon on sundays again. Let's not blame it all on booty videos when we know a mojority of us watch them and own the CD's (burned or not).

GOMAB

With all due respect frat, Country music videos don't hinge upon the continued degradation and subjugation of women. Country music videos don't treat women, specifically African American women, as commodities to be traded. Country music videos don't focus on materialistic gains to the exclusion of any other positive messages that we should focus on as a community. That is MY issue with BET, and the fact that their spokesperson is a woman doesn't ameliorate the situation.

Like Sisterfriend BeeJae, I'm a little disappointed that the membership didn't take a more proactive stance on this issue. Perhaps the boycott's terms (as originally concieved) weren't as clear as they should have, but I think we've (the collective we, not just Zeta) missed an opportunity to be the leaders here.

Thank you!

I spent the first two years of my collegiate life in "Opryland, USA" - Nashville, TN - at Fisk University - a BLACK school, where many music majors got their first decent job in the COUNTRY MUSIC INDUSTRY... They were hired as musicians, vocalists, backup singers, producers, etc...

Country music is widely accepted by "other than anglo-saxons"... especially since it has strong ties to the Blues... and I can't name ONE country music tune that degrades ANYONE.

Another difference between the music featured on BET and country music is that country music is not pop music for white people. Hip hop in its most negative variety is black pop music. The first image that people conjure up of white people does not automatically invoke country music images. With us, it is a different story. There was no accident that those idiots at Auburn were trying to show tenets of a bling bling lifestyle in their horrific costumes. Big jewelry, crime, attitude, women as play tings and decoration that you can throw in a pool, rip the top off of or pour your liquor on are the predominant images of African Americans in some white communities. The media images are the only thing to which they are exposed.

Yes, I like hip hop and own some of the albums that gave rise to these videos. But not all, And nothing that comes off of BET uncut :eek: :eek: :eek: (If you have not seen it, it is the worst of the worst- videos so bad even bet does not show them when decent folks are up and about.) Still, I do not appreciate the lack of diversity in images presented on BET. The lack of balance and counter images sets us up for the misguided attitudes of our young women and men and we will all pay the price in the end.

Kimmie, you bring up a very important point. BET isn't just isolated to the United States anymore. It airs here in Canada, in a country where we make up less than 3% of the TOTAL population. It airs around the world in countries where folks may not have any other images of African Americans to counterbalance the degrading images that are perpetuated by BET. Even the name -- BLACK Entertainment Television -- seems to suggest that this network is the definitive representation of Blackness in America. What BET says to the world is that we're all about cash, girls, and guns (and ocassionally drifting into "Black folks are like this but white folks are like that" humour). I'm not comfortable with that being the predominant perception that people have of me or of my people worldwide.

Johnson and his media empire are a business, so anything they do is driven by the dollar. They ultimately don't have any responsibility to us. However, you'd think that BET would have a teensy weensy shred of conscience and try to elevate us rather than tear us down.

I agree they do not have a responsibility to us. And agree that you would hope they would feel one to themselves, their mamas, their children and their people. But, the fact they are driven by the dollar is the reason a boycott may be the only thing that would get their attention. If we were to harass their advertisers, actually STOP spenidng our money with them and with BET and let them FEEL our convictions financially instead of just paying us lip service theyy might take us more seriously. In business it is often not about black or white but green so you have to hit them in the pocket to have an impact.

Check out what I found, from the "District Chronicles" Newspaper, there perspective on this issue.

http://districtchronicles.com/main.c...storyid=152687