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BET Unveils New Programming
BET Unveils New Programming, Image in 2005
By Kristin Vaughan, BET.com Staff Writer
Posted on Jan. 12, 2005 -- A renewed commitment to original programming and a fresh look were just a few of the exciting plans Black Entertainment Television (BET) announced will help it usher in its 25th anniversary year. BET President and Chief Operating Officer Debra L. Lee unveiled a hot new lineup of original series, movies and celebrity-studded specials along with a new network logo and "It's My Thing" tagline at the Television Critics Association Winter Media in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
"BET's commitment to fresh, original programming is as strong as it has ever been, and the first quarter of 2005 will really showcase some exciting shows," said Lee. "This strategy will continue throughout the year as we build momentum toward our milestone celebration of BET's 25th year as a network in the fall."
COLLEGE HILL, BET's ground-breaking Black reality series, will return and lead the original programming line up. New to the network will be THE COUSIN JEFF CHRONICLES, a four-part series featuring RAP CITY'S own "Cousin Jeff" Johnson, urban America's newest voice of social and political consciousness; and RIP THE RUNWAY, a red-hot catwalk collision uniting the worlds of hip-hop music and high-fashion. A new made-for-television male/female relationship movie, Book of Love - The Definitive Reason Why Men Are Dogs, starring Salli Richardson Whitfield, Robin Givens and Treach, and specials, such as the BET AWARDS `05, CELEBRATION OF GOSPEL, BET COMEDY AWARDS, SPRING BLING and BET'S 25TH ANNIVERSARY will round out the programming.
COLLEGE HILL will kick-off its 13-week series in the "Wild Wild West" plains of Oklahoma at Langston University with a special one-hour series premiere on Thursday, Jan. 27 at 9 p.m. (ET/PT). BET and Edmonds Entertainment unite again to bring a brand new eight member college co-ed cast together for another wild, crazy and chaotic season of no-holds barred experiences captured on film around the clock. This time, a luxurious Western-themed ranch will be the backdrop for all of the unscripted, on-and off-campus antics that made this popular series a break out hit last season.
A new in-depth quarterly forum and talk show, THE COUSIN JEFF CHRONICLES, will debut on BET in February. Host Jeff "Cousin Jeff" Johnson will tackle hard-hitting issues in the Black and Latino communities in a frank and compelling discussion format that will mix expert knowledge with man-on-the-street commentary. The four-part series' upcoming topics will include bridging the gap between the Civil Rights and the Hip-Hop generation; Black youth and obesity; and our American judicial system.
Also in February, BET Pictures and Strange Fruit Films will release a male/female relationship with an all-star ensemble cast in the made-for-television movie, Book of Love -- The Definitive Reason Why Men are Dogs. The original movie, written by Jeffrey W. Bryd and Eric K. George (The Practice, NYPD Blue), stars Salli Richardson Whitfield, Robin Givens, Richard T. Jones, Anthony "Treach" Criss, Mari Morrow and Eric K. George. The romantic comedy, which airs on Valentine's Day (Feb. 14 at 9 p.m. (ET/PT), focuses around three men living dating and loving in Los Angeles in the '90s who share their relationship ups and downs during sessions with a therapist.
RIP THE RUNWAY, which premieres on Thursday, March 24 at 9 p.m. (ET/PT), will pair hot urban apparel design labels, such as Sean Jean, Baby Phat, Rocawear and Apostrophe with live musical performances. Top supermodels and celebrities will take part in the show which will also give viewer's an insider's perspective on the process of developing a major fashion line.
The biggest names in contemporary and traditional gospel will headline the 2004 CELEBRATION OF GOSPEL at its live taping on Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. (PT). The lineup of performers include Ruben Studdard, Fantasia, Pastor Donnie McClurkin, Yolanda Adams, BeBe Winans, Smokie Norful, Mary Mary, Kirk Franklin, Fred Hammond, Pastor Shirley Caesar, J. Moss, BET's own Dr. Bobby Jones, The Clark Sisters, Kiki Sheard and others. The show will premiere on Thursday, Feb. 24 at 9 p.m. (ET/PT).
In addition to the programming lineup, Lee presented the first glimpse of the new BET logo -- BET with a star on the lower right side. The new logo will have a new tagline, "It's My Thing," incorporated in it which will emphasize and create an even stronger connection with the networks viewers. It will replace the "Black Star Power" slogan that the network has been using since 1999.
"BET has always enjoyed a significant relationship with the African-American audience, and is now the #1 network among African Americans 18-49 and 18-34," Lee says. "As we enter into our 25th Anniversary year, we wanted to take this relationship even further, celebrating our loyal viewers and fans. The slogan "It's My Thing" is meant to speak directly to BET viewers in a relevant, connected tone that's down to earth."
"We want our viewers to feel a special sense of ownership and equity in what we've become as a network," Lee added.
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