Get Ready Africa…Here Comes BET
BET Networks announced today that it is now offering BET in 29 countries in sub-Saharan Africa on multiple platforms, expanding the channel’s international reach that already includes the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and the United Kingdom. Through the GTV agreement, BET will be seen in 21 countries, and with the agreement with MultiChoice, BET will initially launch on DStv in 11 countries.
Available via DStv’s Premium and Compact bouquets, as well as GTV on both English-language bouquets G Plus and G Choice and French-language bouquets G Choix and G Grand, BET will provide consumers in Africa access to the network’s top-rated and critically acclaimed shows, including 106 & PARK, COLLEGE HILL, KEYSHIA COLE: THE WAY IT IS, BALDWIN HILLS, REAL LIFE DIVAS, THE BET HONORS, BOBBY JONES GOSPEL, and many more.
“Expanding into Africa is an extremely important, exciting and rewarding move for us,” said Debra L. Lee, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, BET Networks. “With our launch in Africa on both GTV and DStv, BET Networks is continuing to build on our commitment of providing high-quality content to international audiences.”
“We’re so excited to establish a presence in Africa, as these key partnerships give us valuable scale in the region,” said Michael D. Armstrong, Senior Vice President and General Manager, BET International. “Africa makes great strategic sense, and we’re confident that we’ll continue to grow and deliver content to viewers across the continent who are eager for the programming we offer.”
Commenting on the launch of the channel, MultiChoice Africa CEO Eben Greyling welcomed the new addition to DStv. “Our general entertainment line-up has grown over the past decade to include the world’s biggest and best channel brands and the addition of BET to this line-up completes our multi-channel general entertainment offering and means that our subscribers will get the greatest selection of channel choice on DStv.”
“We’re delighted to have BET on board,” said Julian McIntyre, Founder and Managing Director of GTV. “Our service continues to break new ground in multi-platform content distribution and this partnership reflects our commitment to bring the best tailored content to our viewers at the most competitive costs. This announcement demonstrates again the strengths in content and innovation that position GTV well for sustained growth.”
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Like Africa doesn’t have enough problems to deal with.
Exporting this “bouquet” of fabulousness, machismo, misogyny, coonery and buffoonery is seriously bad for our people; already in too many countries our family members are skin bleaching and otherwise imitating our self-hating miseducated selves too much as it is. We need to seriously develop goo-gobs of positive, independent media to send out as far and wide as possible to try to counteract these images.
That’s as bad as making them pay to take toxic nuclear waste.
BET brought its nonsense to the UK a few months ago. I have relatives there who really hated the idea of having BET on there because since there are very few positive black images on British television already, BET would only be contributing to the negativitiy. Also, I don’t think Africans will take to BET too much because most of them are not into the buffoon corporate hip-hop that is on heavy rotation on BET. I was in Senegal and Ghana a couple years back and everyone is into The Roots, Mos Def, Common and the more conscience hip hop. So, I think BET might have to change up its programming right quick if it wants to survive internationally.
The very idea of BET airing in Africa just sickens me. Our forefathers have worked and sacrificed so much. To have the nerve to even air the type of foolishness that BET calls black entertainment is shameful. To expand it to African countries is downright scandalous.
There should be another channel with positive african-american programming to balance off the content of BET programming, cause african kids will look at the BET programs as the only “american” way of life and will emulate it..
God help us all BET in africa…… Its bad enough Africa has had its people stolen,land grabed up and parceled out willy nilly now the powers that be are going back to ravage the African peoples minds. BET should be classified as some sort of torture and ruled illegal world wide.
TVOne, Please expand to Africa ASAP.
WHY!? African youth follow Black culture. What good are they gonna get from watching BET in its current format?