Univision and Telemundo should have been the models for BET. Initially BET was MTV and then there was a time when it was like Univision and Telemundo (that was during Ed Gordon’s prime, the height of Donnie Simpson’s popularity, and when Teen Summit was a relevant TV show); BET has always seemed to want to be like MTV or VH1 type of Network. And frankly, those Networks show nonsense, gossip shows, terrible videos, and stereotypical programming, all the things that we complain about BET. This was made worse when Bob sold it to Viacom. They have even gone as far as having a Best Week Ever clone.

Also, Bob was about making money. I can remember the days of BET when Sunday morning was filled with Gospel, and after noon a switch when on and all you got was paid advertising programming. The same thing during the week would happen after Midnight Love would go off and you get those 30 minute commercials until 9AM the next morning. When you have a high profit margin and don’t spend money on development, that’s how you end up with crappy programming, cheap programming, and syndicated shows on the cheap. All of the talent, Ananda Lewis (let’s just agree to disagree upfront about how talented she is), Ed Gordon, Tony Brown, James Brown (the sports commentator) etc. were gone because of money. The great syndicated shows cost more than BET was willing to pay.

Now, how can Black Panther be successful? If BET is only providing financial support and nothing else and Viacom keeps its dirty fingers out of it, and the production is basically shopped out, and if Hudlin personally oversees its production, it could work. Do i think it will. Probably not.

Is this a vanity project for Hudlin? I think so. President of Entertainment for BET since 2005…Has he tried to get the Bernie Mac show on BET? No. What about Everybody Hates Chis? No. How about getting Spawn the Animated series? Nope. What has he brought us? Hell Date. Iron Ring (a clone of on of Spike TV’s shows). Black Poker Stars Invitational (even Bravo has left their Celebrity Poker Tournament on the shelf). College Hill (Real World clone). and Different Strokes, a show about a great white man who shows his benevolence by adopting poor black boys? And the worst of the worst black movies ever made. To Reggie, whatever.

Univision and Telemundo should have been the models for BET. Initially BET was MTV and then there was a time when it was like Univision and Telemundo (that was during Ed Gordon's prime, the height of Donnie Simpson's popularity, and when Teen Summit was a relevant TV show); BET has always seemed to want to be like MTV or VH1 type of Network. And frankly, those Networks show nonsense, gossip shows, terrible videos, and stereotypical programming, all the things that we complain about BET. This was made worse when Bob sold it to Viacom. They have even gone as far as having a Best Week Ever clone.

Also, Bob was about making money. I can remember the days of BET when Sunday morning was filled with Gospel, and after noon a switch when on and all you got was paid advertising programming. The same thing during the week would happen after Midnight Love would go off and you get those 30 minute commercials until 9AM the next morning. When you have a high profit margin and don't spend money on development, that's how you end up with crappy programming, cheap programming, and syndicated shows on the cheap. All of the talent, Ananda Lewis (let's just agree to disagree upfront about how talented she is), Ed Gordon, Tony Brown, James Brown (the sports commentator) etc. were gone because of money. The great syndicated shows cost more than BET was willing to pay.

Now, how can Black Panther be successful? If BET is only providing financial support and nothing else and Viacom keeps its dirty fingers out of it, and the production is basically shopped out, and if Hudlin personally oversees its production, it could work. Do i think it will. Probably not.

Is this a vanity project for Hudlin? I think so. President of Entertainment for BET since 2005…Has he tried to get the Bernie Mac show on BET? No. What about Everybody Hates Chis? No. How about getting Spawn the Animated series? Nope. What has he brought us? Hell Date. Iron Ring (a clone of on of Spike TV's shows). Black Poker Stars Invitational (even Bravo has left their Celebrity Poker Tournament on the shelf). College Hill (Real World clone). and Different Strokes, a show about a great white man who shows his benevolence by adopting poor black boys? And the worst of the worst black movies ever made. To Reggie, whatever.