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It is always nice when we can see a network of cable television from the 80s, 90s, and 2000s successfully make the shift to the internet age. Not every channel has been able to pull this off, at least not in a way that allows them to retain relevancy. However, some channels have been more successful in this regard than others. Some channels offer a range of entertainment that has retained an equal amount of demand in the 21st century as it did in the 20th. As we march deeper into the 21st century, it seems that the most successful companies are those that can cater to entertainment in some way. With the rise of binge culture thanks to Netflix and the near-constant outpour of bite-sized forms of entertainment such as memes and gifs to share via social media, it could be argued that pop culture is more pervasive today than it ever has been before.

It seems as if more people are interested in black entertainment than ever before, which is likely due to the wide appeal of hip hop music. This genre is enjoyed by people of all ages and backgrounds, so there is a lot of demand for it.

Despite this, there has always been a demand for black art. Of course, we are all well aware of how commercially successful Elvis Presley was able to become in the 1950s and 60s by appropriating and whitewashing black music. Heck, even rock and roll itself is steeped heavily in black musical roots such as the blues, jazz, and gospel. The main difference today is that more than ever before, black music's commercial success hinges less on creating white versions of it - opening more doors for truly black forms of art than ever before were open

Whereas many black news and entertainment outlets of the past were relatively niche in nature- meaning that you would not see a whole lot of white people subscribing to, say, Jet magazine- the fact that black music and entertainment has reached a new level of mainstream recognition allows for traditionally black networks such as BET to find new commercial success.

History

Robert L. Johnson, from Freeport Illinois, spent many years lobbying for the cable industry. However, once lobbying finally took its toll, he decided to step down from that profession and start his own cable television network. Armed with a $15,000 loan and a $150,000 investment from media execute John Malone, he set out to work on his vision. Johnson, who was known for his work in the music industry, decided to launch his own cable network, BET, on January 25th, 1980. BET originally aired as a block of programming on the Madison Square Garden Sports Network (MSGSN) three months after its launch. In its early days, BET focused primarily on airing music videos and reruns of famous black sitcoms. However, by 1983, BET had become a full-scale cable network of its own, independent of USA or any other block of programming available at the time.

In 1991, BET became the first black-run television network to ever be listed on the New York Stock Exchange. It was from there that BET branched out into other platforms and networks meant specifically for black communities. For instance, BET Her launched as BET Jazz which aimed to spotlight black jazz musicians.

In 1998, BET teamed up with Starz! to create a premium channel dedicated to black movies. This led to the network officially losing its status as a majority black-owned company, however, and it was eventually swallowed up by the media conglomerate, Viacom. To this day, though, BET still stands as perhaps the only cable network devoted solely to black entertainment.

Design

Once you land on BET.com's homepage, you will immediately understand how to use it. It is extremely easy to navigate. Not only that, though, the site is also well-organized and clean. I really like clean lines and clearly defined sections and boxes to fit content into when it comes to website design. Maybe it's just my OCD talking, but BET alleviates some of my OCD concerns with other entertainment websites. The site is loaded with content and information, flashy without being overwhelming or distracting. Your eyes will be first drawn to the boxes on top of the page labeled "NAACP Image Awards?" and "Shows?" If you are keeping up with events in the black community, you can see what awards are being given out by the NAACP and which television shows are being aired on BET.

Scroll down the page to find each individual section. Each section is presented one by one, so scroll until you find what you're looking for. Or, if you prefer, the same sections are always available at the top of the page, above the page proper, in the site menu bar. Click on Shows, Music, BET+, News, Celebs, Style, More, or simply Live TV. I love how easy and intuitive it is to use this site!

Content

BET is a black owned, black operated, black created website that caters to all aspects of black pop culture. The articles are usually journalistic in nature, informative, engaging and well written. However, they do have an op-ed slant. This website is refreshing in comparison to other entertainment news websites because it does not always focus on the negative aspects of black culture. BET offers access to its long history of programming, as well as the ability to stream current shows and even tune into live BET broadcasting any time of the day or night. Simply sign-in with your cable provider to watch BET live on your computer or smartphone.

Desktop and Mobile Experience

BET has an amazing website and desktop experience, but one more thing that sets it apart is the fact that it offers two separate apps- BET Now and BET+. Beyond the great design, these apps offer different content and features, making them ideal for different types of users. BET Now is an app-based version of BET.com that lets you do everything you can on the website, just more quickly and easily. In order to get the most out of the app, you'll need to sign in with your cable provider.

BET+, on the other hand, is BET?s own premium subscription-based streaming service. With this app, you can stream hundreds of hours of classic movies, old television shows, and exclusive BET+ content that you can?t find anywhere else. This app, understandably, is better designed than BET Now, but for a free app, BET Now is certainly nothing to sneeze at either. Whether on your computer or your mobile device, there are plenty of easy and enjoyable ways to indulge in great black content thanks to BET.

Pricing and Plans

So as I began to talk about a moment ago, there are many different ways to enjoy BET at various levels, with varying payments and arrangements to made (as well as simply using BET.com as a news site with no paywall). Bet needs a cable provider in order to unlock its current content and live TV.

And BET+ will run you $9.99 per month. It is something to consider for those who have room in their budget for another paid streaming service.

Suggestions that I have for BET

I understand that BET is, first and foremost, an entertainment news site. I would like to see BET expand its hard news section to include articles pertaining to politics and activism as well as news from around the world affecting black communities.