Does BET help or hurt the black community? (interview, stereotypes, party)

[The Dissenter]

I replied to a post today about parents letting their kids watch BET. I said that BET portrays an overall negative image of the black community and that BET equaled low-class blacks. Another poster said i was full of self-hate just b/c of that justified snap at BET.

I see the lineups and previews of BET's shows. The previews of College Hill show the people fighting and cussin all the time (way to get me to turn in.) The "Spring Bling" shows they do are just a week of wild sex, partying, and drinking. For most of the day and week BET glorifies cars, sex, bling, and violence..

BET does decent shows too like jeff johnson, my black is beautiful Hip-hop vs. america, and celebration of gospel but personally i think their shows that portray black folk with no class whatsoever overshadows it.

Befor you reply, let me make clear that i'm a black man who is happy to be a black man but i'm VERY critical also. I watch TVone over BET because i feel it does a great job of showcasing black people in a more positive light.

So folks, does BET help or hurt the black community?

[Miss Crabcakes]

So interesting this should come up cause I've been bitching' about BET since I caught some of the awards program on Sunday. I say "some" cause I could barely get through 5 whole mins. It was just terrible! A hot mess.

I may have to start out by also saying I'm a black women, with bo problem with my color but I haven't watched BET in about 5 years. None of their programming appeals to me. I liked it when I was a teen but I just outgrew it.

That said I tried watching a bit today and came upon some sitcome called The Game. Simple dreadful. Unfunny. 3rd rate with a laugh track in the background. Who is watching this crap? I dont' watch enough to say whether its hurting or not but it could be better. After that sorry awards ceremony, it certainly isn't helping.

[Chowhound]

You ever seen much of the crap the MTV is been pumping out for yrs. I flick around and see some the garbage on there.

I don't watch BET, but, it is hardly alone in portraying foolishness, of any color for that matter.

[nitokenshi]

YouTube - Boondocks BET Diss [BANNED FROM TV]

[ovcatto]

BET never lived up to its potential when it was owned and operated by Robert Johnson so it should not come to anyone's surprise that now under the ownership of Viacom that it has hardly improved, if in fact it hasn't gotten worse.

[eevee]

I too stopped watching BET ages ago, even before I stopped watching MTV (late 90's? early 00's?). it just got too annoying seeing the same music videos for "Back Dat Thang Up", some stupid DMX song, or other rap song w/ booty shakers in the background every hour on the hour. they pushed all the mellow R&B songs to the late night/pre-dawn hours and filled the rest of the schedule w/ stupid music videos and shows. and I definitely don't have any desire to watch the BET awards (I've had more than enough of T-Pain, Soulja Boy, Beyonce, and Jamie Foxx and don't need to see an overdrawn award show further hyping them up)

as a side note, I don't make it a habit of reading/listening/watching anything directed to the black community. I don't go out of my way to watch Tyler Perry movies or certain shows on CW, or watch BET (not to say I won't of course, I just don't go out of my way to do so simply b/c I'm black and I'm "supposed to"). but it seems like a lot of the media directed at blacks seem to emphasize negative stereotypes and portrayals. from what I've read, the last Tyler Perry movie got criticisms for that reason. BET just lumps all these things together into one station.

[LizzySWW]

I think BET hurts them because it's always the station people joke about.

[jlhct]

Originally Posted by ovcatto

BET never lived up to its potential when it was owned and operated by Robert Johnson so it should not come to anyone's surprise that now under the ownership of Viacom that it has hardly improved, if in fact it hasn't gotten worse.

Absoutely! It used to be a little better in its beginnings, but now it is just bad.

Just like everything else I guess it just went downhill!

[540_804]

As an African American, I don't feel like BET necessarily hurts the black community, but, for the most part, it doesn't help it either.

One of my biggest complaints about BET is that it seems like they are trying as hard as possible to emulate other music channels (like VH1 and MTV) when, in my opinion, that's not the direction most want it to go. Namely BET should have never stepped into the arena of reality TV (Hell Date, College Hill, Beef: The Series).

I think if BET could get a solid line-up of shows, it could regain some of its credibility. For instance, a black sitcom would be cool. Something relatively wholesome like All of Us, or My Wife and Kids, a BET-original, though. Also a late-night show would be nice, like the Tavis Smiley show or something of similar format (guest interviewee based.)
They would have to keep 106 & Park as thats their #1 show but introducing some other music-based shows would be nice, such as a show based around up-and-coming artists or underground music (perhaps as a music review show).
Then more non-music shows could be introduced such as their old show Personal Diary which was basically like VH1's Behind the Music but featured various prominent figures in black culture.
Maybe re-introducing a late-late-night comedy lineup would be cool too, but not as raw as ComicView...


But...alas, I have wandered off topic..my apologies...

[dvcgal]

To the OP: Both. That said, MTV doesn't help the white community nor does VH1! I think all tv is meant to make people look ridiculous now and BET is no different.