BET has formed its first board of advisers and named six inaugural members, bringing founder Bob Johnson back into the company’s orbit two decades after he left as chief executive. The new group also includes Queen Latifah, LL Cool J, Troy Vincent, Raymond J. McGuire and George Cheeks.
The board is being asked to serve as a strategic and cultural sounding board for BET, offering insight, perspective and accountability as the brand pushes through a period of change. BET said the six members are cultural icons, business leaders and industry visionaries who will help guide its continued evolution at the intersection of media, community and culture.
The timing matters because BET is remaking parts of its business at the same time. BET+ is shutting down next month, and its content will move into Paramount+, after Paramount acquired Tyler Perry’s 25% ownership stake in the service. For viewers who have followed BET’s streaming push, the advisory board arrives just as one of its main digital lanes is being folded into a larger platform.
Johnson’s return carries a particular weight. He sold Black Entertainment Television to Viacom in a stock deal worth $3 billion that closed in 2001 and stayed on as BET’s chief executive until 2006. He later formed RLJ Entertainment, which AMC Global Media bought out in 2018. His presence on a newly created advisory board gives BET a direct link to the company’s original architect even as the brand is now operating under Paramount Skydance.
The move also comes after a recent leadership shake-up. Scott Mills announced his exit from BET last December after 23 years with the company, and Louis Carr stepped in as president and reports to George Cheeks. Carr said BET has always been more than a platform, calling it a cultural institution with a responsibility to serve, reflect and advance the community. He said the new board brings together leaders whose influence, perspective and integrity should help ensure BET honors that role while building what comes next.
What is not yet clear is how much authority this first board of advisers will have beyond shaping strategy and culture. For now, BET is signaling that it wants the credibility of veteran voices as it compresses one streaming service into another and tries to keep its identity intact.
