Is BET racist?

[SourCandy]

Making music so the white man can make money off you huh. "Run run"

[v2freak]

MLK was pretty much proponent of affirmative action. If you're going to drop the MLK card at least be historically accurate.

This is a bit off-topic but from what I've read about Dr. King in the past, he was also against gays (due to being a reverend), women's rights and did not believe his words of equality applied to other races? I don't even remember where I read this, can someone confirm/deny this?

Anyway, I don't know if it's racist, but as others have pointed out there is a double standard. If white people wanted to create their own channel and play things that are perceived to be "white", then it would certainly be met with tons of criticism. But most importantly I don't think the existence of BET really hurts anyone, so it's not a big deal. But that doesn't mean it doesn't at least merit discussion.

[mingus]

why do people assert that if whites had their own channel there would be black outrage? CMT pretty much destroys that argument.

[The Reckoning]

^ Hootie begs to differ

[SourCandy]

the token ^

[z0sa]

CMT pretty much destroys that argument.

Explain why.

[Stringer_Bell]

the token ^

Charley Pride was black country before Hootie was singing for the white man's Top 40 Singles Charts.

[mingus]

Explain why.

because 99% of the show features whites, and it's geared for a certain part of the white population. BET does the same thing, expept for blacks.

there's nothing racist about having a show concentrated on a demographic, as long as the show isn't proclaiming the superiority of that demographic, which neither do.

[The Reckoning]

because 99% of the show features whites, and it's geared for a certain part of the white population. BET does the same thing, expept for blacks.

there's nothing racist about having a show concentrated on a demographic, as long as the show isn't proclaiming the superiority of that demographic, which neither do.

Black Entertainment?

[monosylab1k]

This is a losing battle. This issue has been discussed numerous times. You're never going to get any type of compromise or agreeance on this topic. In America, black people are allowed to have their own channels, colleges, holidays, and parades and it's not racist. However, if white people get those things then it's racist. It's just the way it is. It's not right but why argue this? It's pointless. The sad thing is that a lot of black people in America do not actually realize who were the real slave owners in the Civil War era. Filthy rich white people owned slaves during that time period. Affirmative action is another thing that people don't understand. It's racist all around. It assumes that minorities such as black people always need help and are basically helpless and somewhat stupid so they need the white man's help. It also assumes that white people do not need any help because they are white and everything is handed to them on a silver platter. Why aren't minorities offended by affirmative action?

crofl

[Kamala]

I don't know about racist, but it is really bad programming.

Back in the day BET was a great source of R & B music. The show Video Soul with Donnie Simpson showed great videos and had great in depth interviews.

Now it truly sucks in this area. Strangely enough VH1 Soul is really awesome and gives video airplay to R&B artists even though 5 people probably watch it.

[monosylab1k]

What's funny is that the same stupid rednecks ing about BET being racist are probably the same ones joking about the 18 different Tyler Perry shows being on TBS and how it should be renamed The Black Station.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

Are they running from the cops? Or is it just footage Obama with Glenn Beck crying in the background.

I said "funny". Not stupid^^^

[z0sa]

because 99% of the show features whites,

How does that make it "white entertainment television"?

and it's geared for a certain part of the white population.

A "certain" part of the white population, which is a fair enough assumption. A presumably "minority" part of the white population.

Be more specific. What certain demographic is CMT aiming to please?

How does CMT, which is geared towards only a portion of the white demographic, compare with BET, which is aimed at an entire ethnic group?

there's nothing racist about having a show concentrated on a demographic, as long as the show isn't proclaiming the superiority of that demographic, which neither do.

It's a double standard. It implies that one race can have its own channel celebrating its culture while the others, especially whites IMO, cannot. And the fact it's "black", not African American, implies racism as well. It's a vicious double standard that one race can celebrate the color of their skin while other races (whites, mainly) are shunned and called racists for it.

[monosylab1k]

It's a double standard. It implies that one race can have its own channel celebrating its culture while the others, especially whites IMO, cannot. And the fact it's "black", not African American, implies racism as well. It's a vicious double standard that one race can celebrate the color of their skin while other races (whites, mainly) are shunned and called racists for it.

I'm pretty sure whites celebrate the color of their skin too, just in a different way. This little thing called never getting pulled over by the police.

[Spurminator]

It's a double standard. It implies that one race can have its own channel celebrating its culture while the others, especially whites IMO, cannot.

Why is this a problem?

[z0sa]

Why is this a problem?

It's really not, and never will be. Like others have said, one doesn't have to tune in.

That doesn't change any of the facts of the matter.

[Spurminator]

How does CMT, which is geared towards only a portion of the white demographic, compare with BET, which is aimed at an entire ethnic group?

BET doesn't appeal to all blacks, and isn't geared as such. BET is every bit as targeted in the demographics they're aiming for as CMT is. They obviously skew AA, but they are also targeting a certain age range.

I think your gripe is just with the name of the network. Is it fair to say that if it had the exact same programming, but a different name (for example, TV One), you'd be okay with it?

If BET was a new channel they probably would have given it a different name. But regardless of how you feel about TV diversity today, BET was founded in a time where you'd be hard pressed to argue there was a good amount of programming geared toward blacks. It's been around for over 30 years, and there hasn't really been much need to rebrand it something more palpable to people who aren't tuning in anyway.

[mingus]

How does that make it "white entertainment television"?




A "certain" part of the white population, which is a fair enough assumption. A presumably "minority" part of the white population.

Be more specific. What certain demographic is CMT aiming to please?

How does CMT, which is geared towards only a portion of the white demographic, compare with BET, which is aimed at an entire ethnic group?

they're both demographics is the point I'm trying to make and it's perfectly reasonable for a station to gear their shows toward a specific demographic. It's perfectly reasonable to advertise or sell something on the basis of a demographic. do rags, for example. you know, I know do rags are geared toward the black population. are you pissed they're not made for whitey, too?





It's a double standard. It implies that one race can have its own channel celebrating its culture while the others, especially whites IMO, cannot. And the fact it's "black", not African American, implies racism as well. It's a vicious double standard that one race can celebrate the color of their skin while other races (whites, mainly) are shunned and called racists for it.

[mingus]

Sorry Im posting this from my iPhone. ed that up. My part is the paragraph that ends with "whitey"

[InRareForm]

I think BET is stupid. I also think white people who complain about BET and the double standard are a bunch of crybabies. Leave the black folk alone, it's just one channel, you motherfukers have every other channel that appeal to white people, so shut your cracker ass up

[v2freak]

I'm pretty sure whites celebrate the color of their skin too, just in a different way. This little thing called never getting pulled over by the police.

[spizzle_tronk]

[howbouthemspurs]

Id rather watch the We channel

[Kori Ellis]

It is a network created to air programming and to target advertising toward a certain segment of the population. It is like WE for Women, or Nickelodeon for Kids, or ESPN for sports fans. No one prevents you from watching it if you are white-- just like no one prevents you from watching WE if you are a man or Nick if you are an adult.

Just because something is racial does not make it racist.

This is the best explanation in the thread. It would only be "racist" if you had to be black to watch it. As is, it's just a channel geared toward (not exclusively for) a certain demographic.