BET Co-Founder Shelia Johnson on The Network: ‘We’re Losing Our Voice’

BET co-founder Shelia Johnson voiced her dismay for the No. 1 African-American cable network recently insisting, “I think we squandered a really important cable network, when it really could have been the voice of Black America. We’re losing our voice as a race as a result.”

The cable network reaches beyond African-American households especially with it’s special awards shows, BET Hip Hop Awards and BET Awards, which has an immediate impact on today’s pop culture.

“I’m really worried about what our young people are watching. There are so many young people who are using the television as a babysitter. We have parents who are not being parents and not monitoring what their children are watching,” Johnson said in a speech at Carmel Art and Film Festival.

During the recent BET Hip Hop awards taping, several violent altercations erupted including the camps of rappers 50 Cent, Young Jeezy and Rick Ross.

Johnson serves on boards at various organizations including VH1’s Save the Music Foundation, Americans for the Arts, the Curry School of Education Foundation at the University of Virginia, and the University of Illinois Foundation; organizations that promote education.

Shelia Johnson is a name that needs no introduction. As the co-founder of BET and the first African American woman to become a billionaire, her accomplishments speak for themselves. Now she’s speaking out about an issue close to her heart: “We’re losing our voice” due to changes in network television. In this article, we will explore how Sheila Johnson sees these changes and why it matters so much.

Throughout her career, Shelia Johnson has been actively advocating for diversity both onscreen and off. She’s seen firsthand how networks have made strides towards creating more inclusive spaces but also laments what has been lost along the way. According to Johnson, one of those losses is the unique voice of black media – which she fears may be slipping away as traditional networks give way to streaming services like Netflix and Hulu.

This isn’t just another celebrity soundbite from someone with influence; here we have a real insider perspective from one of the most powerful people in media today. So join us as we take a closer look at what Shelia Johnson thinks about where broadcast television stands now, and how its future could shape up if something doesn’t change soon!

History Of Bet

BET, or Black Entertainment Television, was founded in 1980 by Robert L. Johnson and Sheila C. Johnson as a way to bring African American-focused programming into people’s homes. It quickly became the nation’s top rated cable network for black viewers, dedicated to providing quality entertainment featuring music videos, news programs, original series, documentaries and more.

Throughout its history, BET has been an important platform for giving voice to many activists and members of the African American community who have used it to reach millions of viewers with their messages about social justice issues like racism and inequality. Unfortunately, over time the channel’s focus shifted away from these topics towards what some would call “lighthearted” content such as reality TV shows and celebrity gossip.

This shift has not gone unnoticed by co-founder Sheila C. Johnson whose recent comments reflect her concern about losing the essential message that made BET so influential in the first place: ‘We’re losing our voice…we can do better than this.” Her words are a reminder of how vital it is for networks like BET to continue using their power to amplify important conversations happening within communities around the country.

The Vision Of Shelia Johnson

Shelia Johnson has always been a powerful advocate for African Americans, and her vision for BET was to create a platform where their voices could be heard. She is deeply concerned that the network has strayed away from this original mission and become more focused on entertainment than news or activism. In her words, it’s “critical” that we use our media platforms to educate people about social issues facing marginalized communities – something she believes BET should be doing more of.

To address these concerns, Johnson has proposed programs such as hosting forums with experts in various fields and creating an online library of documentaries about important topics like race relations and civil rights history. She also suggested dedicating airtime to programming related to education reform and job opportunities in underserved areas. These initiatives would help bring attention back to the important conversations that made BET so influential when it first began broadcasting.

Johnson’s commitment to using media as a tool for positive change remains strong today. By encouraging young people to engage with current events through accessible content, she hopes to inspire them to take action themselves and become involved in making the world a better place for everyone.

Conclusion

I. Summary
In this article, we explored the history of BET and Shelia Johnson’s vision for the network. Despite her success in creating the first Black-owned television network, she is concerned about its current direction. She believes that there needs to be more representation of African American voices on TV, both in front of and behind the camera.

II. Final Thoughts
It’s clear that Shelia Johnson has a deep passion for providing an outlet for stories and perspectives from people of color who have been historically overlooked or excluded by mainstream media outlets. We need more leaders like Shelia to advocate for diversity and inclusion in all aspects of our culture, especially in entertainment media. Without strong support for these initiatives, we risk losing our voice even further as society continues to evolve.

III. Moving Forward
We must take responsibility for continuing Sheila’s legacy by amplifying minority narratives whenever possible through various platforms such as podcasts, YouTube channels, blogs, magazines, etc.. It’s up to us to keep inspiring conversations going so that everyone can feel heard and represented within their communities. If we come together with a shared purpose of uplifting those who are often underrepresented then we can create a better future where everyone feels seen and valued regardless of background or identity.