Some of our readers in the UK will have noticed the launch of popular US channel BET on Sky Digital last week (channel 209). Having seen a lot of the channel during my stays in the US over the years, I’m definitely feeling what the UK version has on offer; I see it as the superior alternative to MTV Base. The repetitive ads (an understatement), I’m assuming, are due to the channel still being kind of in a testing period.For those who have tuned in…
What are you thinking of the channel so far?
![SZA, Usher, & Victoria Monet Win BIG at 2023 Soul Train Awards [Full Winner's List]](https://thatgrapejuice.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/thatgrapejuice-usher-wins-2023-winners-list-soul-train-awards-victoria-monet-sza-464x260.jpg "SZA, Usher, & Victoria Monet Win BIG at 2023 Soul Train Awards [Full Winner's List].")
BET is very much needed in this country (UK), which White people doesn’t even acknowledge that Black people living in the UK, and around the world..
This is the time when we educate, communicate and entertain ourselves. We do have Black TV station broadcast in the UK, but it doesn’t reach the right spots. Hopefully MTV Base and BET are gonna work together to expand and be a major part in today’s media world in the UK..
My views on BET is that its still on its test transmission. But it looks very promising.
Judging by the amount of criticism BET USA gets it’s obvious the UK side is in its honeymoon period. We shoudl go to an american site and ask them about the launch here. Then we should ask this question again to ourselves in about 6-12 months.
i love it
I understand on what you are saying.
The black UK people do not have the same history as the people in the U.S.. Black people have been living in the U.K. for hundreds of years, but the majority of blacks came in the late 50’s and early 60’s… (From the West Indies and Africa).. So we are still young.
Blacks in this country never experience slavery and Civil Rights, so we do look up to you.
Yes, I will be looking at BET closely in the up and coming months (Room for improvements). But over here we have to celebrate that we have something to watch..
samuel refused to email me back but does anyone know if its coming to Virgin Media??
Well I think its a good idea as long as they dont keep on repeating their programmes cause its getting tiring. Lets hope its stays!!!!!!
I doubt it at this stage, but it is possible. Channel U has been saying they’re trying to get on there for several years and that hasn’t happened, so don’t be too expectant.
I am an Black American, and I am sorry to tell BET has been in America for like 30 years, but has gone downhill in recent years. The low quality you are viewing now, is probably the same thing we get in America.
BET shows have the low production quality, it looks like high school students put it together.
College Hill picked the most ignorant college students they could find, making Historically Black Colleges look bad. They never show the students actually going to class or doing homework.
They only show the most ignorant,materialistic booty shakin southern rapper videos they could find.
They rarely play RnB music
Never play videos from positive artists or songs.
It is no longer black owned
They no longer have the nightly news.
They have a Latina host on 106 and park, instead a positive black female role model like they used to have.
All their reality shows are just black versions of MTV reality shows but not as good.
VH1 has better programs about black music history than BET. Soul Deep from the UK was a better documentary than anything BET has shown all year
On Martin Luther Kings birthday instead of playing movies and shows about Civil Rights they played a marathon of the the Keyshia Cole show about her and disfunctional family.
They allegedly engage in payola.(companies pay to have videos played)
They are not going to give UK artist a chance, they don’t even give artist from all over the US a chance. They don’t show the diversity of music we have.
I can go on and on. Don’t get your hopes up.
Yes, you are say something… Sorry to hear BET is crap over in the U.S.. Today’s media ratings orginatated.. It looks like people from age 30 upwards have to go to VH-1 to see something worth watching, and the younger viewers gets more viewing time.
About the music, we get the same crap as well over here in the U.K.
Like I said at the top of the blog, this early days yet. This is something new for the U.K.
For Virgin Media, I don’t you have it yet. But I think Freeview have it.
Whats goin on Sam its Byron,
I’ve been watching channel 209 (BET)quite alot and from what I can see it has a mixture of programming that is superior to MTV base (another viacom company). To be honest I’m surprised base has given them so much coverage seen as they are going to get all their viewers. Yes the show ads are jarring and very long but they should disappear soon.
I’ve heard word that base is about to be scrapped which makes sense. I’m sure all the good shows will switch over to BET.
Hopefully BET will add a fresher mix to the urban musical programming , there were times when you had to think whether your were watching base or the 50/eminem channel.
Why do they keep on playing the same 106 and Park with Jay on it. Any ideas of whether we will get 106 and park on the next day or is it going to be a few weeks behind.
Why weren’t that grapejuice at the launch party!!! Its an outrage