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BET Networks Gets Animated With 'BUFU,' Dons Its 'SUNDAY BEST' and Debates 'HIP HOP VS. AMERICA' at the Summer 2007 Television Critics Association Tour
Featured TCA Shows Part of the 10 New Specials and Series Launching This
Fall on BET Networks
Animated Comedy 'BUFU' Premieres Tuesday, November 13 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT
'SUNDAY BEST,' the Search for the Nation's Best Gospel Singer, Premieres
Tuesday, October 2 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT
Provocative 'HIP HOP VS. AMERICA' Town Hall Debuts Fall 2007
LOS ANGELES, July 16 -- BET Networks continues to deliver
on its promise of offering original programming that appeals to African
Americans and all consumers of Black culture with presentations for HIP HOP
VS. AMERICA, BUFU and SUNDAY BEST, three exhilarating new shows that will
debut this fall.
"BET Networks is committed to bringing our audiences programming that
not only entertains them but that also strikes a chord and engages them,"
said Debra Lee, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, BET Networks. "We're
excited that these latest additions further diversify our line-up and will
appeal to a wide range of viewers within our core audience."
"Each of these shows - BUFU, SUNDAY BEST, and HIP HOP VS. AMERICA -
re-affirm that BET Networks is a destination for incredible talent to work,
both in front of and behind the camera," said Reginald Hudlin, President of
Entertainment, BET. "We're building off the momentum from this summer and
will have several new fall shows and specials that will keep BET Networks
sizzling into next year."
The shows announced at TCA are part of BET Neworks' ambitious original
programming slate this fall, with the premieres of 10 new shows and
specials. BET Networks is bringing an eclectic mix of programming that
features a broad range of genres, including music, animation, reality and
inspirational shows.
FEATURED PROGRAMMING AT TCA
BUFU - BUFU starts where "The Chappelle Show" left off. It's an
animated sketch comedy show in the tradition of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE and
SCTV, from the brilliant and hilarious minds of executive producers Orlando
Jones (MAD TV) and Ali LeRoi (EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS). BUFU is set to
premiere Tuesday, November 13, at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on BET. Both Jones and
LeRoi participated in BET Networks' panel discussion about the show at TCA.
Premiere date/schedule: Tuesday, November 13 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT
SUNDAY BEST - BET brought you the CELEBRATION OF GOSPEL, the #1
religious program in television history, and now comes SUNDAY BEST, a
nationwide search for America's next great gospel singer. SUNDAY BEST will
search storefront churches, parishes and mega-churches from Atlanta to Los
Angeles and Chicago to find the best undiscovered singers in America. The
top contestants will be coached by great performers from the gospel and
secular worlds as they strive to win the SUNDAY BEST title. Top contestants
will receive prizes for themselves and for their churches and communities
as well.
Premiere date/schedule: Tuesday, October 2 at 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET/PT
HIP HOP VS. AMERICA - HIP HOP VS. AMERICA is a multi-episode special
featuring a recent BET Town Hall discussion on the subject of hip hop -- a
powerful, enlightening, and provocative debate that takes an honest look at
the culture's merits and faults. Unlike most other televised discussions of
these issues, BET's Town Hall showed a full continuum of opinions and went
beyond the attacks and soundbites to delving into the real humanity behind
it all, reflecting on what contemporary hip-hop means and what it says
about Black America. Panelists featured in the special range from rappers
Nelly, T.I., Chuck D and Master P to journalists Diane Weathers, Farai
Chideya and Stanley Crouch, as well as Rev. Al Sharpton. This special
series will air in fall 2007. Rev. Sharpton and Chuck D joined BET Networks
at TCA to talk about the Town Hall.
Premiere date/schedule: Fall 2007
OTHER SHOWS COMING TO BET NETWORKS THIS FALL
Reality & Biography Series
COLLEGE HILL INTERNS - Following the success of COLLEGE HILL 4, the
highest-rated series in BET history, this exciting new spin-off will follow
eight college students when they move to Chicago for summer internships.
These college students will face the harsh reality of juggling their
professional responsibilities with the temptations of late-night partying
in a new city.
Premiere date/schedule: October 2007
AMERICAN GANGSTER 2 - Narrated by award-winning actor Ving Rhames, the
critically acclaimed AMERICAN GANGSTER returns for a second season to
explore the rise and fall of some of Black America's most notorious crime
figures. AMERICAN GANGSTER also focuses on the horrific impact that these
criminals had on their families as well as the communities that they preyed
upon. This season includes an exclusive interview with Frank Lucas, the
real-life character that Denzel Washington plays in the upcoming film
"American Gangster."
Premiere date/schedule: Thursday, October 4 at 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT
KEYSHIA COLE 2: THE WAY IT IS - The sophomore season of the hit reality
series documents the life of platinum-selling R&B songstress Keyshia Cole.
In KEYSHIA COLE 2: THE WAY IT IS, BET again receives exclusive access to
Keyshia to document her personal growth and challenges, including her
efforts to rebuild her strained relationship with her mother and a search
to find her supposedly dead father.
Premiere date/schedule: October 2007
Strip
JUDGE MOONEY - Comedian Paul Mooney is a legend. He's worked with
everyone from Richard Pryor to Dave Chappelle; now Mooney will host his own
daily court show as the outrageously funny judge who lays down the law with
his own brand of humor. Real people will bring their real cases to Mooney's
courtroom to receive a verdict that only Judge Paul Mooney can deliver. ALL
rise as JUDGE MOONEY'S court is now in session!
Premiere date/schedule: Fall 2007
Inspirational
EXALTED! - BET takes a look into the complex lives of inspirational
leaders in this biography series profiling various ministers from around
the country. Some of these strong religious figures lead mega-churches,
some advise the President, and some comfort the sick and the destitute.
With EXALTED!, BET goes beyond the public image to reveal the human side of
these men and women to discover why they chose to follow this path, what
sacrifices they made to do so, and the struggles they've encountered along
the way.
Premiere date/schedule: Tuesday, October 2 at 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT
Specials
BET HIP-HOP AWARDS - More than a musical style, hip-hop is a history of
American culture and a testimony by its artists of their life experiences.
BET shocked "Hotlanta" on November 15, 2006 with its first HIP-HOP AWARDS,
which drew a whopping 3.64 million viewers (2.93 rating) and was the #1
primetime telecast in all of cable television that night. This year's
HIP-HOP AWARDS will be an electrifying homage to the genre of hip-hop, and
viewers won't want to miss the off-the-hook performances and appearances by
the biggest names in the game.
Premiere date/schedule: Wednesday, October 17 at 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT
BET J
LIVING THE LIFE OF MARLEY - This highly anticipated half-hour reality
series follows the extraordinary life of Bob Marley's son Ky-Mani Marley,
as he prepares to launch a new album, and the entire Marley family clan as
cameras follow them about their everyday lives. Whether it's hanging out
with their entertaining bunch of friends or working all night in the studio
on a red-hot music single, viewers will quickly learn that nothing can slow
down this dynamic family and nobody can break their strong family bond.
Premiere date/schedule: Fall 2007
For artwork and press information, please visit http://www.bet.com/pr.
About BET Networks
BET Networks, a division of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is the
nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public
affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The
primary BET channel reaches more than 85 million households according to
Nielsen Media Research, and can be seen in the U.S., Canada and the
Caribbean. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a
diverse group of businesses extensions: BET.com, a leading internet
destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET Digital
Networks - BET J, BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for
cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Event Productions, a full-scale
event management and production company; BET Home Entertainment, a
collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs
and video-on-demand; BET Mobile, a service venture into the lucrative world
of ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET
International, an extension of BET network programming for global
distribution.
SOURCE BET Networks
http://www.bet.com
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