Let me start out this rant by making two confessions:
1. Growing up, I watched so much TV betting that one would think it was apart of my school-year curriculum (including summer school!)
2. In the last 4 or 5 years I have found BET literally painful and just about unbearable to watch.
BET aka Black Entertainment Television, akbsa (also known by some as) Black Exploitation Television has received much criticism over the years for its negative and stereotypical portrayal of black people in its programming. The network's harshest critics believe that BET is a coon network. Most reasonable critics (like myself) simply feel that the cable network needs to produce or broadcast more balanced programming; the network fails to project enough diverse images, experiences and perspectives of African-American life.
BET basically has a reputation for "dumbing-down" its audience with the majority of its programming revolving around Hip-Hop/R&B music videos. The cable network has been vilified for embracing and glorifying misogynist attitudes, materialism and violence displayed in Hip-Hop music videos while rejecting or down right ignoring "important" and serious issues that exist within the black community.
BET has responded to the criticism and is introducing a new lineup of diverse programming this season. BET is coming out with its first original sitcom about a group of college graduates trying to figure out what to do with the rest of their lives. There's an animated sci-fi series titled "Cipha" set in the future where Hip-Hop is outlawed produced by Will Smith's Overlook Entertainment. There's a reality show titled, "Baldwin Hills" about a group of upper-class teens growing up in an affluent black Los Angeles suburb.
Also worth watching is the second season of the thought-provoking program, "Meet the Faith" a talk show hosted by Dr. Ian Smith (from "Celebrity Fit Club") that brings solid discussion about issues that affect the black community. And look out for a show that will combine gospel music with the American Idol concept.
These are just a few shows that demonstrate BET's commitment to airing more positive and diverse programming. But...
Uh-oh! Here comes the lightning rod....
"Hot Ghetto Mess"!
From what I've read, "Hot Ghetto Mess" is a 6-episode series hosted by comedian Charlie Murphy, that combines user-submitted home videos and man-on-the-street interviews produced by BET that the network claims are intended to give inspiration to viewers to improve themselves and their communities....
Yeah, that sounds good and all but the problem is the buzz on and off the web is that Hot Ghetto Mess is a just another show that negatively stereotypes and demeans blacks and big name advertisers are not taking any chances so they're pulling out!
But before we all get together to protest in front of BET's offices, maybe it'll be a good idea to actually watch the show. I personally think BET is on the right track based on the programming that I mentioned earlier. Being someone that rarely watches BET anymore, I'm interested in quite a few of the programming being shown now and those forthcoming. Jam Donaldson, the founder of the website hotghettomess.com (which the Hot Ghetto Mess show is based on) says that people will be "pleasantly surprised" by the content and dialogue on the show.
You know what? I'm going to take her word for it!
I think BET deserves the benefit of the doubt considering that all of the other networks (besides TV One) neglects, marginalizes us or ignores us completely. I don't expect to enjoy every show that comes on BET. I, like I know so many others, just want to see more positive and inspirational images. Black people have such a rich and respected cultural history and even in this Hip-Hop dominated generation, there's more to black entertainment than just beats, rhymes, hips, butts and thighs.
BET should be held accountable for the images and messages that it puts forward in its programming. But at the same time, critics should be fully aware and fully acknowledge that BET is no longer black-owned but now a white corporate-owned entity with its bottom-line being its bottom-line (Money, Money, Money!) and ultimately while the cable network should be held accountable for the content it broadcasts to its viewers (many of them being young and impressionable) it should not be burdened with the responsibility to raise our children.
"Hot Ghetto Mess" may turn out to be all of the things that the critics are claiming it to be. It might even turn out to be worst! If so, the outcome wouldn't be a surprise to anybody who has watched or "covered" BET throughout the years. But maybe, just maybe, Hot Ghetto Mess is a show which allows us to witness the dysfunctional elements that exists in our community, laugh about it, talk about it and then move on without feelings of embarrassment or shame.
I'm looking forward to the new season on BET and my wife and I are going to sit in our living room, on our cheap leather couch, in front of the television, with open minds, ready for daily doses of some good ol' "edutainment" from the cable network I now like to call Black "Expectations" Television....
