Bet CEO in 45 years of success, Tyler Perry and ‘The Ms. Pat Show ‘

Bet CEO Scott M. Mills sees a lot of Doubles in the world, and yet he believes that there has never been anything like his groundbreaking multimedia powerhouse. “There are many things in life,” says Mills. “But it is the only thing that is nothing on it.”

Launched in 1980 by businessman Robert L. Johnson, Bet (Black Entertainment Television) served as the first television network that is fully devoted to black Americans and later the first black -controlled company that is mentioned on the New York Stock Exchange. Originally a home for music videos and repetitions of popular black sitcoms, developed a footprint in news, stand-up comedy, talk shows, reality and original series programming, with projects by Tyler Perry, Lee Daniels and Kevin Hart.

“From the beginning, Bet has been a groundbreaking power in entertainment, culture and representation,” says producer Will Packer. “Together with many others, I benefited from the paths that have been kept by the final platform for black artists. Under the leadership of Scott Mills, the network continues to honor and strengthen the voices of the black community, so that the industry is formed in a way that will echo the coming generations. ”

In 2019, Bet expanded to streaming with Bet+, and two years later came the creation of Bet Studios; With partners Kenya Barris and Rashida Jones offers the Studios stock possession for black creatives and develops content for Showtime, CBS and more. Perry says that the launch of the streaming service was “one of the most impactful moments” for him.

“Working with BET to build a streaming service from the ground was a historic milestone in our industry and for me personally. Seeing Zen grow into a platform that offers quality is deeply fulfilling authentic black content, “says Perry. “Personally, it means everything to offer opportunities to black talent, both before and behind the camera. Professionally, this collaboration has strengthened the power of telling stories for me and gave us the opportunity to strengthen voices that do not always get a moment in the spotlight. ”

And with four decades and counts, there is a larger mission in sight.

“Bet is more than just a network. It is a celebration of who we are and where we are going, ”says Taraji P. Henson, whose production company has a general deal with bet. “They give so many of us a platform where we can be ourselves and celebrate our sparkle.”

Here Mills opens about the 45 -year anniversary of Bet and what awaits us.

What does this milestone mean to bet?

It is reason for reflection, and when reflecting, you think about how much the world has changed. Bob Johnson was the first declared black American billionaire in 2000; The universe of people who have achieved that has been considerably expanded. We anchor ourselves in the idea that as long as we are willing to evolve with and constantly appearing for our community and culture, we should be just as prosperous for the next 45 years.

How did the always evolving media landscape navigated?

Content changes and evolves, our community changes and evolves and culture changes and evolves. Bet can flourish at any intersection of black culture, content and community. I cannot tell you what the dominant platform will be in 10 years, whether all the distribution vehicles that will exist, but what I can say with absolute certainty is that there will be a black culture, content and community.

What was the impulse for creating Bet+, and what is your benefit in that market?

It is a very big commitment to launch a streamer, but our research said that black Americans stream at levels that are far above most populations. But if you ask the same black Americans: “What do you think of the black content of those services?” We saw double -digit differences between their general satisfaction and the delivery of culturally relevant content. That was the first sign that the chance was absolutely for a bet -streamer.

How important has it been to find partnerships with high -level creatives?

It is extremely valuable. There is a beautiful range of successful black makers, so we try to identify those whose content is most tailored to our audience and product positioning. When I returned to bet in 2018, with the extraordinary success that Fox had with ‘Empire’, I thought we should be in business with Lee Daniels. We don’t have to have all the things from Lee, but we must have the right project for BET. He brought us ‘the Mrs. Pat show’, and it was all the things that Lee Daniels is: completely original, unexpected and provocative. Without a doubt, Tyler Perry has been our characteristic partnership. His resonance within our community is just extraordinary.

In 2022, “The Ms. Pat Show” earned the very first Primetime Emmy nomination from Bet, how did that type of recognition influence the network?

It was really an important milestone. Lee called me and said: “This is the project, and bet is the only place in the world that can do this; It’s just too scary for everyone. “It’s shocking, but it’s great. I shared it with a creative from another organization that said:” You can’t put this on television; you have to dig a big hole and bury this. “I spent a lot of time on it Thinking and private, it is risky, but we are convinced about this. [The Emmy nom] was a very important memory that requires creativity risk.

Between the Bet Awards and the NAACP Image Awards, why do you think it remains crucial to celebrate culture consistently and not to trust how and when others want to put in the spotlight?

Bet does not exist with the exclusion of something else – Bet exists for recording things. We are not challenged whether the things we do or are not authentic. The image of bet prices do not happen because it is popular today – it is because it is good, honest and suitable, and I think it gives it that deep resonance. You need these shows because our community appreciates the ability to come together, to celebrate and recognize. You can go to another award show, but they cannot make these moments that are so authentic for our culture.

I am thinking of the BET prices as the most perfect manifestation of the BET and mission brand. After Covid and the murder of George Floyd I looked at the opening and I cried like a baby. The creative team had brilliantly understood where the heart and soul and the emotions of the black community were at that time and delivered exactly what we needed. It is the largest black meeting of black Americans in the country.

What has been the driving force behind some of your initiatives, such as content for change or the recently launched Altadena Community Preservation Fund?

It has been crucial for us. The world is evolving around us, so we all have to manage ourselves to reflect the world in which we function; But our mission does not change based on the change in the current climate. Our mission is to entertain, enable and authorize our community. What I like best about it is helping our community. Bet is uniquely positioned to collect committed citizens, companies and foundations.

Do you have specific goals that you want to achieve by year 50?

Our aim is that every segment of the black community has daily, meaningful interactions with bet. What that does is that it tells us everywhere where we have to build our company. So you will see more in music, a greater proliferation of bet on platforms and bet in spaces that would not necessarily be intuitive for people.