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BET Details On-Air, Online Election Coverage

Jul 16, 2008  •  Post A Comment

BET Networks unveiled its plans for extensive, multiplatform election year political coverage, including the Democratic and Republican National Conventions.
BET and BET J will air hours of on-air programming, including live coverage, daily news specials, public service announcements and extended news briefs.
“106 & Park” co-host Terrence will provide updates and news from Denver, while BET News correspondents will file extended news briefs featuring interviews, which will be integrated into “106 & Park,” “Rap City” and “The Black Carpet.”
BET’s broadband channel BET On Blast also will feature election coverage, including multiple blogs and a feature allowing users to upload video and pictures
“As the leading African American-targeted media company in the world, we have a comprehensive plan in place to reach our influential community of voters both on-air and online. We’re so proud to give our audience a wealth of information and analysis throughout every step of this historic presidential election, all the while encouraging them to vote and make their voices heard,” Debra L. Lee, chairman-CEO of BET Networks, said in a statement.
The network also announced plans to launch the BET News show “The Truth With Jeff Johnson” on Aug. 15. The half-hour weekly talk show will consist of investigative reports and one-on-one interviews with experts on the week’s events and what they mean for the black community.
“The Truth” will present a special report live from the Democratic National Convention in Denver. BET J host Keith Boykin, San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris and political pundits Jamal Simmons, Keli Goff and Angela McGlowan will join Johnson from inside the Pepsi Center and Invesco Field.
“With the launch of ‘The Truth With Jeff Johnson,’ along with all of our other in-depth political coverage, we are providing a unique and necessary perspective on the issues important to the black community. BET News is committed to informing our audience with the news they can’t get anywhere else, with a diversity of voices and opinions that our audience demands,” Reginald Hudlin, president of entertainment of BET, said in a statement.
Each night of the Democratic convention, BET News will broadcast a special with tailored introductions from the convention floor. The specials include:
—“Locked Out: Ex-cons and the Vote,” an in-depth look at voter disenfranchisement.
—“What’s at Stake: The Top 10 Issues Affecting Black America,” which explores how the presidential candidates’ politics can affect the lives of black Americans.
—“Obama’s Journey to the White House,” which counts down the top 10 moments of Sen. Barack Obama’s rise to the Democratic nomination for president.
—“The Dream: 45 Years Later,” which takes a critical look at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech and examines whether Obama is the manifestation of Dr. King’s vision.

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