African-American oriented networks BET and TV One are both planning extensive coverage of Barack Obama’s inauguration as America’s 44th president, the Associated Press reports. Neither network has done much to cover other presidents being sworn in. “This is an opportunity to be the best we can be,” Stephen Hill, BET’s programming chief, tells the wire service. “We see this as an opportunity to inform and inspire our audience, which is what we always try to do.”
—Jon Lafayette