BET

Black entertainment media

Entertainment, music, news and events brand for Black audiences, including the BET network, BET Awards, VH1 and BET+.

Black entertainment mediaSince 1980

How it started

Viacom bought it for $3 billion.

$3Bpaid by Skydance in 2001

Viacom completed the purchase of BET Holdings, the owner of Black Entertainment Television, in January 2001, mostly in stock plus about $590 million of assumed debt.

How big it is

How big is BET?

$3.02BTV Media segment revenueQ3 2026

How it makes money Q3 2026

Earns from ads and from the fees TV distributors pay to carry its channels.

Advertising
Affiliate fees
Events and content licensing

Key moments

1980BET goes on air
1984BET goes 24 hours a day
1991Listed on the New York Stock Exchange
2001Viacom buys BET
2019BET+ streaming service launches

Its place in Skydance

Skydance's home for Black audiences.

BET Media Group is a cable network group in the TV Media segment, adding the BET Awards, VH1 and content for Black audiences to Skydance's lineup.

Who it competes with

TTV OneOOWNBBounce

What Skydance does not disclose

BET Media Group revenue or profit (reported inside the TV Media segment)
BET+ subscriber numbers before its 2026 merger into Paramount+
BET audience reach in the latest filings
BET Awards revenue

Questions

BET: questions and answers

What is BET?

Entertainment, music, news and events brand for Black audiences, including the BET network, BET Awards, VH1 and BET+.

Who owns BET?

BET is owned by Skydance. Viacom bought it for $3 billion.

How big is BET?

TV Media segment revenue: $3.02B (Q3 2026).

How does BET make money?

Earns from ads and from the fees TV distributors pay to carry its channels. Main sources: Advertising, Affiliate fees and Events and content licensing.