One UPN no longer exists, so there is only one station where the primetime lineup features predominately black casting. two if your cable package includes TVONE (and i'm not sure if they do original scripted programming). But that's two in what 200-300 channels. so that's 199-299 channels of predominately white casting in sitcoms and dramas.
So having one cable network targeting a black audience, does not balance it out. And news flash white people watch BET. Just because it's called Black Entertainment Television doesn't mean it excludes white people from watching it or being in their programming. It's just programming targeted for a black audience. Just like Lifetime makes programming for women that men sometimes watch, and Spike makes programming targeted to men, that females can watch.
And the reason they don't have a "white channe" is because every channel that isn't BET or UNIVISION is programming for the majority (which is white) with cable channels targeting specific interest further. Yes all those other stations have shows that feature minorities, but the leading person is 90% of the time white. (I am not complaining, I am just stating a fact)
And Disney is a television station for all children. Shouldn't a white, black, asian, or hispanic person see themself represented on their "favorite" network. That's why a show like Jessie is nice because it is truly diverse. A show like K.C. is nice because it shows a happy black family ( I assume, I've never watched the show, but was flipping through stations today and stopped because the dad looked familiar and realized he was Dwayne Wayne from A Different World, and was originally going to comment about that, but got sucked into this post.)
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Megaman2005
10 years ago
Maybe they can't force white people or any other race to stop watching BET, but truth be told, it IS intended SOLEY for black people. And yes it does balance it out because is it 100% no exaggeration full of shows.... ALL of their shows and movies stars a black person and over 90% cast black actors and actresses.
And I know white people watch BET. NEWS FLASH to you! Black people watch "white shows" too! I used to watch BET too when I was a li'l younger. Unlike Cinder and some other black people, I don't care all that much if the lead is black, white, or green.
As for Disney channel ONLY hiring white leads, you are forgetting their FIRST "real people" show once their channel was no longer premium was The Famous Jett Jackson which starred Lee Thompson Young and HE was black. Don't tell me that he doesn't count because he was gay because him being gay was never proven. There was also China Anne McClain who was the star of ANT Farm for 2 and a half seasons. There was also That's So Raven which starred mostly black people too.
The reason there is no White Channel, Jewish Channel, etc... is because (most) people only care about black people and gay people.
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MissVCI
10 years ago
Why would anyone at BET want white people not to watch their shows, they are in need of viewers just like any other channel.
Yes it is intended solely for african americans and consumers of black culture. Consumers of black culture is a broad term that encompasses anything and everything from a white kid buying a Kanye West CD to a hispanic kid sporting a lebron james jersey to an asian kid favorite comedian being Chris Rock.
I too don't care what race the lead actor of a show I watch is, either, as long as it's good entertainment I'm happy.
And hen did I say Disney only hires white lead? Did you actually read my post. I applauded Disney for its diversity in shows like Jessie. And Disney had many programs and movies with people of color in lead roles. I simply said it's nice for a black kid to see a black person on TV, and same goes for all races.
They actually have two Jewish Television Channel: Shalom TV and The Jewish Channel, both are not as available as BET, but they do exist because it's a specified market. Just like they have television channel intnded solely for Christian Families.
The reason there is no "white" channel is because marketing to 80% of the population as a whole is difficult, so they create many different stations to cater within that white majority.
Even BET doesn't reach the entire black race as a whole because not all black people like the same thing.
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nunyabiznesskay
9 years ago
BET was not Solely Intended for black people, it's actual sole intent was to "display black life and interests through the prism of the black perspective." It was truly intended for everyone to see.
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