Conflicting Reports About Tyler Perry Purchasing BET Go Viral
Source: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin / Getty
Earlier this year, Black film and TV mogul Tyler Perry expressed interest in purchasing a majority stake in BET Media from Paramount Global. He wasn’t the only prominent Black figure in the entertainment industry exploring the possibility of making Black Entertainment Television Black-owned again. Music mogul Diddy and media giant Byron Allen have also been in the mix of names of potential BET owners.
Anyway, fast forward a few months and it appears that Perry’s bid to own BET has become a reality.
For the first time in 21 years, BET is black owned again, and for the first time ever VH1 is now black owned!
Tyler Perry just made history as the first African American to buy two major television networks pic.twitter.com/vd51oMKouQ
— CultureCentral (@CultureCentral1) June 13, 2023
Tyler Perry is a top tier example of “who cares what people say, I’m going to stay in my lane”. This man went from sleeping in his car to buying BET ???? pic.twitter.com/zIzg3R5c5z
— A VIBE called blessed. (@VibesExchange) June 13, 2023
Tyler Perry just made history as the first African American to buy two major television networks
* For the first time in 21 years, BET is Black owned again, and for the first time ever VH1 is now black owned
Per- Culture Central pic.twitter.com/8xzB8eu0ab— HBCU Premier Sports & More (@HBCUSports1) June 13, 2023
Only, maybe not just yet.
While numerous publications have reported that the deal to grant ownership of BET had been finalized, it appears that those publications may have been spreading the “news” taken from a single source, TheStreamr, which, apparently, has since taken down its report on the matter.
I saw this report yesterday and decided to hold off on sharing because I’ve never heard of this site + it’s always worth waiting to for another report or two to confirm
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) June 13, 2023
Suffice it to say, this update has caused Black Twitter to go from celebrating the news of Perry’s finalized purchase to waiting around in Black excellence limbo to find out if the news is actually true or not.
Hmmmm, reports that #TylerPerry finalized a deal to acquire BET may have been premature. The Streamr reported yesterday that Tyler Perry agreed to purchase BET from parent company Paramount Global for an undisclosed figure. pic.twitter.com/ZVtiZyFclA
— theJasmineBRAND (@thejasminebrand) June 13, 2023
Shaderoom isnt good enough for you
— Fried Drexler (@yardbeets) June 13, 2023
I won’t believe it until it’s announced by a reputable source. If it is going to eventually happen though , I’m happy for Tyler.
— Shanice (@Tempest116) June 13, 2023
The Tyler Perry buying BET “report” is not a largely consequential thing but it is worth pointing out what separates news outlets from blogs and the like: corrections
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) June 13, 2023
Seems like it was reported too soon
— Markla Hall (@mjtsu) June 13, 2023
Currently, reports have shifted from confirming language that definitively claimed Perry’s purchase of BET is official to reporting that Perry is “set” to purchase the network.
Tyler Perry Reportedly Set To Purchase and Take Control of BET. pic.twitter.com/rYqpOP5nsR
— Raphousetv (RHTV) (@raphousetv2) June 13, 2023
Tyler Perry reportedly will acquire BET pic.twitter.com/vvMX7JlRYc
— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) June 13, 2023
Tyler Perry is set to acquire BET, including VH1 and BET+, as Paramount loses $400 Million, per @StreamrEnt. pic.twitter.com/8ttVSlqlRP
— What’s on Paramount+ (@whatsonpplus) June 12, 2023
So, basically, we’re all going to have to sit and wait for actual news that confirms Perry as BET’s majority shareholder before we can collectively rejoice in celebration of BET being Black both in name and ownership. Meanwhile, this appears to be the perfect time to remind everyone that just because the internet says a thing is true, doesn’t mean it is.
It’s also worth mentioning that Black Twitter isn’t 100% on board with the Madea creator, who once bragged that he doesn’t hire writers, becoming BET’s newest owner.
Tyler Perry presents BET
Written by Tyler Perry
Directed by Tyler Perry
Hairstyling by Tyler Perry
Kraft Services by Tyler Perry
Security by Tyler Perry
Drawing white lines in the parking lot by Tyler Perry— Black Single Mom (@MomSingleBlack) June 13, 2023
for the “BET is Black-Owned again” audience… fascism mirrors fascism in the quest to “replace” one (ruling) order with another
Tyler Perry anything is nothing to be proud of https://t.co/xH53ia0aqK
— tea: dead as..(___/____) (@trapteas) June 13, 2023
Since Tyler Perry is trending for buying BET… Don’t forget that he uses the equivalent of sweatshop labor to make content, that he loves the pigs, and he got famous for performing minstrel shows. https://t.co/34Ie0DY2vK
— jordan j. (@jorbotjones) June 13, 2023
Allen, 61, already a media mogul in his own right, has also said he was “interested in buying BET, and he will be pursuing the acquisition of the network,” a spokesperson told Variety. If he’s successful, it would be Allen’s second major media acquisition in less than a year’s time.
Last summer, Allen — the founder, chairman and CEO of his expanding Allen Media Group, the parent company for recognizable entities like TheGrio and the Weather Channel — bought the Black News Channel out of bankruptcy for $11 million. At the time, Allen said he intended to grow the Black News Channel viewership from 45 million linear subscribers to 80 million linear subscribers within the next six months.
So, what do y’all think? If the news is true, are you excited about Tyler Perry owning BET, or nah?
SEE ALSO:
Tyler Perry To Donate $2.75M To Atlanta’s Low-Income Senior Citizens
Everything To Know About Byron Allen’s $20 Billion Racial Discrimination Lawsuit Against Comcast
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