BET News to return with a format targeting the channel’s core young adult audience

(May 11, 2007) After more than a two-year hiatus, Black Entertainment Television will re-launch BET News with a format it says will be non-traditional and that will “resonate with the network’s core audience of adults 18-34.

Spearheading news' transformation is Keith Brown, newly hired Vice President of BET News and Public Affairs who was tapped to bring a new vision to the network. Under his leadership, news has undergone a major network re-launch and will continue to do so beginning with the second season premiere of Meet The Faith on Sunday, June 3, 2007 at 11 a.m. ET/PT with new host and New York Times best-selling author, Ian Smith.

"This year, we are making our biggest investment ever in original programming, and news is critical to that mix," said Reginald Hudlin, President of Entertainment for BET Networks. "We are committed to increasing our news coverage, and with strong shows like Meet The Faith and our hard- hitting news specials on issues ranging from the lack of progress in the Gulf Coast to the use of the N-Word, we are doing just that. BET News has been consistent in tackling relevant issues that affect the Black community and I am thrilled to have an experienced journalist like Keith Brown on board to guide our efforts."

Throughout the season, Meet The Faith will feature exclusive one-on-one interviews with Oprah Winfrey, Congressmen Charles Rangel, CNN's Soledad O'Brien, political activist, Al Sharpton, The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan; and some of the most notable leaders and voices in our nation.

Joining Meet The Faith are two new executive producers: Eugenia Harvey and Adrienne Lopez. Harvey is an award-winning producer with extensive experience; her work as an investigative producer garnered major attention from her peers including an Emmy Award for Investigative Reporting and the Grand Prize Robert F. Kennedy award for her ABC News PRIMETIME LIVE piece with Diane Sawyer titled "True Colors." She also has served as Executive Producer at CNN and most recently as Director of Television and Broadband for Women.com, where she developed multi-platform programming for Hearst publications.

Lopez’s 16 year career includes stints as an accomplished author, talented producer and skilled attorney. While at cable channel Nickelodeon she created the most successful Writer's Fellowship Program. She's developed reality shows for Spike TV and most recently Turner Broadcasting announced her latest project "Big Shot," produced by Lopez, Jamie Foxx and basketball great Kenny Smith is going to pilot for their upcoming season.

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 13th Edition Now Available 
New Buying Power report shows more spending by black consumers on 'necessities'

Thanks to economic gains in the past two years, black households across the U.S., especially middle-class families, are increasing their purchases of lifestyle and leisure items.

According to the newest edition of “The Buying Power of Black America,” there are indications that black households are feeling more confident about making purchases that...
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ATTENTION BOOK CLUBS
AND BOOK LOVERS!
    
Black Issues Book Review presents the National Book Club Conference - Chicago to be held on Friday and Saturday, August 24 and 25, 2007, in downtown Chicago at the InterContinental Hotel .

Hundreds of book club members will be engaged in dialogue with some of the nation's leading African American authors, including Tina McElroy Ansa, Mary Morrison, Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant.

Click here for more information and to register

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