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BET Networks Expands Its International Reach With the Launch of BET in Africa on Multiple Platforms

Posted on: Tuesday, 16 December 2008, 12:40 CST

Black Entertainment Television Delivers High Quality Programming, Including Top-Rated Shows 106 & PARK, COLLEGE HILL, KEYSHIA COLE: THE WAY IT IS, BALDWIN HILLS, REAL LIFE DIVAS, THE BET HONORS and BOBBY JONES GOSPEL on MultiChoice and GTV's Services in Africa

NEW YORK, Dec. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- BET Networks announced today that it is now offering BET in 29 countries in sub-Saharan Africa on multiple platforms, expanding the channel's international reach that already includes the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and the United Kingdom. Through the GTV agreement, BET will be seen in 21 countries, and with the agreement with MultiChoice, BET will initially launch on DStv in 11 countries.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070716/BETNETWORKSLOGO )

Available via DStv's Premium and Compact bouquets, as well as GTV on both English-language bouquets G Plus and G Choice and French-language bouquets G Choix and G Grand, BET will provide consumers in Africa access to the network's top-rated and critically acclaimed shows, including 106 & PARK, COLLEGE HILL, KEYSHIA COLE: THE WAY IT IS, BALDWIN HILLS, REAL LIFE DIVAS, THE BET HONORS, BOBBY JONES GOSPEL, and many more.

"Expanding into Africa is an extremely important, exciting and rewarding move for us," said Debra L. Lee, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, BET Networks. "With our launch in Africa on both GTV and DStv, BET Networks is continuing to build on our commitment of providing high-quality content to international audiences."

"We're so excited to establish a presence in Africa, as these key partnerships give us valuable scale in the region," said Michael D. Armstrong, Senior Vice President and General Manager, BET International. "Africa makes great strategic sense, and we're confident that we'll continue to grow and deliver content to viewers across the continent who are eager for the programming we offer."

Commenting on the launch of the channel, MultiChoice Africa CEO Eben Greyling welcomed the new addition to DStv. "Our general entertainment line-up has grown over the past decade to include the world's biggest and best channel brands and the addition of BET to this line-up completes our multi-channel general entertainment offering and means that our subscribers will get the greatest selection of channel choice on DStv."

"We're delighted to have BET on board," said Julian McIntyre, Founder and Managing Director of GTV. "Our service continues to break new ground in multi-platform content distribution and this partnership reflects our commitment to bring the best tailored content to our viewers at the most competitive costs. This announcement demonstrates again the strengths in content and innovation that position GTV well for sustained growth."

BET Networks is the leading provider of media and entertainment for African Americans and consumers of Black culture, currently reaching more than 97 million households around the world. The programming that will be aired on BET on DStv and GTV will include series and specials such as:

Series

• 106 & PARK - As BET's highest-rated music and variety series of all time, 106 & PARK has quickly become the leading music video countdown, performance and interview show on television.
• BALDWIN HILLS - BALDWIN HILLS is a reality show filmed in a docudrama style that depicts the privileged and pressured lives of some of Los Angeles, California's freshest princes and princesses of "Black Beverly Hills."
• BOBBY JONES GOSPEL - BET's longest-running gospel program, BOBBY JONES GOSPEL, returns for another divine season of uplifting performances and special appearances - all hosted by veteran gospel show host, Dr. Bobby Jones. This fall marks the show's 28th season.
• COLLEGE HILL - Reality TV reaches new heights as BET's COLLEGE HILL exposes real student life - drama and all - in the quest for higher education.
• KEYSHIA COLE: THE WAY IT IS - Never one to hold back with her music or her life, platinum-selling R&B superstar Keyshia Cole reveals all about fame and family in KEYSHIA COLE: THE WAY IT IS.
• REAL LIFE DIVAS - REAL LIFE DIVAS takes an up-close look at such celebrity icons as Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Lisa Leslie and Sanaa Lathan, among others, who have overcome difficult challenges and obstacles to achieve the level of success they experience today.

Specials

• BET AWARDS - The BET AWARDS brings together the best in entertainment, music and sports and stands as the most-watched awards program for African American viewers in cable television history.
• THE BET HONORS - THE BET HONORS celebrates Black achievement in business, entertainment, social justice and philanthropy while providing the kind of award-winning, show-stopping musical performances that make BET specials deliver huge results.
• CELEBRATION OF GOSPEL - Always a star-studded gathering of gospel and R&B greats, CELEBRATION OF GOSPEL holds the crown as the highest-rated gospel program anywhere on television for eight years running.

In addition to delivering original programming to audiences in Africa, BET will also continue the international expansion of its Emmy Award-winning pro-social initiative Rap-It-Up and extend the campaign into Africa, beginning with special World AIDS Day programming such as the BET News special ARE YOU POSITIVE?

Since 1998, BET has partnered with the Kaiser Family Foundation on Rap-It-Up, a comprehensive public education campaign designed to inform young people about sexual health issues, including HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. The award-winning campaign features special news programs, documentaries, public service announcements, online content, a U.S. toll-free hotline, community forums, mobile HIV testing events and school curricula.

ABOUT MULTICHOICE & DSTV

MultiChoice Africa Limited is a multi-channel pay television platform providing premium services to 47 countries across the African continent and adjacent Indian Ocean islands. The various DStv bouquets options provide quality television entertainment to Africa's rich diversity of cultural and language requirements. Operations include subscriber management services and the management of a digital satellite television platform providing DStv, which consists of over 80 video and audio channels 24 hours a day.

MultiChoice Africa operates from four satellites over Africa. It offers continuous innovation in technology and has assembled an excellent range of bouquets, built around compelling news, as well as premium movie and sports channels. The latest audited subscriber figures (period ending September 2008) show tremendous growth in the African markets. DStv now has a base of over 830,000 subscriber households in Sub-Sahara Africa excluding South Africa. The total equated DStv base including South Africa now stands at 2.3 million.

ABOUT GTV

GTV is a dynamic Pan-African pay-TV network delivering choice, quality and innovation to a new breed of TV viewer. With a balanced and exciting choice of premium content, GTV is redefining pay-TV in Africa by offering it at a price point accessible to the mainstream. GTV is committed to supporting local content as well as offering major international programming ideal for the whole family.

GTV is already available in Botswana, Cameroon, DRC, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe, and is currently proceeding with a phased roll-out across sub-Saharan Africa.

The GTV service is provided by Gateway Broadcast Services (GTV), a subsidiary of Gateway Communications.

The direct-to-home, satellite-based service delivers the highest quality digital reception across the continent. An advanced and efficient delivery platform will substantially reduce the cost and ease of set-up for customers.

GTV was founded by Julian McIntyre, also President of Gateway Communications. www.gtv.tv

ABOUT BET NETWORKS

BET Networks, a division of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 97 million households according to Nielsen Media Research, and can be seen in the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean and the United Kingdom. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of businesses extensions: BET.com, a leading internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET Digital Networks - BET J, BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, an extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

SOURCE BET Networks

Source: PR Newswire

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