Louis Carr Sets New Direction for BET with HBCU Focus and Revived Programming

Louis Carr, seven months into his tenure as president of Black Entertainment Television (BET), has overseen a series of strategic moves aimed at revitalising the network’s cultural impact. He revived the classic comedy series “ComicView,” shifted the BET Experience to the Beehive campus in Los Angeles’ Crenshaw corridor, and helped deliver the highest‑rated BET Awards since 2019, alongside two Emmy nominations.

Carr says BET will operate under the pillars of community, culture and connection, with a new emphasis on storytelling that highlights Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The network plans a slate of documentaries on figures such as LL Cool J, Queen Latifah and former NBA player Robert Covington. These initiatives follow the merger that folded BET+ into Paramount+ and the recent sunset of two legacy award shows.

The changes aim to strengthen BET’s relevance to Black audiences and expand its content portfolio across television and digital platforms.