BET Jazz Evolves Programming, Network Name to BET 'J'; DIRECTV Launches New BET Channel

BET Jazz Evolves Programming, Network Name to BET 'J'; DIRECTV Launches New BET Channel

First-Ever Satellite Carriage Deal Raises Network Subscriber Base to 21 Million

WASHINGTON, March 1 /PRNewswire/ -- BET Networks is pioneering yet another ground-breaking evolution in television programming. Jazz, the purest and oldest form of American music, has both chronicled and celebrated the African- American journey. Today Jazz is seen, heard and felt in a number of related genres including blues, soul, R&B, Caribbean and neo-soul music. African- American adults want to engage in this even more today, which is why BET Jazz is evolving effective March 1 into the new BET J. Now available on DIRECTV through its first satellite TV carriage agreement, BET J reflects these powerful cultural roots, and the overall diversity of music and culture today.

"The African-American community looks to BET to reflect the culture, and in doing so they have come to expect innovation and diversity in programming under our BET Networks brand," said BET Chairman and CEO Debra L. Lee. "We are happy to respond and to evolve to meet their needs."

"BET Jazz was one part of a journey which now will deliver an even broader cross-section of African-American culture," said Paxton Baker, Executive Vice President and General Manager for BET Digital Networks. "We've long been the catalogers and chroniclers of a great artistic voyage that has been authentically Black and authentically BET at every turn. Our new chapter under BET J will be even more exciting, enticing and multicultural. In fact, the 'J' in our new network name is now more indicative of the complete musical and cultural 'Journey' rather than only jazz."

DIRECTV is launching BET J to continue its tradition of providing the most exciting and unique programming for its customers. BET J is available on Channel 330 on DIRECTV's TOTAL CHOICE(R) PLUS programming package. MTV Networks negotiated this new carriage agreement as part of its Affiliate Sales and Marketing representation of BET Networks. With the DIRECTV launch, BET J has built a total distribution platform that reaches approximately 21 million homes.

In addition to DIRECTV, other distributors already carrying BET Jazz that will now offer the revamped channel for viewers include Charter Communications, Cablevision, Comcast, Cox Communications and Time Warner Cable.

"We are thrilled to expand our partnership with DIRECTV and provide their customers with another unique programming offering," said Nicole Browning, President, Affiliate Sales and Marketing, MTV Networks.

"We're proud to be a part of the BET J evolution and to add what we know will be an enormously popular network to the DIRECTV programming lineup," said Dan Fawcett, Executive Vice President, Programming Acquisition, DIRECTV, Inc. "Music has played a key role in a number of our new programming initiatives this year and BET J will add an exciting dimension to that with its eclectic mix of musical and cultural content."

BET J will offer engaging lifestyle, musical and cultural fare 24 hours a day. Advertising and marketing elements promoting BET J will carry the tagline "Cool Like That" to epitomize the new branding. The new slogan represents the sophisticated and chilled vibe of the rhythms, shows and artists being presented on the channel, from cool cats like Miles Davis, Duke Ellington and Wynton Marsalis to smooth poetic divas like Jill Scott, India Arie, and Erykah Badu. Examples of the new BET J programming blending with an already stellar jazz lineup include:

* SOUL SESSIONS -- Viewers will experience an old school/new school music
overload as Neo-Soul, Alternative R&B, Classic Soul and Rhythm and Blues
come together on weeknights and weekends in SOUL SESSIONS. It's an old
school basement 'blue' room showcasing the best of Soul Music. From
Alicia Keyes to Aretha Franklin, Luther Vandross to Leela James: the
best of Soul all under one roof. The Sessions are about to begin ...

* INFLUENCES -- An intimate chat with contemporary soul and R&B artists
about the influence that traditional jazz has had on their music.
Artists such as Floetry, Dwele, and Meshell Ndegeocello will not only
reveal the musicians and vocalists who have influenced their music but
will go even deeper, explaining how life experiences and world events
have shaped their musical journey.

* VIDEO SOUL GOLD -- A classic BET show from the past returns as Donnie
Simpson hosts VIDEO SOUL GOLD, a weekly trip down memory lane. VIDEO
SOUL was a BET mainstay and Donnie Simpson held down the fort showcasing
hot new artists and their videos to an audience hungry to see themselves
reflected on the small screen. The "Green-Eyed Bandit" returns in this
vintage series that connects with old and new viewers alike.

* MY TWO CENTS -- A topical talk show with five fresh and original voices
discussing the issues of the day stitched together with Classic Soul &
R&B videos. Issues will range from the light -- discussing the latest
celebrity hook-ups and break-ups of the moment -- to the heavy -- issues
of race, skin color, sex and religion. With Kevin Powell, Selwyn Hinds,
April Silver, Raquel Cepeda and Keith Boykin at the helm, this series
will be charged with intense and riveting dialogue mixed with old and
new school grooves from the likes of A Tribe Called Quest, Jill Scott,
Anthony Hamilton, Floetry and more.

* THE BEST SHORTS: A BET J SHOWCASE -- Viewers can enjoy the best in
drama, comedy, horror, suspense and more. Short films tell stories in a
way no other medium can. Short Films have been and continue to be the
purest form of filmmaking, as experienced and inexperienced filmmakers
find unique ways to express their vision. This is unique opportunity to
catch the best and brightest emerging filmmakers tell their stories,
their way.

ABOUT BET NETWORKS

BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom, Inc. (NYSE:VIA)(NYSE:and)(NYSE: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 80 million households according to Nielsen media research, and can be seen in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of businesses extensions: BET.com, the Number 1 Internet portal for African Americans; 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; and BET Mobile, a service venture into the lucrative world of ring tones, games and video content for wireless devices.

ABOUT DIRECTV, INC.

DIRECTV is the nation's leading and fastest-growing digital multichannel television service provider with 15 million customers. DIRECTV, the Cyclone Design logo and DIRECTV PARA TODOS are registered trademarks of DIRECTV, Inc. (NYSE:DTV). DIRECTV, a world-leading provider of digital multichannel television entertainment services, is approximately 34 percent owned by News Corporation Ltd. For more information visit http://www.directv.com/.

Source: BET (Black Entertainment Television)

CONTACT: Michael Lewellen of BET, +1-202-608-2003, or
michael.lewellen@bet.net; or Don Lucoff of DL Media, +1-610-667-0501 or
dondlmedia@covad.net; or Robert Mercer of DIRECTV, Inc., +1-310-726-4683, or
rgmercer@directv.com

Web site: http://www.bet.com/
http://www.directv.com/

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