BET Networks Finance Chief Promoted to Head New Digital Media Business Unit

BET Networks Finance Chief Promoted to Head New Digital Media Business Unit

CFO Scott Mills Expands Role to Include Leadership of Digital Media Group

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Debra Lee, BET Networks Chairman and CEO, has named Scott Mills as the President of the company's newly formed Digital Media Group. Mills, who retains his position as Chief Financial Officer of BET Networks, will lead the company's rapidly growing portfolio of digital brands and oversee the continued development and implementation of the company's digital strategy.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070123/DCTU030 )

BET Networks has been aggressively growing its digital brands and extending its reach to serve its audience on every platform. Currently, BET's digital assets include BET.com, BET on Blast, BET on Demand, BET Mobile and BET's digital video download offering. With the formation of the Digital Media Group, the company will enhance its digital brands by implementing an integrated digital strategy and optimizing the coordination of the company's assets in the digital space.

"Scott's experience in the area of targeted digital media is unparalleled," said Debra Lee. "He has successfully led the creation of virtually all of BET's segment-leading digital brands, including our online, on-demand, mobile and video download products. This digital expertise, coupled with his keen understanding of our company and his leadership insight make Scott the ideal person for the position. Under Scott's direction, the Digital Media Group will be able to further execute on our corporate strategy of delivering our brand, world-class content and exciting applications to our audience and strategic partners wherever and whenever they want."

BET's Digital Media Group will include the BET digital brands mentioned above, as well as those in development. The Group will be responsible for the development and implementation of the company's digital media strategies, the deployment and management of BET Networks' assets in digital mediums and the negotiation and execution of all digital distribution partnerships.

"BET's cable viewers are digital media super-consumers -- they want BET's brands and content on every platform," said Scott Mills. "By creating the Digital Media Group, we're enhancing our ability to meet this demand by expanding our digital distribution partnerships, enhancing our platform- specific content offerings and developing compelling applications."

Mills has been Chief Financial Officer of BET Networks since 2003, where he is responsible for all financial functions, strategy and business development, and research. In his business strategy and development capacity, he led the creation of BET Mobile, BET's groundbreaking urban mobile content subscription service; the consolidation of BET Networks' ownership in BET.com; the launch of BET's digital video download offering on iTunes; and the expansion of BET's VOD product.

Prior to becoming CFO, he was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of BET Interactive, the operating entity for BET Network's flagship online portal BET.com. He oversaw the start-up of BET.com and led the property to become the #1 online media platform for African Americans. He joined BET in 1997 as Senior Vice President of Business Strategy & Development, where he developed the business plan for BET.com and oversaw a number of BET's new business ventures.

Before coming to BET in 1997, Mills had been a vice president with the Lehman Brothers financial services firm for four years; and earlier in his career served as deputy treasurer of the City of Philadelphia. Mills is a native of New York, and received his Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.

About BET Networks

BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom, Inc. (NYSE:VIA)(NYSE:and)(NYSE:VIA.B), is the leading provider of media and entertainment for African Americans and consumers of Black culture on a global basis. The primary BET cable network reaches more than 84 million households according to Nielsen media research, and can be seen in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. BET Digital Networks -- BET J, BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop -- are brands that serve a broader and more diverse audience than the core network. BET.com is the number one internet destination for the target audiences. BET Mobile delivers music, gaming, and video content to the target audiences on wireless devices across virtually all service providers. BET Event Productions is a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe. Finally, BET International delivers BET content to the consumers of Black culture around the world.

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Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070123/DCTU030
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: BET Digital Media Group

CONTACT: Marcy Polanco of BET Networks, +1-212-975-3327,
Marcy.Polanco@BET.net

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

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