The Billion Dollar BET: Robert Johnson and the Inside Story of Black Entertainment Television Mass Media & Journalism

Praise for The Billion Dollar BET "In a gripping narrative that is both inspirational and cautionary, Brett Pulley tells us how Robert Johnson built Black Entertainment Television into a billion-dollar media empire. In a remarkable feat of reporting, without Johnson's cooperation, Pulley shows what it really takes to get ahead in America today, and in doing so provides as valuable a cultural as business history." —James B. Stewart Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author of DisneyWar, Den of Thieves, and Heart of a Soldier "Like or dislike? Agree or disagree? Bob Johnson's richly varied and fascinating life presses you against the window that Brett Pulley opens widely." —Bernard Shaw retired CNN anchor "Through his BET network, Bob Johnson reached the pinnacle of capitalism, the billionaire boys club, in the spirit of legions of driven, American moguls . . . Veteran business journalist Brett Pulley peels back the layers of this fascinating and complex entrepreneur." —Teri Agins Senior Special Writer, the Wall Street Journal, and author of The End of Fashion: How Marketing Changed the Clothing Business Forever "The American dream is still alive, and if you don't believe it just take a close look at Robert L. Johnson, the founder of Black Entertainment Television (BET) and a man who has traveled the classic American journey from humble origins to unimaginable wealth. Born to a poor family in Mississippi, Johnson, the son of factory workers and the only one among his ten siblings to attend college, parlayed a $15,000 loan in 1979 into Black Entertainment Television, one of the cable industry's richest franchises." "Written by award-winning journalist Brett Pulley, The Billion Dollar BET is the first-ever in-depth look at one of the most enigmatic and important entrepreneurs of our time. This revealing book offers a colorful portrait of a brilliant and relentlessly focused businessman, whose life is a window into race, culture, and capitalism. From Johnson's rural Mississippi roots and early years in blue-collar Illinois, to his graduate life at Princeton University and career as a cable industry lobbyist on Capitol Hill, The Billion Dollar BET traces his inspired climb to the top and his often controversial tenure at the helm of one of the most influential media outlets in the country. You'll discover how Johnson won the support of media titans John Malone and Sumner Redstone, and watch as BET begins to take on far greater social significance than even Johnson could ever have imagined. You'll also learn how Johnson handled pivotal events in the company's history, such as the public attacks on BET's program content and the decision to sell the firm to media giant Viacom."--Jacket The first-ever in-depth look at one of the greatest business stories of our time. A true heavyweight in the star-studded world of media entertainment, Robert Johnson, the creator of Black Entertainment Television (BET), turned a revolutionary idea and a 15,000 personal loan into a multibillion-dollar empire. As one of the richest black men in America as well as its first black billionaire, Johnson's success with BET has been a social examination into both race and capitalism with his many detractors holding him to a higher standard of cultural responsibility from which his competitors are exempt The story of Black Entertainment Television and its creator traces the network's rise to a multi-billion-dollar empire, describes Johnson's humble origins and education, and discusses BET's successes in light of its business philosophy and impact on race in America.