BET Founder Bob Johnson Scolds A Member of Congress.

October 1st, 2007

He says that Massachusetts Rep. Ed Markey’s comments were unjustified
BET founder Robert Johnson blasted a Democratic congressman from New England last week for comments he said Bob Johnsonwere “rooted in liberal White paternalism.” In a letter to Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), who along with Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) chaired a congressional hearing last Monday on the degrading images in hip hop, Johnson said Markey’s characterization of BET programming was unfair and uncalled for. Markey, chairman of the House Telecommunications & Internet Subcommittee, said he was disappointed with BET’s offerings. He also said that while he was pleased that BET had announced a new lineup of programs, the network still has along way to go. Further, Johnson said, when BET kicked off 27 years ago, it had the lowest cable fees and lowest ad rate. “I don’t recall you calling the cable operators and advertisers up to Capitol Hill and chastising them about putting more money into BET so that we could produce your so-called sophisticated program,” Johnson vented, noting that the Boston lawmaker was asked to donate to Markey’s Senate run, which he did. What do you think about Johnson’s comments?

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Baby Said on

Shalom my brother Darnell,

I trust that your day has been purpose filled and blessed.

I was set to strike up my keyboard after reading the comments of Sfrix, but after reading your comments there was no need for me to say not another word. What you typed spoke VOLUMES!!
You are most definitely on point. Wisdom at its best.

Shalom



cindeelane Said on

i think that programming on alot of networks is uncalled for like VH 1 showing of 20 women fighting over one man or 20 men fighting over on woman is stupid and has no purpose other that for ratings now I commend BET for bringing something to the world 27 years ago that we may never have seen which is our culture what we like to see or what we like to listen to now i dont think a woman singing about refusing to go to rehab is helping our country and there are a numerous of other examples that are not good for our country now hip hop has good and bad in it just like any other music so one should not only complain about hip hop but music in general and beside mtv and vh1 shows all these kinds of videos also but since BET does not show the other types of videos then they are wrong well BET is BLACK ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION and it is what we like so if you dont like it dont listen or watch because we dont want BET to change anything I think as people grow they realize what is good and bad forms of everything and i dont think that anyone can censor a race alot fo people try to fit in a society that was not even theirs to fit into no one spoke about the programming on BET until whites kids started watching it so in my opinion people should get over it teach yours kids right from wrong and you will be okay



jfffnn Said on

Sfrix you are correct about viewers changing the channel if they don’t like the program.That ain’t rockett science,nobody is forcing anyone too watch a paticular program and if the program sells products (which is what t.v.,radio and print media is about)then they should continue too air that program in order too maintain profits.It’s really silly too complain about programs other people are viewing when the person complaining doesn’t wwatch the programs themselves.



Mika Said on

Here we go again. White America still trying to blame Black people for every d**n thing. However, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that women are degrated everywhere, not just in hip hop. Also, negative comments that are made in racist WHITE music is never mentioned. Every time black people create something wonderful they just start attacking it. Unfortunately because America is such a RACIST society they will continue to knock us down. It’s a crying shame, but don’t let that stop us from coming together to let them know that well never give up the fight.



B/C Said on

SEE WHEN IT COME TO BLACK BUSINESS/PEOPLE LIKE BROTHER JOHNSON JUST GO WIT THE FLOW TO GET THE DOUGH/ AN ONLY WHEN HE IS APPROACHED BY SOMETHING/ WILL HE SPEAK OF THE COME UP AN SACRAFICE/ TO HELP BELITTLE OUR BLACK YOUNG PEOPLE/ BET IS INFORMATIVE ON SOMETHING’S/ BUT A LOT OF THINGS THAT THEY SHOW MAKE IT SEEM ALL RIGHT/ LIKE SEX BIG BUTTS GUNS ANY THING THAT’S %?%*$ NEGATIVE/ THEY KNOW OR I SHOULD SAY HE KNOW/ JUST SHOW US WHAT WE DO OUR HOW WE DO IT AN WE LIKE IT/ BUT THE KIDS THAT IS’NT DOING IT START TO LIKE IT TOO/ THEN THE CYCLE REPEAT’S IT’S SELF/ BUT LET ME STOP TALKING ABOUT OUR BLACK NETWORK/ EVERYBODY GETTING MONEY LIVING GOOD OFF OF US/ NEGATIVE TIMES POSITIVE LEAVES NEGATIVE



Jim Durante Said on

Hi,

Man, your BET network is the greatest. It highlights the achievements of our beautiful black race, and presents our brothers and sisters in the most positive of lights. I like the blackbuster movies, too. Happy new year to you.

Best regards,

Jim Durante



Darrel Said on

Bob Johnson is now openly criticizing Obama and excusing racist overtones from both Bill and Hillary Clinton. What have you been to promised to sell us out like this Bob? Let me guess, a poition in the cabinet somewhere. You disgust me!



Gregory Gray Said on

Mr. Johnson, you are pathetic. If it wasn’t bad enough when your company aired, “Hot Ghetto Mess” did you have to add insult to injury, by attacking Obama for the sins of the Clinton’s? Since when is the responsibility of the victim, in this case not only Obama, but every man and woman, black, white and in between who revere and respect the legacies of Dr. King and Nelson Mandela, to apologize to their attacker? Do you wanted to be remembered as the man who vocally attacked the first black man in the history of the United States to have obtained its’ highest office? Have you ever stopped to think what his candidacy means and means and will mean to black men and women all over the world for years to come? Well you should have.candidacy means and will mean to black men and women all over the world? Will we overcome?



Mae Said on

My my my, uncle Tom at its best. I remember back in slavery when our master didn’t have to beat the slaves, he sometimes made the head slave beat his own people. Bob Johnson, you don’t even need to apply for that position, you have unanimously won the position with your beating of Obama. It’s one thing for you to support Hillary, if that’s your thing, fine, but to stoop to defamation of Obama’s character has nothing to do with whether Hillary should be chosen as President. Why don’t you use your voice to help us understand why you’re standing for her, not why you’re stepping on Obama’s neck. It’s not enough that you sold a station designed to lift the character of Black people to a white owner who has no intention of lifing up Black people. On second thought, why would we expect any less of you with Hillary Clinton. You are a disgrace to our race. Now that you’ve gotten yours, forget the rest of us – right? Sleep well!



Latwoine Said on

Do you wanted to be remembered as the man who vocally attacked the first black man in the history of the United States to have obtained its’ highest office? Have you no shame in typecasting blacks as habitual drug users?

You disgust me. You disgust EVERY African American.



Nick Nelson Said on

How Dare you!
I am so DISGUSTED with your comments regarding Mr. Obama.
The network that you created is an Abomination! It perpertuates sterotypes, and has dumb down generations of young black boys and girls. I am 29 years old, I have never in my life felt such a sense of Black pride and sheer happiness for a cause such as Mr. Obama’s race to become our next President. This man Is AMAZING in every sense of the word. Your tactics were deplurable.. I am hurt on so many levels, It is your choice to support whom ever you chose but why try and shoot down the brotha. How will your soul feel the day when this man is appointed our commander in chief and you have to live with YOUR LEGACY of trying Stop him from becoming the first BLACK President. SHAME ON YOU!



Ken Smith Said on

You are a disgrace to the black race. I will make sure i spread the word about what you have done and said about Mr. Obama. We can see how you got to wher you are. You will be rememberd how to suck up to white people. You looked like a “Fool” on TV. You make me sick and I’ll spread the word on you and tell everone i can to stop watching BET. ………..



Renee Jackson Said on

Lets say Obama is inexperienced,… why would’nt we as a people rally around him and offer the neccesay resources for him to suceed.We have Great Black minds that could bond together to be of service to him not tear him down. You don’t think Obamas intelligent enough to delegate people in areas that he’s weak in! Thats common sense 101!!! If this was Any other ethnic group you would’nt see this!. How Sad
We may never get this close again!!!!!!



Pat Jones Said on

I thought I was going to have to come here, and say what was on my mind, but it looks like others have already said it for me, But I will say this Bob Johnson – with that salve mentality of yours WAKE-UP… You are worst then pathetic, at it’s best. Now if this isn’t the prime example, of a Black Man with his foot in another Black Mans neck, I don’t know what is. This is why we as Blacks don’t have to worry about the white man or the Chinese man holding us back, we Have other blacks like BET’s Bob Johnson, doing a great job all by themselves. I pray God’s Mercy on your reasoning behind saying what you said, when you did what you did. I personally listened to a comment Hillary made on television, when she did her little teary eyed scene, and I thought the comment was racist, when she said and I quote” I don’t want to see us go backward” I wanted to know what she meant by that, is she saying a black man can’t move this country forward by saying
“We’ve come to far to go back” Hillary what are you really saying???? Mr. Yes’m master bob listen-up. I was all for Hillary in the beginning, but I had to listen-up. We as a black generation have been puns in the white mans game far to long, and I like Bill too. But we were puns in his game also, and he used us, and they thought/think as Michael Steele did here in Maryland that Black folks just can’t think for themselves, and look at you BOB, playing in their game. We are always crying racism, and how we can’t get ahead, and you are surely a good example of why.
And BET itself is a let down to the more educated, fluent black culture, who have taken the blinders off, and can see the damage, and the negativity it portrays



Marguerite Said on

I am not surprised, time and time again the sickness of racism finds its way into the main-stream of America’s polictical structure. I have
been watching this sickness spread throughout this country of ours from another minority’s view. Now I am more confused and quite frankly, I’m left wondering if the label “Native American” isn’t just another form of the racial sickness.
What if Hillary Clinton’s comment about “coming to far to turn back now,” really means what I be-
lieve it means. I’ll share my belief with you. If
you really think about it going back to the begining means when my ancestors were the only who inhabited this land. My father once told me that there are many educational books written by authors who wrote those books for those particular people. Now what do I tell my children/
grandchildren? I don’t speak for all the Indian people, I just wanted to share the feeling I got after reading what Pat Jones said, thank you.



coby Said on

Who cares what Bob thinks. He is a sell out in more ways than one.



bob Said on

It time for a change
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cleotis Said on

what you guy are doing. it should be illegal. i never thought black people would put propit above rating. how igornat am im. i was tryin to voice an opinion. and was blocked out. that s ok i will never log in again. you aint about people, you are about propfit



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