BET AND CBS NEWS ANNOUNCE NEW ORIGINAL PRIMETIME NEWSMAGAZINE SERIES “AMERICA IN BLACK” PREMIERING SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19 AT

10 PM ET/PT ON BET, BET HER, AND VH1, AND AVAILABLE ON BET+ AND

THE CBS NEWS STREAMING NETWORK

The Groundbreaking Show Will Feature Original Reporting By Award-Winning Journalists Including

Gayle King, James Brown, Ed Gordon, Michelle Miller, Jericka Duncan,  Vladimir Duthiers, Marc Lamont Hill, Wesley Lowery, Errol Barnett,

Danya Bacchus, Skyler Henry, And More

Veteran BET News anchor/host Ed Gordon returns to BET in this historic newsmagazine series focusing on the people, issues, and stories that matter most to Black America

New York, NY January 27, 2023—Today, BET and CBS News announced the production of a groundbreaking new monthly prime-time newsmagazine show titled “America In Black.” All new  one-hour episodes will premiere monthly starting Sunday, February 19 at 10 PM ET/PT, featuring a mix of original long-form investigative reports, one-on-one newsmaker interviews, human interest stories, and exclusive in-depth celebrity profiles.

 “America In Black” will be reported by an experienced lineup of award-winning correspondents including “CBS Mornings” co-hosts Gayle King; “CBS Mornings” national correspondent and CBS News Streaming Network anchor Vladimir Duthiers; BET News anchor and correspondent Marc Lamont Hill; host of “The NFL Today” and CBS News’ special correspondent James Brown; “CBS Saturday Morning” co-host Michelle Miller; “CBS Weekend News” anchors Jericka Duncan and Adriana Diaz; and CBS News streaming anchor and national correspondent Errol Barnett and CBS News correspondents Skyler Henry and Danya Bacchus, plus Pulitzer-prize winning journalist Wesley Lowery. Also, former BET News anchor Ed Gordon is returning to the Network after an 18-year hiatus and will be a featured correspondent.

Each original one-hour episode of “America In Black” will go beyond the headlines to illuminate and elevate the leading issues, stories, and people impacting Black America. From hip-hop on trial to the banning of Black history in schools across the nation to original celebrity profiles and interviews, each edition of “America In Black” will deliver original, high-quality storytelling and ambitious journalism with a unique and distinct POV.

“Black storytelling is at the core of BET, and we couldn’t be more excited to present ‘America In Black,’” said Connie Orlando, EVP, Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy. “Shining a light on the untold stories that affect our community, 'America In Black' provides unique opportunities to address timely issues affecting our community most, from the censorship of Black history in schools to the use of rap lyrics in criminal proceedings. 'America In Black' will assemble a team of heavy-hitting subject-matter experts and trusted voices under the banners of BET News and CBS News to create awareness, inspire change and drive action.”

“CBS News is proud to partner with BET News on ‘America In Black’ and to explore the many issues effecting the African American community,” says Alvin Patrick, executive producer of CBS News Streaming Originals and Race & Culture. “We will cover the complexity of the Black experience with compelling storytelling that has always been the hallmark of CBS News. The monthly newsmagazine format allows us the ability to report in depth on important stories that shape the culture of Black America."

In addition to the monthly premiere on BET, BET Her, and VH1, “America In Black” will be available across BET and CBS’ platforms, including BET+ and the CBS News Streaming Network. Individual stories will also live on various Paramount Global digital and social platforms.

“America In Black” is executive produced by Jason Samuels for BET and Alvin Patrick for CBS News.

About BET

BET, a unit of Paramount (NASDAQ: PARAA; PARA; PARAP), 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 is in 125 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa, and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions, including BET+, the preeminent streaming service for the Black audience; BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul, and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, a growing BET festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games, and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

About CBS News and Stations:

CBS News and Stations, brings together the power of CBS News, 28 owned television stations in 17 major U.S. markets, the CBS News Streaming Network, CBS News Streaming local platforms, local websites and cbsnews.com, under one umbrella. CBS News and Stations is home to the nation’s #1 news program 60 MINUTES, the CBS News Streaming Network, the first 24/7 digital streaming news network, the award-winning broadcasts CBS MORNINGS, CBS SATURDAY MORNING, the CBS EVENING NEWS WITH NORAH O’DONNELL, CBS SUNDAY MORNING, CBS WEEKEND NEWS, 48 HOURS and FACE THE NATION WITH MARGARET BRENNAN. CBS News and Stations provides news and information for the CBS Television Network,  CBSNews.com, CBS News Radio and podcasts, Paramount +, all digital platforms, and the CBS News Streaming Network, the premier 24/7 anchored streaming news service that is available free to everyone with access to the internet. The CBS News Streaming Network is the destination for breaking news, live events, original reporting and storytelling, and programs from CBS News and Stations’ top anchors and correspondents working locally, nationally and around the globe. CBS News’ streaming services, across national and local, amassed more than 1.01 billion streams in 2021. Launched in November 2014 as CBSN, the CBS News Streaming Network is available on 30 digital platforms and apps, as well as CBSNews.com and Paramount+. The service is available live in 91 countries. CBS News and Stations is dedicated to providing the highest quality journalism under standards it pioneered and continues to set in today’s digital age. CBS News earns more prestigious journalism awards than any other broadcast news division. 

Contacts:

For BET:

Luis Defrank

Luis.defrank@bet.net  

Justin Brown

Justin.brown@bet.net

Johnny Cooper

Johnny.cooper@bet.net

For CBS:              

Lance Frank

FrankL@cbsnews.com

April Andrews

april.andrews@viacomcbs.com

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