BET News' Marc Lamont Hill & Melissa Harris Perry to Anchor
Convention-Dedicated One-Hour Specials on Sunday, July 24 at 11 AM ET/PT
and Sunday, July 31 at 11 AM ET/PT
BET Networks Launches New Voting Campaign "Vote Your Voice"
#BETxRNC and #BETxDNC
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
BET Networks continues its nationwide efforts to urge viewers to "Vote
Your Voice" and inform on the issues that matter most to the
African-American community with its upcoming voting campaign and
election coverage specials of the 2016 Republican and Democratic
National Conventions.
ON BET & CENTRIC
Specials:
Hosted by BET News' correspondents Melissa Harris Perry and Marc
Lamont Hill, from the Newseum in Washington D.C. these
one-hour specials will offer viewers a comprehensive and entertaining
recap of the Republican and Democratic National Conventions. UnConventional:
BET @ the RNCand UnConventional: BET @ the DNCwill air
respectively on Sunday, July 24and Sunday, July 31 at 11 AM
ET/PT on BET. Centric will also air the specials respectively
on Monday, July 25 at 10 ET and Sunday July 31 at 11 AM ET/PT.
These specials will revisit the conventions most talked about
highlights; provide necessary context and insight, and present exclusive
interviews with newsmakers and celebrities. The specials will also
feature guest commentators including Republican strategist Paris
Dennard, the Trump campaign's head of African-American outreach Omarosa
Manigault, Democratic strategist Angela Rye and others.
In the days leading up to each of the broadcast specials, Marc Lamont
Hill and Melissa Harris Perry will attend the RNC and DNC convention,
walking the floor, conducting interviews with noted politicians,
celebrities and other protestors. Highlights from their reports, will be
exclusively shared on BET.com, various social media platforms and will
be featured during the wrap-up broadcast special, along with other top
moments.
News briefs:
BET News will produce daily convention-specific news briefs for both BET
and Centric to keep viewers informed and up-to-date with the latest RNC
& DNC news.
New Voter Engagement Campaign" "VOTE YOUR VOICE"
Nearly two dozen African American influencers, celebrities and
tastemakers across the entertainment, fashion, art and tech industries
are urging BET viewers to make their voices heard this election through
a new, fully silent PSA. Instead of adding to the noise and rancor this
election season, BET is using silence to highlight the consequences of
choosing not to vote. The PSA's absence of sound, however, is offset by
its vibrant stars that visually represent the diverse and creative
culture of the African-American community including co-founder of The
Snobette Samia Grand-Pierre, art curator for Fresthetic Amy Collado,
fashion buyer for Manready Mercantile Berlin Nicholas, fashion editor
for Complex Magazine Matthew Henson, lead singer of Revel In Dimes Kia
Warren, actress and performance artist Trae Harris, actor and singer
Rotimi, rapper Vic Mensa, actress Jessica White and BET News
correspondent Marc Lamont Hill. These influencers came together to
volunteer their time and creativity to express the urgency that silence
is not an option and every African American should cast their ballot -
the most powerful tool to enact change.
The PSA is part of the 2016 BET Vote campaign, "Vote Your Voice" and
urges viewers to share their voices via social media throughout this
election year using the #VoteYourVoiceBET hashtag. The campaign is also
supported by a coalition of partner organizations focused on voter
engagement efforts including Democracy Works (TurboVote), Higher
Heights, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, Black Youth
Vote and Election Protection. Through BET's partnership with TurboVote,
BET is making it easier than ever for its audience to register to vote
this election cycle directly on the dedicated website -- BET.com/vote.
The "Vote Your Voice" PSA, directed by Vanessa Black, was produced in
partnership with BET Networks, by Viacom Velocity, a full-service
creative content team within Viacom's entertainment group. For more
information about the BET Vote 2016 campaign "Vote Your Voice", visit www.bet.com/vote.
For more information on the conventions, please visit www.BET.com
and www.CentricTV.com.
Join the conversation by using the hashtags #BETxRNC and #BETxDNC and
follow BET on Facebook to join Facebook Live sessions with Melissa
Harris Perry, Wednesday (7/20) and Thursday (7/21).
Watch Tuesday's Facebook Live session at https://www.facebook.com/BET/videos/10153621363990404/
About BET Networks
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, 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 90 million households and can
be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom
and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer
brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading
Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news;
CENTRIC, 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, BET's growing festival business; BET Mobile,
which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices;
and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.
Follow us on Twitter: @BET_PR
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160720005560/en/
BET Networks
Luis Defrank, 212-205-3156
luis.defrank@bet.net
Source: BET Networks
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