August 14, 2025
‘We’re thinking about the cable network not as declining linear assets that we need to split them up or deal with somehow. We’re thinking about those brands that we have to redefine,’ Paramount CEO, David Ellison said.
The new CEO of Paramount, David Ellison, assured reporters at a recent press conference that the BET Network will stay within the confines of the company, after Paramount floated the idea of selling it in recent years.
According to Variety, the once Black-owned entertainment property will not have a “for sale” sign hanging on it, as the parent company stated that BET and its properties are slated to be a key part of its streaming strategy. There would be no immediate changes at this time.
“We had this conversation with Shari (Redstone) when we had the first meeting, actually, about the company. It is our intention to keep the company together and invest in that lens,” Ellison said. “We’re thinking about the cable network not as declining linear assets that we need to split them up or deal with somehow. We’re thinking about those brands that we have to redefine.”
This statement comes within a week of the network revealing that two of the shows important to Black culture, the BET Hip Hop Awards and the Soul Train Music Awards, have been “indefinitely” suspended. Billboard reported that Scott Mills, BET CEO, had stated that it does not mean that they’re dead, as they will figure out “where those awards shows” might end up.
“So for BET linear, we have suspended the Soul Train and Hip-Hop award shows,” Mills told the media outlet. “But we have a team that’s actively thinking about where those award shows might best live as the media climate continues to evolve. They aren’t gone.”
Deadline reported that Paramount recently merged with Skydance Media in an $8.4 billion deal.
When Paramount put the word out that the BET network was up for sale, many influential executives in the industry were trying to place the company back in the hands of Black owners again. Some of the prominent figures who were ready to put serious bids in for the network included the likes of Byron Allen, Scott Mills, Sean “Diddy” Combs, and Tyler Perry.
RELATED CONTENT: Grass Grievance: Homeowner Jailed In Weird Battle With HOA
