Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 5 November 1999 — Page 26
PAGE C6
THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5,1999
To get quality on BET, TV viewers have to support it
THE SCOOP
BET on Us The recent flap about BET in the media generally, (and the EUR in particular) again highlights the dilemma we face as Blacks at the end of the 20th century. We expect Blacks who try to play the media game to do things just the way the mainstream does. To an extent, that’sjustifled. Many people in Black America have tired of BET’s seemingly endless diet of videos, reruns and first run shows that maybe never should have been. Actors who work on network projects should be paid at least scale for their efforts. However, no matter how we try to avoid it, part of the problem at BET is us, the people who watch it. One of thing first things you hear from critics of the network is it doesn’t present enough substan-
tive programs dealing with the problems we face as a community. While this is true, there was a time BET had more such programs than it has now. Why? Because too few people watched them when they were on. As for the music videos and comedy shows, they fall right into line with much of the rest of cable television’s current fare. Surf your cable or satellite system and ask yourself what’s really worth watching. Fact is, BET is neither better nor worse than most of the other channels available to the average viewer. Try watching Comedy Central, the Nashville Network (yeah, I know Blacks aren’t into country) or any of the home shopping channels (gag me with a chainsaw!), and you see the same stuff that BET serves up. Is there some redeeming social value toextreme skateboarding I’m unaware of?
Keep in mind that in BET’s universe, the top of the heap is the World Wrestling Federation, which usually captures several of the top 10 shows on cable in any given week. While people certainly have every right to criticize the network for some glaring shortcomings, it won’t get any better until our viewing habits do. Television is like food. As Americans, we have options with both. We can eat junk food and watch junk TV, but we shouldn’t complain when we get fat and ignorant. I offer this challenge to people critical of BET. Keepacareful, honest list of all the television you watch for a week. This includes, by the way, your family members. At the end of the week total up the value of each and every TV show you’ve watched. Then take one day and only watch those shows of value to you and your family. You might even surprise
yourself. Newsbits • The success of “The Best Man” has caused some people to talk about the possibility that it will be considered a “crossover.” Although 80 to 85 percent of the film’s audience in the first week was Black, its number one position at the box-office has caught the attention of studio execs and white America. The movie was originally looked upon as a “niche” film, appealing predominantly to Black adults, but according to a recent article in the Washington Post, "The fact that it is a number one film gives it credibility and legitimacy with mainstream audiences. They see that and think, ‘This must be good. I’ll check it out.’ ” • R. Kelly haters beware: you can’t seem to hold the man down. Kelly is currently enjoying the suc-
cess of two new songs, which are both receiving major air play on the radio. “Satisfy You” is a song that Kelly did with Puff Dad, and uses the beat from that Luniz song “I Got Five On It.” His other current tune is his own single call d “If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time,” which is off last year’s multi-platinum album, “R.” According to Vibe, R. Kelly is currently situated in Chicago working on a new album that his label says will hopefully be released during the first quarter of 2000. A much more highly anticipated album on the streets is Raekwon’s second solo project “Immobilarity.” The single from the album is called “Live From New York” and has already hit the radio and is all over mixtapes. Raekwon ’ s first album “Only Built For Cuban Linx” was released in 1995 and is considered by some as perhaps the best of all the Wu Tang
Clan’s solo efforts. “Immobilarity” is due in stores Nov. 19 and features tracks produced by up-and-comers such as Trauma, Six July, Triflyn, Vo and Pop. The album also features appearances by Pete Rock and fellow Wu members Method Man and Masta Killa. • Tiger Woods continued his unprecedented string of successes as he recently won the National Car Rental Classic at Disney World. As the winner. Woods received a purse of $450,000, which puts his prize money earnings at more than $4.7 million for 1999. Woods was modest after the Victory, saying, “My putting was just not on. I figured if I kept hitting it close, one of them might go in. I got lucky and won this one.” that the rest of us can’t find.” This week’s Scoop is provided by Electronic Urban Report. Visit its website at www.EURWeb.com.
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