Scott M. Mills will be sporting a new hat at Black Entertainment Television (BET). In a press release, it was announced that the president has been promoted to the chief executive officer of BET.

During Mills’ four-year tenure at the network, he has led the creations of BET+, BET Studios, partnerships with high-profiled content creators and more. Now BET has become the largest commissioner of Black premium content by working alongside industry giants such as Tyler Perry, Lena Waithe, Kenya Barris, Lee Daniels, amongst others.

“Under Scott’s leadership, BET has reached new heights with continued commercial success and profound cultural impact during a period of immense industry and social change,” said Bob Bakish, President and CEO of ViacomCBS, in a press release. “Scott has been instrumental in the expansion of the BET brand as the premier destination for Black entertainment and top talent, and he has spearheaded transformative initiatives that not only give back to the community but also play a critical role in representation in front of and behind the camera. BET is a source of inspiration and pride across the company, and I’m excited for BET’s strong future ahead with Scott at the helm.”

Wearing a new hat, Mills will continue to honor BET’s 40-year legacy to engage and empower the Black community on and off the screen. Mills has adopted the company’s philanthropic efforts and encouraged industry-wide improvements such as Content for Change — an initiative that encourages the elimination of racial inequalities and bias — which is now adopted across the ViacomCBS organization.

With Mills’ newest position, he will ensure BET will continue to honor its duties for the Black community and lay the groundwork for the upward development of content.

“BET is uniquely positioned to thrive at the intersection of content, community, and culture,” said Mills in a press release. “Through the power of the BET brand, our incredible team and great partners, we’ve established leading business franchises across linear, streaming, digital, and most recently, content development and distribution. It is an extraordinary privilege to steward such a culturally significant brand with an enormous legacy as a catalyst for change. As CEO, I look forward to working with my immensely talented BET colleagues and our great partners to ensure that BET continues to thrive and remains ideally positioned to succeed in the ever-changing media landscape.”

Bob Bakish

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