Tyler Perry may be taking his mogul status to the next level.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Paramount is in talks about selling its majority stake in BET, and Perry has his eyes set on the prize.
Taking His Partnership To The Next Level
As a longtime partner of BET, Perry has been engaged in conversations to make the purchase. Paramount began moving on the decision to sell its stake in 2017. However, an inside source has revealed that the negotiations could soon come to a halt.
Should Perry make the purchase, it would give him ownership of the very network that is home to some of his shows that include “Sistas,” “The Oval,” “House of Payne,” and more.
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With the discussions around the sale still in the early stages, as of this writing, Perry is not guaranteed to lock in the deal.
With that said, The Hollywood Reporter claims “Other parties are also said to have expressed an interest in the BET businesses.”
One of those parties may be Byron Allen, according to a rep.
“Byron Allen is interested in buying BET, and he will be pursuing the acquisition of the network,” said the rep, the outlet reports.
Perry's Future With BET
Again, Perry’s relationship with the platform runs deep.
Beyond BET being a home for some of his hit shows, Perry is also an investor in BET+, the company’s streaming platform.
Should the Madea creator ink the deal, he would not only have access to widely distributed cable channels but also ownership of a streaming service that could blossom into its very own business.
Additionally, if the purchase takes place, Paramount would still expect to maintain both its minority stake as well as a commercial relationship with the business.
BET's History
According to Britannica, BET was founded in 1980 by Robert L. Johnson. In 2000, Paramount (formerly known as Viacom) acquired the company for $2.3 billion, WSJ reports.
