BET upfront: A bit of a throwback

Brandy Norwood at the BET upfront.

African American-themed cable network BET is pulling from the past to get ready for the future.

At the BET upfront presentation last week, the network introduced seven new series, including a reboot of MTV’s long-running 2000s hit “Punk’d,” a reality show following a member of the 2000s group Destiny’s Child, and a scripted show starring singer Brandy, who rose to fame as a teenager in the 1990s.

During the presentation BET also touted a new “Brand Love” study that looked at African American viewership, engagement and emotional attachment.

The network came out on top among the 33 channels included in a number of categories, including “network with a fresh outlook on entertainment, music and fashion” and “network featuring liked-personalities, celebrities and talent.”

That should not be a huge surprise, considering there are very few networks that target blacks exclusively.

BET’s main target audience is African Americans 18-49, but the network notes that it regularly finishes among the top 20 cable networks in the general market as well.

BET upfront new series

Its seven new series are:

* “Chasing Destiny,” a reality show following singer and former “Destiny’s Child” member Kelly Rowland.

* “About the Business,” a reality show following African Americans living and working in Hollywood.

* “Criminals at Work,” a documentary series about crimes committed in the workplace.

* “Zoe Moon,” a scripted romantic comedy starring singer and actress Brandy Norwood.

*”The Label,” which tells the stories of popular record labels from the past 25 years.

* “DeSean Jackson: Home Team,” a reality show following the Washington Redskins wide receiver.

* “Punk’d,” a reboot of the MTV hidden camera prank show.

BET upfront new specials and movies

The network also has plans for handful of new specials, including a new sports series, four news specials and four movies:

* “RocNation Sports Live Boxing,” a live boxing program that will launch with a super middleweight title fight between undefeated champ Andre Ward and Paul Smith.

* “Brotherly Love,” about the nation’s top high school basketball player, who lives in Philadelphia.

* “November Rule,” about a guy who constantly breaks up with girlfriends in November.

* “Deuces,” about an undercover agent who finds himself identifying with the bad guys.

* “S.N.I.T.C.H.,” starring rapper Pusha T and based on his song of the same name.

* Four news specials on Hurricane Katrina, O.J. Simpson, Muhammad Ali and race relations.

BET upfront returning series and specials

All of the new content is in addition to a number of returning series and specials at the network:

* BET Awards

* BET Hip-Hop Awards

* “Black Girls Rock!”

* “Celebration of Gospel”

* “The BET Honors”

* “The Game”

* “Being Mary Jane”

* “Bobby Jones Gospel”

* “Real Husbands of Hollywood”

* “Nellyville”

* It’s a Mann’s World”

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In first quarter BET averaged 337,000 viewers 18-49 in primetime, according to Nielsen seven-day DVR playback ratings, off 19 percent from 417,000 in first quarter 2014.

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