Bob Johnson is at it again

Bob Johnson. The only Black male billionaire in the United States. The man that created Black Entertainment Television (no relation to this blog).

Bob Johnson is getting back to his roots. That is he is proposing a new Black-oriented television network to compete with his former BET and TV One. And I would equate that to a crack dealer finding religion and then going back out to sell more crack. If that doesn’t sound complementary, it isn’t meant to be.

Bob Johnson’s BET has more than a few comparisons for drug dealing. Its main adiction it sold were music videos so repulsive in the style and message that no other cable channel would dare play them. Not even the once rebellious MTV. These images of belittling women, and glorification of violence were not the initial programming but the end result. The big pay off. And he sold this to Black audiences because their only choice was to drink sand.

Bob Johnson had the opportunity to present an image of African Americans to the world that is not seen in other media. He could have emphasized the businesses we run, the educations we gain, the success we derive out of difficult and unbalanced situations. He could have promoted the achievements we make in the arts, and the advances we tread in politics. Instead he made a lot of money on the backs of the people he proposed to serve.

And now he plans to do it again.

According to an Ion and RLJ joint statement, the proposed share-time arrangement would allow Urban Television to operate “a continuous television program service aimed at serving the needs and interests of urban viewers and traditionally underserved minority communities. Urban Television will be a new addition to the current broadcast channel lineup, and Ion Media Networks will continue to operate its own broadcast networks.”

Urban Television is Bob Johnson’s new brand of crack so to speak. The goals sound lofty, but so did those at BET. The plea to the Government to back his venture are the same he stated before. And you can see the result right now, you might even be in time to see the movie Soul Plane.

Whether or not Bob Johnson launches Urban Television, he’s rich. He might be feeling remorse for the accusations he leveled at Barack Obama during the Democratic Primaries. He might be trying to make amends for the damage that BET has done over the years. He could even make a quality station that really does promote an image of African Americans as anything besides minstrels and pitbulls.

But I for one do not trust his intentions. I do not forget the high ideals he issued before diving to the gutter. I recall all to well his sell-out and escape to the fast lane. I don’t begrudge his money, just the way he got it. And I won’t help him get more.