AN “ISLAND LIME†AT CARIBBEAN WEEK IN NEW YORK
Contact: Bevan Springer + 1 201 861-2056
bevanspringer@nj.rr.com
Photographs available at:
1) www.mediaexchange.info/portals/2/island1.jpg
CAPTION: Ava Dorman, BET J Marketing and Events Coordinator at the Caribbean Fair at South Street Seaport.
2) www.mediaexchange.info/portals/2/island2.jpg
CAPTION: The BET J booth at the Caribbean Fair was a hive of activity.
3) www.mediaexchange.info/portals/2/island3.jpg
CAPTION: From left: Ava Dorman, Paxton Baker, Executive Vice President and General Manager of BET Digital Networks, and Stephon Crumbley, Project Manager, BET Event Productions, at The Caribbean Media Marketplace in New York.
AN “ISLAND LIME†AT CARIBBEAN WEEK IN NEW YORK
NEW YORK (June 24, 2006) – BET J’s newly dedicated “Island Lime†Saturday Caribbean program was up front and center during Caribbean Week in New York activities earlier this month.
A key financial and strategic supporter of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO), BET J seized the opportunity this week to strengthen its partnership with Caribbean destinations and to promote “Island Lime†to a market that BET J executive, Cybelle Brown, a St Lucian herself, describes as both “influential and underserved.â€
“We value the Caribbean community in the US, which is an influential and huge constituency,†said Brown, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for BET Digital Networks. “Yet it has not had a place to go for nostalgic programming or to learn more about what’s happening the Caribbean, such as the latest music coming out of the region,†she added, assuring that as the network evolves “Island Lime†will also be the venue for economic, political and other news features.
Based on the success of Caribbean programming on the former BET Jazz channel, BET J has embarked on an entire day of programming dedicated to Caribbean music and culture, including island festival specials. “The Caribbean has been a successful part of our programming and revenue model so it’s important for us to give back to the Caribbean,†said Brown, who pledges BET Digital Networks’ continuing commitment to helping various Caribbean organizations gain exposure on the network.
ABOUT BET NETWORKS
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom, Inc. (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 81 million households according to Nielsen media research, and can be seen in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, the Number 1 Internet portal for African Americans; BET Digital Networks – BET J, BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; and BET Mobile, a service venture into the lucrative world of ring tones, games and video content for wireless devices.
ENDS