BET Backs Web Ad Net

Las Vegas— Aiming to give advertisers broad exposure to African-American Internet users, BET Networks is launching an online advertising network featuring 30 premium Web sites targeting that audience segment.

Under the oversight of the BET Digital Media Group, the network will feature Internet sites focused on music, entertainment and lifestyle content relevant to the urban and African-American communities. The company would not reveal the specific sites.

The new advertising network won’t just allow advertisers to easily target African-American consumers across relevant and professional Web sites. It will also offer Web site publishers within the network increased revenue opportunities by aligning them with top-quality advertisers trying to reach urban and African-American consumers, according to BET Digital Media Group president Denmark West.

According to Jupiter Research, African-Americans are likelier to respond positively to Internet advertising, and are the second-largest minority online after Hispanics, with 22.7 million users.

“By joining BET’s vertical advertising network, publishers will gain access to high-quality, branded advertising, with the network allowing them to target campaigns most relevant to their audience,” said West in a statement. “The BET vertical advertising network offers a compelling solution for sites that have a large scale of premium inventory, but don’t necessarily have a sales force to match.”