BET Aaliyah Coverage Sets Records

By R. Thomas Umstead
published

Black Entertainment Television's Aug. 27 episodes of 106 & Park
and BET Tonight set ratings records for each show's respective coverage
of actress/singer Aaliyah's tragic death.

The one-hour BET Tonight special, featuring interviews with the
artist's friends and family, pulled a 1.86 rating, while the 90-minute 106
& Park, which also featured interviews and a montage of Aaliyah's music
videos, generated a 2.11.

Aaliyah, along with eight others, died in an Aug. 25 plane crash in the
Bahamas.

'The numbers show the true love our audience had for Aaliyah,' BET spokesman
Michael Lewellen said.

R. Thomas Umstead
R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.