Since its inception in 1980, BET has long served as the place for Black entertainment television, and today, while its original model has evolved, that sentiment remains the same. Founded by Robert L. Johnson, BET launched in July 1983 as a two-hour weekly block on the USA Network before evolving into the 24-hour cable channel it's known as today. "The thing that has kept us stable is the love, the relationship, the relevance that our consumers have for the brand," said current BET President Louis Carr, who is speaking at the upcoming AFROTECH Conference 2026.