New Black Owned Channel will Compete with BET

Hip-hop entrepreneur Percy Miller, a.k.a. Master P, is launching a family- friendly cable network, Better Black Television. The network will provide "positive content for a black and brown culture," according to a company statement.

BBTV, set to launch in 2009, will be a general entertainment channel running a wide range of scripted, unscripted and news programming, including drama and comedy series, movies, animation, reality, politics, sports and entertainment news, children’s educational and teen programming, as well as "responsible hip hop music and videos."

BBTV advisory board members include Oscar winner Denzel Washington; Vault Load Films president Jim Finkl; NAACP executive director Vicangelo Bullock; NBA player Derek Anderson; cable industry veteran Prof. Sal Martino; hip-hop pioneer DJ Kool Herc; entrepreneur Olatokunbo Betiku; and real estate mogul Curtis Oakes.

BBTV chairman and CEO Miller said he’s had the vision for BBTV for several years. "I believe that there is a market in our community for a new diverse network that provides a new brand of superior programming that caters to all aspects of television, from reality to original programming," he said.

The new channel is taking on the black-oriented cable channel BET. Miller stressed that he has "a great relationship with BET and MTV" and that he and his son, Lil’ Romeo, "will continue to do work with them and support their networks."