BET announces departure of Nina Henderson Moore and Michael Lewellen

(October 24, 2006) Nina Henderson Moore, who for seven years led the BET News and BET Pictures divisions of BET Networks; and Michael Lewellen, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications, are leaving the company. BET Chairman and CEO Debra Lee officially announced both executive departures in a recent internal memo to BET staff.

“Nina’s impact on BET and our viewers has been substantial,” said Ms. Lee. “Her seven-year career with BET was stellar, having spearheaded the return of BET News and Public Affairs to prominence in journalism; and pioneered the creation of our ground-breaking BET Pictures division. She will be missed.”

Ms. Lee continued, “Since 1999, Michael has guided our Corporate Communications function through some of BET’s most pivotal, historic and, on occasion, publicly-challenging times. He has served BET with professionalism as our chief communications executive and spokesman with the media. Michael has been a valuable asset to the BET and Viacom brands, and to the cable industry.”

During the past year, Ms. Henderson Moore supervised a strategic restructuring of the BET News division to create a multiplatform method of delivering news to BET’s diverse audiences and demographics. That approach included BET NEWS BRIEFS throughout the day on the cable network, BET.com Internet portal and wireless platforms; two new weekly news programs – The Chop Up and Meet The Faith; and issues-driven news specials like the BET Open Mic town hall programs.

Among BET’s most noteworthy news specials are the Down Low Exposed and in-depth looks at the lives of the late Coretta Scott King, Richard Pryor and notorious Los Angeles street gang founder Stanley Tookie Williams.

As Executive Vice President of News and Public Affairs, Ms. Henderson Moore also positioned the former BET Nightly News as the country’s only national newscast from an African-American perspective and was the driving force behind the success of 10 critically-acclaimed BET original documentaries – Journeys In Black. Overall, BET News and Public Affairs flourished under Ms. Henderson Moore, garnering three prestigious NAACP Image Awards and a Cable Positive Award.
 
“Even with my love for film and television, I was never what some journalists affectionately refer to as a ‘news-ee’. But I fell into the news executive role at the behest of (BET founder) Bob Johnson and Debra Lee, and grew to love and respect the responsibility” said Ms. Henderson Moore. “I’m a business person and entrepreneur with a love for building enterprises. Fortunately I had the opportunity to do that multiple times inside of BET. Now it’s time to get back to what I love doing, with less time commuting and more time with my husband and daughters in Denver.”

Before joining BET, Mr. Lewellen was Vice President of Media Relations for FOX Sports Network in New York where he directed the media relations and public relations activities for FOX Sports Net’s regional cable sports networks. His career includes having served as Director of Public Relations for Turner Sports in Atlanta, specifically in charge of the Goodwill Games, an international multi-sport event featuring 1,500 Olympic-level competitors.

Mr. Lewellen also held a variety of public relations, strategic planning and product line management positions during a five-year span at Nike, Inc.’s world headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. After a successful career as a journalist, Mr. Lewellen first crossed into the public relations field in 1985 with telecommunications giant Southwestern Bell, now known as AT&T.

“I’ve been fortunate in my career to have worked for some of the world’s most iconic brands, including BET as the world’s most-powerful Black brand,” said Mr. Lewellen. “My time at BET afforded me an opportunity to use expertise gathered in roles at other Fortune 500 companies and use it in a manner to impact African Americans. For that chance, I’m forever grateful.”



Go to Target Market News homepage

 

_________________________



Click here to read more

________________________

The African-American
Book Publishing Authority

Now in its seventh year of publication, Black Issues Book Review is the only nationally distributed magazine devoted exclusively to covering the latest news and reviews on black books. BIBR also provides up-to-date news on forthcoming author signings, book fairs and book clubs.
Want this issue? Get it with your new subscription.
Click Here

A TARGET MARKET NEWS PUBLICATION
________________________

 12th Annual Edition Available 
Latest 'Buying Power' report shows black consumers spending more on home life

As the American economy continues to move sluggishly, African-American households are curtailing their spending in many categories, including food, clothing and basic household items, while investing more in home repair, home entertainment and consumer electronics. Although they are trimming back, black consumers are still spending more than their white counterparts on most of these products.
Story and statistics continued
_________________________

  SUBSCRIBE TODAY! 


The trade publication for
in-depth coverage of Black
Consumer Marketing
and Media news