06 Mar VARIETY: Tyler Perry in Talks to Buy Majority Stake in BET as Paramount Global Explores Sale, Byron Allen Also Pursuing Network

Media moguls Tyler Perry and Byron Allen are vying to purchase a majority stake of BET Media Group amid reports that owner ParamountGlobal is exploring a sale of the asset.

Variety has confirmed that Perry is in talks to acquire the network, while a spokesperson for Allen stated that the Allen Media Group founder is also “interested in buying BET, and he will be pursuing the acquisition of the network.”

Perry currently owns a minority stake in the operation run by CEO Scott Mills, which includes cablers BET and VH1, and also produces a large portion of the programming available on BET and streamer BET+, which he helped launch in 2019. Also among BET’s divisions is production company BET Studios, which counts Kenya Barris, Rashida Jones and Aaron Rahsaan Thomas as minority stake holders.