ROBERT L. JOHNSON

1946–

Businessman and investor Robert L. Johnson spotted a gap in the market for a television network that catered for an African American audience. His groundbreaking media company Black Entertainment Television (BET) quickly gained a dedicated following in the US.

Born in Hickory, Mississippi, Robert Louis Johnson attended the University of Illinois, graduating in 1968, before gaining a master’s degree from Princeton University in 1972. After completing his studies, he became public affairs director at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in Washington, DC, and later vice president of government relations at the National Cable and Television Association. These introductions to the world of television gave him crucial insights into the possibilities it could offer and the realization that it was not targeting the interests of a large African American audience.

Success and diversification

In 1980, with a $15,000 bank loan, Johnson launched Black Entertainment Television (BET)—the first cable TV network controlled by and aimed at African Americans. Initially, BET broadcast for only two hours a week on a Friday evening, showing music videos and sitcom reruns, but it soon grew into a successful network originating its own programming. By the 1990s, the company was reaching over 70 million households through its general and dedicated music and movie channels, website, and publishing streams. In 2001, Johnson was propelled into the billionaire league when he sold BET to communications and media giant Viacom for $3 billion. He remained CEO of BET until 2005.

Eager to diversify his interests, Johnson founded RLJ Companies in 2002, a holding company that owns a wide range of products, including hotels, financial services, sports, and entertainment. He also bought the Charlotte Bobcats basketball team in North Carolina, becoming the first African American owner of a major professional sports team.