In addition to picking up USA telecast rights to Clement Virgo’s adaptation of Book Of Negroes, upcoming new original programming at BET announced today, include another project from Mara Brock Akil and Salim Akil, although unlike their other original series with the cable TV network, the duo will enter unscripted TV territory, with a new series titled Back to Me with Jeanette Jenkins.
The other 3 include:
– Hip-Hop Sisters, which will follow femme rappers, MC Lyte, Yo Yo, Lady of Rage, Smooth, Monie Love and Lil Mama, as they attempt to relaunch their careers.
– Gone Gospel, a singing contest hosted by Kirk Franklin, in which competitors are sent to a “Gospel Boot Camp” to revive their careers.
– And finally, Internal Affairs, a true-crime series that focuses on cops investigating their own.
Today’s news represents BET’s continued effort to fend off new and old competition for our eyeballs, via a big original programming push – especially with Oprah Winfrey’s OWN now seemingly rebranding itself as a black TV network.
