Announced early last year, Centric, formerly known as BET on Jazz, BET Jazz, and BET J, and launched in September 1996 as a spin-off cable television channel of BET, is being rebranded, yet again – this time as a specifically black woman-focused network, calling itself "the first network designed for black women."
Those rebranding efforts continue to take shape in 2015, starting with the relaunch of the network’s pickup of the canceled VH1 drama series "Single Ladies," which premieres tonight, March 18, 2015, which will air on both Centric and BET (for those without Centric).
Centric also previously announced an exclusive co-production deal with Queen Latifah’s Flavor Unit Entertainment to produce new content for the network. Also, Flavor Unit Entertainment’s talk show, "The Queen Latifah Show," which was just canceled by CBS, will also be airing in primetime on Centric.
It’s evolved over the years, eventually being rebranded by BET as Centric, in 2009, into what had essentially become a general interest channel targeted at African American adult audiences (compared to BET’s targeted younger viewers – although that seems to be changing), with programming comprised primarily of music appreciation from across the Diaspora, as well as unscripted content and lots of old black TV shows like "227," "The Cosby Show," "The Jamie Foxx Show" and many more.
A promo for the all-new Centric is embedded below, and underneath you’ll find a trailer for tonight’s return of "Single Ladies." Are you (or will you be) watching?
And here’s the season 4 ‘Single Ladies’ promo: