BET’s CEO Scott Mills Steps Down After 23 Years — A Shocking Shake-Up After Paramount Merger

BET insiders were stunned today as longtime President and CEO Scott Mills officially stepped down after an impressive 23-year run. In a heartfelt email to staff, Mills said, “Leading this extraordinary brand and serving the Black community alongside all of you has been an incredible honor and privilege.”

Mills joined BET in 1997 and climbed the ranks over the decades, overseeing pivotal moments like the launch of BET+, the creation of BET Studios, and major deals with creators such as Tyler Perry, Lena Waithe, and Lee Daniels. Under his leadership, BET transformed from a cable network into a multi-platform powerhouse.

His departure follows the recent merger of Paramount with Skydance, where BET became part of a larger TV Media division. Some saw signs of change coming when BET was notably absent from a recent leadership memo outlining the network structure under the new regime.

Mills acknowledged BET’s founding voices, Robert L. Johnson and Debra Lee, and said he’s proud of how the brand evolved during turbulent industry times. “We transformed BET from a declining legacy cable business into a growing media company,” he noted, according to Deadline.

Replacing Mills is Louis Carr, a 30-year BET veteran and former President of Media Sales. Carr is expected to continue BET’s evolution in an increasingly digital world.

BET’s future just took a big turn.