Soul Train

What Soul Train does

BET (Black Entertainment Television, LLC) is a US-based media network and a subsidiary of Paramount Global (now part of Paramount Skydance). It is the leading provider of entertainment, music, news, style, and public affairs programming focused on Black culture in the United States. The network's core offering is original scripted and reality programming — anchored by multiple Tyler Perry series (Sistas, The Oval, House of Payne, Assisted Living), reality franchises such as Love & Hip Hop Miami, and prestige annual properties including the BET Awards and the BET Experience (BETX) live event. Content is distributed across three primary channels: traditional cable and satellite carriage, the bet.com digital platform with authenticated streaming, and global streaming via Paramount+. The business generates revenue from three streams: advertising sales across linear and digital, carriage/distribution fees paid by cable and satellite providers, and subscription contribution through Paramount+. The company also runs a portfolio of genre- and audience-segmented sub-brands — BET Her, BET Jams, BET Soul, BET Gospel, BET Amplified, BET News, and BETX — and pursues enterprise marketing partnerships (Hyundai, Walmart, Gilead) to extend monetization beyond traditional ad sales.

Name

Soul Train

Legal name

Black Entertainment Television, LLC

Website

https://soultrain.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

BET is a US cable and streaming media network, owned by Paramount, that produces entertainment, music, and news programming for Black American audiences, distributed via cable, bet.com, and Paramount+.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Advertising Revenue: BET generates primary revenue through advertising sales across its television network and digital platforms, including display ads, video ads, and sponsored content on bet.com and streaming content.
2. Subscription Revenue (via Paramount+): BET content is available through Paramount+ streaming service, contributing to subscription revenue as part of the Paramount family of companies. Users can access BET shows and original content through the streaming platform.
3. Cable/TV Distribution Fees: BET earns carriage fees from cable and satellite providers for distribution of its channel as part of basic and extended programming packages.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

BET operates a television network and digital media platform delivering entertainment, music, news, sports, and lifestyle content focused on Black/African American culture. The company produces original scripted series, reality TV, award shows (BET Awards), and music programming, distributed through cable/satellite TV, bet.com, Paramount+ streaming, and live events such as the annual BET Experience (BETX).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BET Awards: Annual awards ceremony celebrating Black culture and achievements in music, entertainment, and sports.
• BET Experience
• BET Jams
• BET Soul
• BET Gospel
• BET Amplified
• BET Her
• BET News
• BETX

Products and services

• BET Television Network

Quantifiable outcome

• 9.3 million social interactions for BET Awards 2026
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Paramount+coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBET content is distributed through Paramount+'s streaming platform, making BET shows and original programming available to the streaming service's subscriber base. This partnership extends BET's reach beyond traditional broadcast to digital-first audiences.
• GileadminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGilead sponsors the Care for the Culture initiative at BET Experience, driving meaningful conversations centered in Black joy. The partnership focuses on health awareness and community engagement within the Black community.
• WalmartminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWalmart partners with BET on the Founders Roundtable series, bringing together founders of local businesses for conversations about building businesses rooted in culture, community, and purpose.
• HyundaiminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHyundai is the presenting sponsor of BET Experience main stage events, supporting live entertainment programming and brand activations during the annual BETX weekend.
• Paramount GlobalcoreOthersBET is owned by Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS) and operates as part of the Paramount family of companies. Paramount provides corporate infrastructure, streaming technology, and distribution networks for BET content.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network): Cable network targeting a culturally defined audience with original scripted and unscripted programming. Highly comparable to BET as a niche-demographic, brand-led TV network with premium content franchises and streaming distribution through Discovery+.
• TV One: Cable network programming entertainment, lifestyle, and original movies targeted at African American audiences. Closely comparable to BET's niche-demographic, ad-supported TV network model with a similar content mix.
• Aspire (Magic Johnson Entertainment): African American-focused cable network with original programming, urban films, and faith-based content. Directly comparable to BET in audience focus, distribution model, and content categories.

Emerging players

• Revolt TV: Music-focused multi-platform media company targeting hip-hop and urban culture audiences. Comparable to BET's BET Jams/BET Amplified brands in audience overlap, though distribution is digital-first rather than linear-led.
• Fox Soul: Fox-operated streaming channel focused on Black culture, entertainment, and lifestyle content. Comparable to BET in audience focus, though distributed free ad-supported streaming rather than via cable carriage.

Regional players

• UPtv: U.S. cable network with faith-based and family programming targeting a defined niche audience. Comparable to BET as a smaller ad-supported cable network monetizing a culturally specific audience segment.

Broad incumbents

• MTV: Paramount-owned cable network with music, youth, and pop-culture programming. Comparable as a flagship cultural/lifestyle cable network within the same parent, with similar ad-sales and streaming distribution economics.
• VH1: Paramount-owned cable network with culturally oriented music and reality programming. Closely comparable as a sibling network within the Paramount portfolio with overlapping audience and advertiser base.
• Hallmark Channel: Ad-supported cable network with original scripted franchises and a defined audience niche. Comparable as a brand-led, franchise-driven cable network competing for similar carriage fees and ad budgets.

Others

• Cleopatra Entertainment: Independent film distribution and production company specializing in urban and Black cinema. Comparable to BET as an adjacent ecosystem participant producing culturally targeted content for similar audiences.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/soul-train

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Soul Train