BET Presents 'American Injustice: The Fight For Police Reform'
New York, NY - July 16, 2020 – Over 1,000 people are killed by police every year in America, and Black people are three times more likely to be killed than White people. George Floyd’s tragic death at the hands of Minnesota police seemed to mark a tipping point, as millions of protestors in the United States and around the world, took to the streets to call for urgent and bold reforms to address the legacy of racially biased policing and misuse of force. In spite of this growing movement, proposed police reform legislation has stalled on Capitol Hill. What will it take for lawmakers to pass meaningful and comprehensive police reform? What will it take to transform the way our communities are policed?
Now in this exclusive BET News special titled “AMERICAN INJUSTICE: THE FIGHT FOR POLICE REFORM,” award-winning journalist, Soledad O’Brien, speaks with key politicians, law enforcement officials and activists to address this pivotal moment in the fight for police reform and discuss how supporters can move from protests to progress. This BET News production “AMERICAN INJUSTICE: THE FIGHT FOR POLICE REFORM,” airs Wednesday, July 22 at 11:00 PM ET/PT on BET and BET HER.
“AMERICAN INJUSTICE: THE FIGHT FOR POLICE REFORM” will feature interviews with U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, CBC Chair and Congresswoman Karen Bass, Congressman Cedric Richmond, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, Black Lives Matter Co-founder Patrisse Cullors, CBS News Chief Justice & Homeland Security Correspondent Jeff Pegues, Former Camden Police Chief J. Scott Thomson, and Charlottesville, VA Police Chief RaShall M. Brackney, NAACP CEO and President Derrick Johnson. The special will cover a range of topics including the status of police reform legislation on Capitol Hill including the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, the Defund the Police movement, the power of police unions, the use of chokeholds and no-knock warrants, and the fight over qualified immunity.
Last month, BET unveiled “CONTENT FOR CHANGE,” a media-focused initiative to help address issues of systemic racism and inequities in America including racial justice, economic empowerment, education, health and civic participation. “AMERICAN INJUSTICE: THE FIGHT FOR POLICE REFORM” will be the first program produced from the initiative. Don’t miss this timely BET News special Wednesday, July 22 at 11:00 PM ET/PT on BET and BET HER.
For more information visit www.bet.com and follow @bet and @betnews across all social platforms to join the conversation.
ABOUT BET
BET, a subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIACA, VIAC), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news, and public affairs television programming for the African American audience. The primary BET channel is in 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa, and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.
ABOUT CONTENT FOR CHANGE
Content for Change is a $25 million initiative from BET and ViacomCBS Inc. anchored in the principle that media—storytelling, news, information and commercials—plays a pivotal role in shaping and driving individuals’ and communities’ values, perceptions and actions. Content for Change seeks to support the elimination of systemic racism and racial inequities in America through the creation, distribution, marketing and promotion of content that is specifically designed to positively impact perception, understanding and engagement. This expansive effort is designed to improve social outcomes for Black Americans, with areas of focus including racial justice, economic empowerment, education, health and civic participation.
