BET President and CEO Scott Mills Exits After Two Decades

Four months after its parent company changed ownership, there’s a major leadership shift underway at BET Media Group.

President and CEO Scott Mills announced on Wednesday, Dec. 3, he is leaving BET after more than two decades.

Related: BET+ Boss Says Company Is Committed to ‘Uplifting Black Voices’ (Exclusive)

In a Dec. 3 memo to staff, obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, Mills said his tenure at BET is ending.

“After 23 years at BET, I’ve made the difficult decision to step down as President and CEO,” the memo read.

“Leading this extraordinary brand and serving the Black community alongside all of you has been an incredible honor and privilege. Your talent, passion, and unwavering commitment to BET’s mission have driven all that we’ve accomplished as a team. As I reflect on our journey, I’m deeply proud of what we’ve built,” Mills added.

“When Bob Johnson asked me to join BET many years ago, I saw it as an opportunity to learn from America’s most successful Black entrepreneur. It proved to be a master class in bold vision and exceptional execution, culminating in the advent of the Black American billionaire.”

BET Media Group includes the BET cable network, BET+, BET Her, BET Digital, BET International, and BET Studios (the production arm of BET). VH1, which features programming geared toward Black audiences including the Basketball Wives franchise, was added to the BET portfolio in 2022.

Mills is credited with bringing A-list creators to BET, including Tyler Perry, Kenya Barris, Lee Daniels, Taraji P. Henson, Gabrielle Union, and others.

He joined the network as senior vice president of business development and worked his way up to CEO, according to his bio on the Paramount website. Prior to that, Mills worked in investment banking at Lehman Brothers and served as deputy treasurer of the City of Philadelphia.

Louis Carr, BET’s president of media sales, is taking over as president of BET Media Group and will report to George Cheeks, Paramount’s chair of TV media.

“For nearly four decades, Louis has been instrumental in driving BET’s success and cultural influence,” Cheeks said in a statement Wednesday. “His deep experience and proven track record position him to expertly guide the brand into its next era.”

Carr added in a statement, “BET and its commitment to Black and Brown communities has been my life’s work. It’s a privilege to lead the brand to the next level of excellence and impact.”

These are the latest changes at BET since parent company Paramount Global was acquired by Skydance Media in an $8 billion deal.

Days after the merger closed on Aug. 7, 2025, Paramount Skydance chairman and CEO David Ellison and his leadership team met with reporters.

Paramount executive Jeff Shell said during the meeting that plans are underway to consolidate some of the company’s streaming platforms, raising questions about the future of BET+.

There has also been widespread speculation that Gayle King may depart CBS Mornings when her contract expires next year.

CBS addressed the chatter in October, saying: “There have been no discussions with Gayle about her contract that runs through May 2026.”