BET President and CEO Scott Mills to Depart After 23 Years

Scott Mills, the longtime president and CEO of BET Media Group, is leaving the company after a 23-year tenure with BET and Paramount. Mills began his career at BET in 1997 as senior vice president of business development, following roles in investment banking at Lehman Brothers and as Deputy Treasurer for the City of Philadelphia.

Throughout his time at BET, Mills held multiple leadership positions including president, chief operating officer, chief financial officer, and president of digital media for BET Networks. He played a key role in launching BET Mobile, developing the networks digital video operations, and establishing BET.com.

After a period as Viacoms chief administrative officer, where he oversaw human resources, media technology, real estate, programming acquisitions, facilities, and security, Mills returned to BET in 2018. His second tenure focused on expanding the network beyond traditional cable, introducing BET+, BET Studios, and co-branded free ad-supported streaming TV channels.

We successfully transformed BET from a declining cable network into a dynamic media company with leadership across platforms that matter to Black audiences, Mills wrote in an internal message. Leading this brand has been an honor, and I am proud of how we preserved its legacy while adapting it for the future.

Following Mills departure, BETs media sales president, Louis Carr, will step in as CEO while retaining his current responsibilities. Aisha Summers-Burke will continue to manage BET Studios, which will operate as a label under CBS Studios.

Author: Sophia Brooks