Sunday, February 22, 2004 - Page updated at 12:00 AM
E-mail article
Print viewFebruary focus on black history
Robert Johnson
Robert Johnson, 57, was a cable-industry lobbyist until he took out a $15,000 personal loan in 1979 and started the first successful black-owned television network, BET. The network began broadcasting in 1980 and now reaches 65 million viewers.
In 1991, BET became one of the first black-owned and black-controlled companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Johnson sold it to Viacom in 1999 for an estimated $2.3 billion, but continues to serve as the company's chairman and CEO.
— Leslie Fulbright
Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company
Marketplace
nwjobs
Workplace challenges
Work, unplugged: Connected to the office 24/7? Break free from the digital leashPost a comment
Search for a Job
Nine to Thrive
Michelle Goodman blogs about work/life balance.
How to tell your office you're gravely ill
Post a comment
Michelle Goodman blogs about work/life balance.
How to tell your office you're gravely ill
Post a comment
nwautos
2009's most fuel-efficient carsnew
Choosing a new car? Weigh the impact of your choice on your wallet and on the planet.
Post a comment
Choosing a new car? Weigh the impact of your choice on your wallet and on the planet.
Post a comment
Open Houses | Find this weekend's open house listings.  Or search by location: |
Most read
Most commented
Most e-mailed
- 'The Road' takes Viggo Mortensen to Mount St. Helens and Astoria, Ore.
- Tugboat sinks at Seattle waterfront pier
- Child-support error costs nearly $21,000
- Craigslist adoption ad: A plea by young mother-to-be? A scam?
- Chase shrugs off loss of CD investors
- Vikings easily beat the Seahawks
- Denny Triangle gains skyline, but tenants slow to come
- Snow piles up on Cascade slopes
- Woman stabbed by stranger in North Seattle
- Husky Men's Basketball Blog | Saturday's Pac-10 games in review
- Vikings easily beat the Seahawks
134 - Child-support error costs nearly $21,000 129
- Palin excitement builds in Tri-Cities 123
- Tight Senate vote launches health care over hurdle 122
- Cutting through breast-cancer confusion 90
- Prosecutor requests life in prison for Amanda Knox 89
- Historic health care bill clears Senate hurdle 88
- Game thread 70
- New York terror trials will restore faith in rule of law 64
- Chase shrugs off loss of CD investors 54
- 'The Road' takes Viggo Mortensen to Mount St. Helens and Astoria, Ore.
- Child-support error costs nearly $21,000
- It's possible to recover a life lost to hoarding
- Washington state wines make annual best-of list
- Banff: powder, peaks & purity
- Chase shrugs off loss of CD investors
- Protect yourself from baggage loss
- Rediscovering Moab, 'the most beautiful place on Earth'
- Denny Triangle gains skyline, but tenants slow to come
- Northwest Living | On Whidbey, a unified home from multiple recycled parts
