Debra Lee Announces She Is Stepping Down as President of BET [Details]

Viacom continues to clean house over at BET as it was just announced that President of Black Entertainment Television, Debra Lee, will be vacating her role after serving in it for well over two decades.

via Black Enterprise:

Starting Jan. 1, Debra L. Lee will no longer oversee daily operations at Black Entertainment Television (BET). The network announced Thursday that she is stepping down as president and that Scott M. Mills has been tapped to take her place. Lee, however, will continue to serve as chairman and CEO of the network, focusing on cultivating the company’s relationships with external stakeholders and communities.

“I have spent more than 20 years leading this incredible enterprise and I am so proud of the BET team and all that we have accomplished,” said Lee in a statement. “As I look to the future, I believe it is the right time to take a step back from day-to-day responsibilities at BET.”

Mills has served as executive vice president and chief administrative officer at BET’s parent company, Viacom, since 2015, where he oversees human resources, real estate, and facilities and security. In his new role, he will be responsible for running overall strategy and all day-to-day operations, including oversight of programming, ad sales, and digital teams. He will also work closely with BET General Manager Michael Armstrong, who will report directly to him, and Lee, who will act as an advisor.

“BET has consistently produced exciting, thought-provoking content, shaping culture and conversation with African Americans and young audiences around the world. I am honored to work alongside Debi, Michael, and the incredible team at BET as we accelerate the network’s evolution across film, digital, and live experiences,” said Mills in a statement.

This news comes just months after Stephen Hill also vacated his coveted role at as President of Programming at BET back in late March of this year. What’s really going on over at BET?