BET Cancels '106 & Park' After 14-Year Run

BET

After 14 years of showcasing the hottest talent in hip-hop and R&B, BET’s popular video countdown show ’106 & Park’ will air its final episode on Dec. 19.

Although the show won’t be on cable television, the brand will live on in the digital space. In addition, the show will produce various specials like its annual New Year’s Eve show, ’106 & Party’ and present live events at the BET Awards.

BET’s President of Music Programming and Specials Stephen Hill issued a press release on the show’s cancellation. In part, it reads:

All of us have been touched by 106 & Park.

Now it’s time for 106 & Park, as a daily TV entity, to take a bow and exit.

It’s been a great 14-year run as America’s top music/variety show on cable. And now that very valuable brand is going to take its talents to the digital realm. The interactive brand you helped build, 106 & Park, is alive and well…and it’s moving to the space in which our audience NOW interacts with music the most: online.

It’ll be very exciting to connect with the millions of people that are already engaged with 106 & Park and other BET digital and social media entities and bring content that will further evolve the 106 & Park brand — and enhance the overall BET Networks brand. As we transition to the digital space, we look to continue 106 & Park’s role as both a leader of and a mirror to youth culture. We’ll have more information to share about how that is to roll out very soon.”

’106 & Park’ debuted in 2000, with original hosts A.J. Calloway and Free. The dynamic duo worked on the show until 2005, and were replaced by Julissa and Big Tigger. In 2006, Terrence J and Rocsi took over hosting duties until 2012.

Finally, the self-proclaimed “Mr. 106? Shad Moss (aka Bow Wow) and Keshia Chante became the permanent hosts of the show in 2012, and will end their gig next month.

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