European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 25, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A amp  amp ctr Tymy amp i amp a a ilv.-3rscr w.y.muh�an7ukon the Lack Cable network tries to spin circles around rival a Toby Jube shiver or. Los Angeles times Only two years ago Black entertainment television founder Bob Johnson seemed something of a pariah in Hollywood. His Washington based Cable networks Reliance on music videos and other inexpensive shows Drew widespread criticism from Black producers who accused Johnson of squandering the resources of the nations Only Black owned Cable Channel. And Johnson seemed equally testy about Hollywood saying a i done to get excited sitting around with Hollywood types talking about  but with the recent Boom in Black filmmaking and Black artists prominence on the nations record charts Johnson 45, has been Busy mending his fences in Tinseltown and converting his  has launched a los Angeles based celebrity show signed up former television actor producer Tim Reid to produce to dramas and teamed up with flamboyant pay to fight promoter Butch Lewis in a bid to Cash in on the burgeoning pay per View to Market. Johnson has also raised his profile battling mtg networks a which has signed contracts to air some Black artists exclusively and which May Challenge bets Black music Hegemony when it splits into three separately programmed music video channels in mid-1993. A Hollywood is important to us in terms of business relationships and in the creative sense a Johnson said. A a in be never lost sight of that. Anybody in Hollywood knows they can pick up the phone and Call  As for mtg Johnson said a we will not tolerate their use of monopoly Power. This is the closest thing to a declaration of War that we be had with a  exclusivity is nothing new to the television Industry a countered mtg spokeswoman Carol Robinson. A Bill Cosby is on Abc. One network gets the world series. We pay Good Money to get exclusivity and that Money is used to fuel video  Robinson added that it was a a premature to speculate whether mtg will compete with bets music programming in 1993 because a no one knows what the music climate will be like  Johnson is wasting no time covering his bets in Hollywood. Jack entertainment television has always been a player in the Cable and music industries and now Johnson is trying to gain the same prominence in film and television production and in the pay to Field. His new interests could be gleaned at a glittery party following his first pay per View Effort a a successful James Brown concert that aired from los Angeles in june. Johnson mingled with an audience that included actor Denzel Washington Singer Wilson Phillips the Rev. Jesse Jackson and time Warner executives. And in a departure from his previous professed disinterest he discussed programming and film projects with new Jack Cit director Mario Van Peebles and others according to Reginald Hudlin who directed the hit movie House party and was among those seated with Johnson. The positive reaction to the event which us Anita Gotch James Brown in Munich Germany in 1987, has to feel Good alter his successful concert on pay to. Reached the third largest music audience in pay per View history seemed to have a big Impact on Johnson according to Lewis who was bets partner in the pay per View broadcast. A we took James Brown whose career seemed finished and made him a National event now he a hotter than Ever a Lewis boasted. A i saw a change in bobs attitude after that he seems More eager to move ahead. Bob and i intend to have a big Impact on the music and entertainment  a bet has really proven effective both As a place to advertise Black film and As an outlet for artists works a said director Hudlin. With Cable expanding into More Urban areas where Blacks Are concentrated he added a i done to see any reason Why bet can to become one of the inc St popular and successful Cable  founded in 1980 with $15,000 of Johnson a Money and a $500,000 investment from Cable giant Tele communications inc., bet has become a full fledged 24-hour Cable network with a $10 million studio in Washington and estimated annual Revenue of $27.6 million in 1990, according to Paul Kagan associates a Media research firm in Carmel Calif. Although critics have called bets television lineup of music videos College sports movies news and talk shows uninspired the network saw its prime time ratings increase 15 percent to 0.6 in the first Quarter of 1991, a period when ratings for rival mtg and vh-1 declined 9 percent and 13 percent respectively according to Kagan. The ratings improvement has not yet paid off for bets three major backers a Tele communications great american broadcasting co. And time Warner  pay Cable unit Home Box office which together have $10 million invested in the network. But with 20 films by Black directors scheduled to be released this year and with Black artists behind 10 of the top 20 albums on a recent billboard Magazine pop Chart Johnson thinks bet can financially Benefit from the new wave of Black creativity sweeping Hollywood. A a that a Why mtg is trying to encroach on our franchise a Johnson said. A Black Urban sound is dominating the record charts. The same thing is happening in the film business. Young Black directors Are coming up with lots of exciting projects. But we have an advantage because bets been there for Black artists for a Long  As he tries to transform his company into a Force Johnson a who is described by colleagues As a smart shrewd but Low key executive a is being urged by associates to drop his genteel business approach and become More aggressive. A the needs to be even More visible not Only for his own Sake but because he a needed As a role Model in the Black Community a Lewis said. A a it a necessary for Young Black men and women to know that there is a Bob Johnson a a Guy that owns his own Cable network. Because so often people done to know. They say a Bob Johnson of yeah Isnit that the Guy that owns Ebony and Jet magazines a a a the two magazines Are actually owned by publisher John Johnson of Chicago. Bob Johnson chuckled when told of Lewis remark. Yet with mtg threatening to Challenge bets dominance in Black music videos he seems to be following some of Lewis advice. In a departure from his previous Low key approach on the Issue Johnson has demanded that record labels Stop giving mtg exclusive rights to air some Black music videos. He also staged a Brief Boycott of Mca records this summer after mrs exclusively aired the Mca rap group heavy d amp the Boyz. A we told Mca that if you value bet so Little take the rest of your artists off the Channel Johnson said. A the exclusivity agreement with mtg is a reality a responded Richard Palmese president of Mca records. A but equally As important is acknowledging the Early support that bet has Given so Many Black artists. We need to work with bet to keep the connection  while neither bet nor Mca officials would say How the Issue was resolved Johnson a Tough new attitude has brought him admiration. A if it were not for bet a lot of artists would not have had any video exposure a said Ramon Hervey a record Industry publicist who represents Vanessa Williams and Al Jarreau among others. A a mtg has never really played much Black music until recently. In a surprised that 0� Johnson did no to take a harsher stand  25. 1991 sunday a Page 15