Paramount is preparing to shutdown and absorb BET+ as a standalone streaming platform, folding the service into Paramount+ beginning in June as part of the company’s broader push to streamline its streaming ecosystem.
The change means more than 1,000 hours of BET+ programming — including original series, films, and specials — will migrate to Paramount+, where the content will live within the platform’s existing BET Hub. The move leaves Paramount+ as the company’s primary subscription streaming service in the U.S. after previously operating multiple SVOD platforms.
The news was shared internally by BET Networks President Louis Carr, whose memo to staff emphasized that the transition is meant to expand the reach of the network’s storytelling.
“This powerful next step ensures the stories we champion, the creators we support and the culture we represent go further than ever before,” Carr wrote in the message.
Tyler Perry stake bought out
The consolidation follows Paramount’s decision to buy out Tyler Perry Studios’ equity stake in BET+, which had been estimated at roughly 25 percent since the platform launched in 2019 as a joint venture between BET and Perry’s company.
While financial details were not disclosed, Perry’s share had reportedly been valued at tens of millions of dollars.
Despite the ownership change, Perry will remain a key creative partner through his nine-figure overall deal with BET Media Group, announced in 2024 and running through 2028. Under the agreement, Perry continues to deliver hundreds of episodes across multiple projects for BET and its streaming platforms.
“As part of this evolution, Paramount acquired Tyler Perry Studios’ equity stake in BET+,” a Paramount spokesperson said in a statement. “We share the same ambition to expand the reach of BET content, and Tyler will continue to be a valued and important partner through his overall programming agreement.”
What happens to BET+ shows
Once the transition takes place, all current BET+ content — both original and licensed — will move to Paramount+, subject to existing rights agreements.
Series set to premiere new seasons on Paramount+ following the move include:
- Ruthless
- Divorced Sistas
- All the Queen’s Men
- Zatima
- Average Joe
- Diarra From Detroit
The flagship comedy “The Ms. Pat Show,” which recently completed its fifth season on BET+, will also continue to be considered for renewal after the platform shift.
Existing BET+ subscribers who signed up directly through the app will be offered discounted options to transition to Paramount+ when the service is officially discontinued.
Content to live in Paramount+ BET Hub
On Paramount+, BET programming will be organized within the BET Hub, a section of the platform dedicated to Black stories. The hub already includes a mix of scripted and unscripted content from the BET cable network as well as library titles across Paramount’s television brands that center Black characters and creators.
The company believes the move will significantly expand the audience for BET programming. While BET+ had an estimated 3.5 million subscribers, Paramount+ now reaches roughly 80 million subscribers worldwide, providing far greater global exposure.
Part of a larger streaming strategy
The integration mirrors a similar move Paramount made in 2023 when it folded Showtime’s standalone streaming service into Paramount+, later rebranding the top tier as Paramount Premium.
The consolidation also follows Paramount’s 2025 merger with Skydance Media, which brought new leadership and a renewed focus on simplifying the company’s streaming strategy. Skydance CEO David Ellison, now head of the combined company, previously announced plans to unify Paramount+, BET+ and the ad-supported Pluto TV under a shared technology platform.
If Paramount completes its proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, Ellison has indicated the company could ultimately combine Paramount+ with WBD’s HBO+ service into a single streaming platform.
BET brand remains intact
Despite the streaming shift, Paramount says the broader BET brand will remain central to its long-term strategy.
“BET is a cornerstone of Black culture and an essential part of Paramount’s portfolio,” Carr wrote in his memo, noting that the BET cable network, BET Studios and BET Digital operations will continue as key parts of the company’s media ecosystem.
The integration of BET+ into Paramount+ had reportedly been in development for months, following a restructuring within BET Media Group late last year after the departure of former president and CEO Scott Mills.
With the transition set to begin in June, the move marks another step in the evolving streaming landscape — one where major media companies are increasingly consolidating platforms in an effort to build scale and compete more effectively in the global streaming market.
What This Could Mean for BET’s Streaming Future
While the move expands the reach of BET+ programming, it also raises questions about what happens when a niche platform built around a specific audience becomes part of a much larger ecosystem.
BET+ launched in 2019 as a streaming service designed specifically for Black audiences, housing original series, films, stage plays, and cultural programming that often didn’t exist elsewhere in the streaming landscape. By folding the platform into Paramount+, those stories will now sit inside a much broader catalog that includes CBS programming, blockbuster films, sports, and high-profile franchises like the Star Trek universe and Taylor Sheridan’s growing slate of series.
On paper, the shift could significantly increase exposure. BET+ was estimated to have roughly 3 to 4 million subscribers, while Paramount+ reaches more than 80 million globally. That kind of scale could introduce shows like Diarra From Detroit, Average Joe, Zatima, and The Ms. Pat Show to viewers who may have never downloaded the BET+ app in the first place.
But the move also reflects a larger industry trend: consolidation. As media companies streamline their streaming strategies, niche platforms are increasingly being folded into larger services in an effort to reduce costs and compete at scale. Paramount previously took a similar approach when it integrated Showtime’s standalone streaming service into Paramount+.
The long-term question becomes how BET’s original programming will compete within that environment. While the company has emphasized that BET remains a “cornerstone” of its portfolio — with the cable network, BET Studios, and digital platforms continuing to operate — the shift places Black-focused content alongside a much broader slate of programming that includes global franchises and high-budget productions.
For some viewers, the consolidation may feel like a natural evolution of streaming. For others, it may raise concerns about the future of platforms that were built specifically to center Black storytelling.
Either way, the integration of BET+ into Paramount+ marks another moment in the ongoing reshaping of Hollywood’s streaming landscape — one where scale is increasingly becoming the industry’s top priority.