Triple Threat - Oscar Award-Winning Actor, Chart-Topping Songster and Comedian Jamie Foxx Tapped to Host The BET Awards '09

Triple Threat - Oscar Award-Winning Actor, Chart-Topping Songster and Comedian Jamie Foxx Tapped to Host The BET Awards '09

Phenomenal Performances By Ne-Yo, Maxwell And Many More

Legendary Soul Singers the O'Jays Will Be the Recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award

NEW YORK, May 12 /PRNewswire/ -- BET Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE:VIA and) (NYSE:VIA.B) , today announced that Academy Award-winning actor and GRAMMY Awards(R)-nominated R&B artist Jamie Foxx has been selected to grace the stage as the host of the BET AWARDS '09. As the #1 rated awards show among African American viewers, the ninth annual BET Awards will not disappoint as the brightest stars in music, sports and entertainment reunite in Los Angeles' historic Shrine Auditorium for a night of exhilarating LIVE performances on Sunday, June 28. This year viewers will be wowed with show-stopping performances by Maxwell and Ne-Yo with more performers to be named shortly. Moreover, BET will celebrate the musical legacy and contributions of the soul trio, the O'Jays who will be presented with this year's Lifetime Achievement Award.

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This year's host, Jamie Foxx is no stranger to the limelight -- or to BET -- as his latest single "Blame It" tops several of the Billboard charts and his current platinum-selling album, Intuition, debuted at number three on the Top 100 chart. The triple-threat has also scored several awards and nominations throughout his acting career including an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the epic film Ray. After the second week of release, Foxx's sophomore album, Unpredictable, jumped to number one on the Top 200 chart and earned Foxx the distinguished honor of joining the ranks of legendary actors Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and Barbra Streisand as the fourth Academy Award winner to also have a number one album in the US.

For the past eight years, the BET AWARDS has not disappointed as fans watched outstanding moments such as last year's surprise tribute performance to Al Green by Maxwell and the reuniting of legendary R&B groups TLC, along with the special performance by Alicia Keys and En Vogue; Michael Jackson's surprise appearance during James Brown's tribute; Rick James in his final duet with Teena Marie; Will Smith presenting Muhammad Ali with the first-ever Humanitarian Award; Prince onstage backing Chaka Khan; Stevie Wonder, Yolanda Adams and India.Arie in a powerhouse tribute to Rufus' first lady of funk; Destiny's Child's steamy lap dance; and the unforgettable reunion of one of hip hop's most beloved trios, The Fugees.

BET has once again teamed with Cossette Productions, the famed producers of the GRAMMY Awards(R) and the seven record-setting BET AWARDS shows, to handle production of the telecast. Stephen Hill, President, Music Programming and Specials, BET Networks, along with Lynn Harris-Taylor, Vice President of Specials, BET Networks, will executive produce the telecast.

Log onto BET.com for BET On Blast video highlights, photos and continuous BET AWARDS '09 updates at www.bet.com/betawards.

About BET Networks

BET Networks, a division of Viacom Inc. (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B) , is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 98 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of businesses extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET Digital Networks - BET J, BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

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Source: BET Networks

CONTACT: Voncella McIntosh, +1-310-481-3732, voncella.mcintosh@bet.net,
or Marcy Polanco, +1-212-975-3327, marcy.polanco@bet.net, both of BET
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Web Site: http://www.bet.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment