The awards are presented annually and broadcast live on BET. The BET Awards were established in 2001 by the network to celebrate African Americans and other minorities in music, acting, sports and other fields of entertainment over the past year. By 2007, the network had launched two more music-oriented networks, BET Hip-Hop and BET Gospel. In 1991, the network became the first black-controlled company to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Gordon later hosted other programs and specials on BET, such as Black Men Speak Out. BET launched a news program, BET News, in 1988, with Ed Gordon as its anchor. BET broadcast released movies, and mainstream rap, hip-hop and R&B music. Black Entertainment Television (BET) is an American basic cable.
