Canela, Bravo alum Jerry Leo to lead programming strategy at BET Media Group

Paramount Global-owned BET Media Group has named Canela Media and Bravo alumnus Jerry Leo as its new executive VP of programming strategy.

Jerry Leo

Leo will be charged with leading the overall programme scheduling strategy and operations for BET Media Group, which is comprised of brands and assets including cable network BET, streaming service BET+ and content division BET Studios, in addition to cablenet VH1.

Led by CEO Scott Mills, BET Media Group claims to be the world’s largest media company dedicated to championing black culture and storytelling.

Leo will work closely with both Mills and BET’s content and marketing leadership teams to develop and optimise roll-out plans and launch schedules for all programming.

Leo comes to BET Media Group after spending just over a year as chief content officer at US-based Latino media company Canela Media, where he oversaw programming, production and acquisitions across the brand’s AVoD platforms, including Canela TV and Canela Kids.

Prior to that, he spent 14 years with Bravo Media, latterly as executive VP of programme strategy and production. He was also formerly the VP of programming planning at VH1, in addition to doing stints at Oxygen, NBC, E! and MTV.

Leo’s arrival comes as parent company Paramount Global continues to explore the sale of a majority stake in BET Media Group. Several parties, including Tyler Perry, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs and Byron Allen, are rumoured to be circling a potential deal.

BET+ recently revealed plans to expand into advertising with the launch of an AVoD tier. Set to go live on June 25, the new Essential tier will cost US$5.99, compared with US$9.99 for the ad-free tier. It will include exclusive programming from the BET+ line-up and more than 2,000 hours of library content from creators and producers such as Perry, Gabrielle Union, Lee Daniels, Mary J Blige and Kevin Hart.