Tyler Perry Says Bidding Course of for Paramount’s BET Enterprise Was “Disrespectful”

Tyler Perry stated he was “dissatisfied” in the way in which that Paramount International dealt with the bidding course of for the potential majority stake sale of its BET enterprise.

In August, the Bob Bakish-led studio conglomerate took down its “on the market” signal on the unit — which incorporates the BET channel, streamer BET+ in addition to VH1 and BET Studios — after gauging curiosity from a number of suitors. A couple of moguls together with Perry, Sean “Diddy Combs” and Byron Allen, who owns quite a few native TV stations in addition to The Climate Channel and different belongings by way of his Leisure Studios agency, had expressed curiosity in buying the stake.

On Wednesday, throughout a Bloomberg Equality Summit in Atlanta, Perry gave a glimpse at how that course of went for these aiming to accumulate the stake. “I used to be dissatisfied about it for quite a few causes,” he stated as reported by The Atlanta Journal-Structure. “The way in which it occurred was disrespectful in lots of methods.”

Although Perry didn’t share many particulars on what all occurred, he added, “Don’t attempt to get me to pay for one thing that’s not price wherever close to the worth” Paramount claimed it was.

When requested if he would rethink if Paramount positioned BET up on the market once more, he stated, “No.”

At the moment, Perry nonetheless has a minority stake within the BET+ streaming service and supplies content material to Paramount applications, together with BET and Nickelodeon by means of a multiyear content material partnership inked in 2019. The mogul can be a significant participant within the manufacturing house by way of his Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta.

“God bless them,” he added of Paramount. “I’m nonetheless working with them. I want them the perfect.”

If a deal was closed, Paramount would have anticipated to keep up a minority stake within the enterprise. The sale would have additionally given the corporate more money to give attention to its major streaming service, Paramount+, which at the moment has 61 million international subscribers. The corporate has regarded to shed belongings — together with e-book writer Simon & Schuster — to give attention to its core leisure portfolio.