BET has announced the indefinite suspension of two of its long-running music award shows, the BET Hip Hop Awards and the Soul Train Awards, as the network reassesses its content strategy in a rapidly changing media landscape.
Mills said the shows are not being permanently cancelled, but rather put on hold while the network considers how to adapt them to suit modern viewing habits.
While the BET Awards, NAACP Image Awards, and Stellar Awards will continue for the time being, Mills said that cable television networks will have to continue reckoning with the shifting entertainment industry.
In June, viewership of the 2025 BET Awards by 18-49 year-olds dropped nearly 50%, Billboard notes. According to Mills, the decline in viewership was partially due to an unusual change to this year’s show – the date was moved to a Monday at the beginning of the month. “What you’ll see in 2026 is us moving it right back to its traditional location, the last Sunday in June,” he said. “And we’ll bring the BET festival back as well.”
The Soul Train Awards debuted in 1987 and ran for nearly 40 years each November before they were skipped in 2024. The Hip-Hop Awards premiered in 2006 and was nearing its 20th anniversary.
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