centre stage
BET on UK TV
The best of American black programming
comes to the UK - Rachelle Hull reports
L
ike the birth of a new king, BET UK was announced with much
fanfare. Originally founded in the United States, in 1979, the objec-
tive of Black Entertainment Television was to provide black cultural
content through a variety of music, video and topical programming. Now
officially in the UK, on Sky channel 209, has the network lived up to the
expectations or was the launch premature?
Much of the broadcasting for BET UK is dominated by the popular
music of today. 106 & Park, a music video countdown and interview
show, was pitched as the top programme to watch. With much of the
musical content already available on MTV Base and a line up of artists,
unlikely to appeal to viewers over the age of 21, it was quite a letdown.
Reality TV from a black perspective
Continuing in the same vein are the reality shows Baldwin Hills which
focuses on 11 teenagers and College Hill which focuses on 8 college stu-
dents. Although both attempt to lay bare the complexities of teenage and
young adult life, Baldwin Hills seems like an irrelevant piece of television,
choosing to focus on tantrums and parties. Whilst College Hill deals with
issues of adoption, relationships and the stresses of academic life.
There are a small number of shows that appear to target older
viewers. Like American Gangster, a documentary series on the most
notorious criminals and Hip Hop vs. America, a debate show tackling Terrence and Rosci: presenters
the responsibility of hip hop, in relation to its lyrical and visual content.
on BET’s show 106 and Park
DiamondThoughts
Nowadays it’ s common for a rapper or footballer to drop 50
grand on diamond jewellery like they’re spending pocket
change. The bigger and more expensive the bling the better.
For diamond seller Bobby Cato no matter how big or small
the diamond. Whether he’s selling to a Premiership foot-
ball player or a couple who are getting married he simply
enjoys seeing the satisfied look on his clients face when he
presents them with the perfect stone. Here the 29-year-old
tells Annika Allen about his business Diamond Thoughts.
What is Diamond Thoughts? proached my business partner Justin Cochrane with
Diamond Thoughts is an independent Jewellery serv- the idea and we sat and discussed how we were
ice that specialises in bespoke diamond jewellery. We going to make it happen!
have a head Office in Nantwich, Cheshire but we have
a London office and workshop. Did you have to overcome any obstacles to get to
where you currently are?
How did you get into this line of work? I face obstacles daily but I always overcome them.
I started off working as an apprentice diamond setter Anything in motion experiences friction. You have to
over 10 years ago. I completed a 3 year apprentice- be hungry and determined if you want success.
ship in 18 months and that where it all started. Train-
ing was hard, long and tiring and I did the jobs that Who is involved in this company?
nobody else wanted to do. But that training was worth Myself and Justin Cochrane but we have admin, an
it in the end. artist and many people who do specific work for us.
How did you initially set up your business? Who came up with the name Diamond Thoughts?
I had the idea of what I wanted to do and I ap- Everything in life starts off as a thought. Justin came
36
10 - www.flavourmag.co.uk
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