The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed the way many award shows are viewed across television, film, music and other forms of entertainment. From Zoom to limited audiences, the Academy Awards, GRAMMYs and other major award shows have been forced to adapt to the new era. As more Americans continue to be vaccinated, award shows could soon move back toward a more traditional format. This summer, BET is planning to bring back a live audience for their annual award show.
BET is happy to bring back in a live audience for next month’s award show, but that is not their only goal. The network is hoping to use this stage to encourage more Black Americans to be vaccinated. Thus far, BET has raised nearly $20 million for vaccination efforts.
“Since the beginning of the pandemic, BET has been at the forefront of recovery efforts for our community, turning entertainment touchpoints into opportunities to empower our audiences and help combat the disproportionate impacts of COVID-19,” BET President Scott Mills told Variety.
“Vaccination rates among Black Americans are significantly lower than other communities. We are committed to using our signature programming event – The BET Awards – to encourage vaccination in our community.”
The 2021 BET Awards are set for June 27 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California. Fans can register to attend the award ceremony as early as May 27.
