Black Entertainment Television will team up with the National Action Network
to launch a national voter-registration campaign later this year.
BET and the NAN, founded by civil-rights activist the Rev. Al Sharpton, will
facilitate the nonpartisan drive, which will be supported with ads and messages
from major entertainment artists and high-profile figures.
BET founder and CEO Robert Johnson said he is personally pledging $250,000
toward the effort, as well as $1 million in BET advertising time to run
public-service announcements.
"The 2000 presidential election raised many issues with the voting public,"
Johnson said in a prepared statement. "This voter-registration campaign will
endeavor to ensure that the public is aware of the importance of its vote and
the voting process and will work to increase voter participation in the 2004
election cycle."
