TJ Holmes leaves CNN for BET

TJ Holmes goes to BET/Black Entertainment Television

Atlanta, GA - TJ Holmes, weekend anchor for CNN is spreading his wings and taking a postion at BET - Black Entertainment Television.

Below are exerpts from an interview conducted by the Root.
TR: What will be your role in developing BET's news coverage? What challenges do you see?

TJH: My role will be as a journalist. They brought me on because of my news background and for my news chops. I think many people in the black community would like to turn the TV on when they get home or even in the morning to see news coverage about things that matter to them, coming from people who look like them and talk like them. We have a great opportunity to do that next year, and I hope to play a huge role.

As for the challenges, [BET] does not have the same type of newsroom, news capability or resources of a major news network that does nothing but news. I don't know if those challenges will come up. I'm not anticipating that type of challenge, but it will be different from the day-to-day type of grind [at CNN], where we were live all around the world.

TR: What would you say to people who are wondering why you're leaving an established news channel for BET, which is not known most for its news programming?

TJH: I would say wait until 2012. You have to start somewhere. BET certainly has a foundation in news programming and information programming. I think [beefing up its news programming] was a big part of BET wanting me to come on board, and a big part of me wanting to come on board. BET is saying, "Here is what we're trying to do, and we're taking it so seriously that we went to go get this guy with this [news] background."

I could have stayed at CNN. I had the opportunity to do so. This wasn't about me looking for a job. I chose BET for a reason, for the opportunity that I did not have at CNN just because [they have] a different type of audience. I don't know when this opportunity would come along again, so I couldn't pass it up.

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