BET.com And HarperCollins To Launch Books Channel

Posted on October 19, 2000

BET.com, an African American portal, and HarperCollins Publishers have teamed up to launch a books channel and online book retailer on BET.com that will be geared to the literary interests and tastes of African Americans. The Books channel will feature books by all publishers. The Books channel and online book retailer, to be called the Amistad Bookstore, is named after Amistad Press, the well-known African American publisher which is now a HarperCollins imprint. The Amistad Bookstore will be launched by year-end.

``BET.com attracts millions of visitors seeking content and community tailored to African American perspectives,'' said Bob Johnson, Chairman and CEO of BET.com. ``The Books channel and upcoming Amistad Bookstore are natural and important additions to BET.com's offerings. Through our partnership with HarperCollins, which will be providing significant content, we have developed an unparalleled online destination for people who enjoy African American books and literature.''

Highlights of the Books channel include a forum with excerpts from works by up-and-coming African American writers, a Book Club that meets online monthly and an interactive community. Content on the Books channel will include reviews of books by African American authors, an editorial column by Amistad Press founder Charles F. Harris, a list of offline book clubs, chapter excerpts, author interviews, live chats and an extensive section for romance books.

``This is a very exciting initiative for us. It allows us to contribute to a lively forum for African-American publishing, featuring a tremendous array of books, information, issues and discourse targeted through the largest African-American portal,'' said Jane Friedman, President and CEO of HarperCollins Publishers. ``HarperCollins has a long tradition of publishing African American authors, dating back to Zora Neale Hurston and Richard Wright. We are able to contribute a deep insight and knowledge of African-American books and authors that will help BET.com serve the entire African American community of book lovers.''