After a brief stint as a programming block on USA Network, BET (Black Entertainment Television) became its own 24/7 channel in the fall of 1982. Today, BET is part of the Paramount Skydance collection of cable channels that also includes MTV, VH1, and Comedy Central.
Besides reruns of classic Black-led dramas, comedies, and movies, BET is also home to originals like “Sistas,” “Lot Patrol,” and “Ms. Pat Settles It,” as well as annual specials including the BET Awards, Soul Train Music Awards, and NAACP Image Awards.
What channel is BET on near me?
Since it’s a Paramount-owned channel, BET can be found on most major U.S. cable, satellite, and live TV streaming services. Listed below are all the BET channel numbers related to cable and satellite TV providers Cox, DIRECTV, DISH, Optimum, Spectrum, and Xfinity.
BET channels in major US cities
| City | Cox channel | DIRECTV channel | DISH channel | Optimum channel | Spectrum channel | Xfinity channel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque, NM | — | 329 | 124 | — | — | 72 |
| Anchorage, AK | — | 329 | 124 | — | — | — |
| Atlanta, GA | 35 | 329 | 124 | — | 52 | 72 |
| Austin, TX | — | 329 | 124 | 97 | 29 | — |
| Bakersfield, CA | — | 329 | 124 | — | 40 | — |
| Baltimore, MD | — | 329 | 124 | — | — | 65 |
| Boston, MA | — | 329 | 124 | — | — | 28 |
| Bronx, NY | — | 329 | 124 | 54 | 37 | — |
| Brooklyn, NY | — | 329 | 124 | 54 | 37 | — |
| Buffalo, NY | — | 329 | 124 | — | 36 | — |
| Charlotte, NC | — | 329 | 124 | — | 59 | — |
| Chicago, IL | — | 329 | 124 | — | — | 61 |
| Cincinnati, OH | — | 329 | 124 | — | 34 | — |
| Cleveland, OH | — | 329 | 124 | — | 46 | — |
| Colorado Springs, CO | — | 329 | 124 | — | — | 73 |
| Columbus, OH | — | 329 | 124 | — | 56 | — |
| Dallas, TX | — | 329 | 124 | — | 75 | — |
| Denver, CO | — | 329 | 124 | — | — | 95 |
| Detroit, MI | — | 329 | 124 | — | — | 59 |
| El Paso, TX | — | 329 | 124 | — | 67 | — |
| Fort Lauderdale, FL | — | 329 | 124 | — | — | 72 |
| Fort Worth, TX | — | 329 | 124 | — | 75 | — |
| Fresno, CA | — | 329 | 124 | — | — | 43 |
| Honolulu, HI | — | 329 | 124 | — | — | — |
| Houston, TX | — | 329 | 124 | — | 34 | 46 |
| Indianapolis, IN | — | 329 | 124 | — | 32 | 62 |
| Jacksonville, FL | — | 329 | 124 | — | — | 57 |
| Kansas City, MO | — | 329 | 124 | — | 25 | — |
| Las Vegas, NV | 27 | 329 | 124 | — | — | — |
| Los Angeles, CA | — | 329 | 124 | — | 52 | — |
| Louisville, KY | — | 329 | 124 | — | 49 | — |
| Memphis, TN | — | 329 | 124 | — | — | 59 |
| Miami, FL | — | 329 | 124 | — | — | 72 |
| Milwaukee, WI | — | 329 | 124 | — | 20 | — |
| Minneapolis, MN | — | 329 | 124 | — | — | 33 |
| Nashville, TN | — | 329 | 124 | — | 60 | 33 |
| New Orleans, LA | 22 | 329 | 124 | — | — | — |
| New York, NY | — | 329 | 124 | — | 37 | — |
| Oklahoma City, OK | 50 | 329 | 124 | 97 | 75 | — |
| Orlando, FL | — | 329 | 124 | — | 67 | 69 |
| Philadelphia, PA | — | 329 | 124 | — | — | 866 |
| Phoenix, AZ | 59 | 329 | 124 | — | — | — |
| Pittsburgh, PA | — | 329 | 124 | — | — | 56 |
| Portland, OR | — | 329 | 124 | — | 51 | 56 |
| Sacramento, CA | — | 329 | 124 | — | — | 73 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | — | 329 | 124 | — | — | 56 |
| San Antonio, TX | — | 329 | 124 | — | 33 | — |
| San Diego, CA | 40 | 329 | 124 | — | 70 | — |
| San Francisco, CA | — | 329 | 124 | — | — | 70 |
| San Jose, CA | — | 329 | 124 | — | — | 70 |
| Seattle, WA | — | 329 | 124 | — | — | 56 |
| St. Louis, MO | — | 329 | 124 | — | 68 | — |
| St. Paul, MN | — | 329 | 124 | — | 43 | — |
| Tampa, FL | — | 329 | 124 | — | 71 | 35 |
| Tucson, AZ | 49 | 329 | 124 | — | — | 66 |
| Washington, DC | — | 329 | 124 | — | — | 74 |
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Get BET with cable or satellite
BET is available as a basic-tier channel on most U.S. cable and satellite TV services, along with spinoff music channels BET Jams, BET Soul, and BET Gospel in some areas.
| Provider | Type | Price | BET | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cox | Cable | $20.00–$184.00/mo. | ✔ |
View Plan Read Cox review |
| DIRECTV | Satellite | $94.99–$174.99/mo. | ✔ |
View Plan Read DIRECTV review |
| DISH | Satellite | $94.99–$124.99/mo. | ✔ |
View Plan Read DISH review |
| Optimum | Cable | $15.00–$140.00/mo. | ✔ |
View Plan Read Optimum review |
| Spectrum | Cable | $40.00–$145.00/mo. | ✔ |
View Plan Read Spectrum review |
| Verizon Fios | Cable | $105.00–$149.00/mo. | ✔ |
View Plan Read Verizon Fios review |
| Xfinity | Cable | $65.00–$135.00/mo. | ✔ |
View Plan Read Xfinity review |
Get BET with a live TV streaming service
As with cable and satellite TV, BET is available on all of the major live streaming TV apps, including Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, and Philo.
| Provider | Type | Price | BET | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIRECTV | Streaming | $94.99–$174.99/mo. | ✔ |
View Plan Read DIRECTV review |
| Fubo | Streaming | $19.99–$108.99/mo. | ✔ |
View Plan Read Fubo review |
| Hulu + Live TV | Streaming | $98.99/mo. | ✔ |
View Plan Read Hulu + Live TV review |
| Philo | Streaming | $33.00/mo. | ✔ |
View Plan Read Philo review |
| Sling TV | Streaming | $19.99–$60.99/mo. | ✔ |
View Plan Read Sling TV review |
| YouTube TV | Streaming | $82.99/mo. | ✔ |
View Plan Read YouTube TV review |
Get BET with a streaming app
The standalone BET streaming app (available on platforms like Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV) gives you on-demand access to BET programming with a cable, satellite, or live streaming TV account login. BET+, a related premium streaming app, has been discontinued, with all of its content being relocated to Paramount+ as part of the dedicated BET hub.
What’s on BET?
BET’s current original programming includes political drama “The Oval,” comedies “Sistas” and “Ms. Pat Settles It,” and recurring specials BET Awards, Soul Train Music Awards, and NAACP Image Awards. BET also runs classic shows like “The Jamie Foxx Show,” “Martin,” and CBS soap opera “Beyond the Gates.”
BET channel guide FAQ
Where can I watch BET for free?
BET is a cable channel, which means it isn’t available to watch without a paid cable, satellite, or live streaming TV subscription. But, free streaming app Pluto TV (which, like BET, is owned by Paramount) features several channels of streaming BET content, including BET Comedy Movies, BET Cinema, and BET Classics.
Is BET on Paramount+ or Peacock?
BET programming is available to stream on Paramount+, which recently absorbed all content from the now-discontinued BET+ app. BET shows and movies are not available on Peacock.
Why is BET+ shutting down?
BET’s parent company, Paramount, shut down the BET+ app in 2026 to consolidate all of its content into Paramount+, as it did previously with premium cable channel SHOWTIME. BET and BET+ programming can now be found in the dedicated BET hub on Paramount+.
