BET Networks Celebrates The 25th Anniversary Of Michael Jackson's Landmark "BAD" Album Short Films With A Two-Hour Special Tribute Premiering On Tuesday, September 18 At 8:00 P.M. ET*

NEW YORK, Sept. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- On Tuesday, September 18, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. ET*, BET Networks will premiere BET PRESENTS: BAD25 – THE SHORT FILMS OF MICHAEL JACKSON,  a two-hour tribute to the industry-redefining short films emanating from the landmark Michael Jackson album, BAD, which is celebrating its 25^th anniversary.  The TV special airs the same day as the release of BAD25, available in multiple formats, which will include CDs of the original album plus rare and previously unreleased audio as well as the first ever authorized DVD and CD release of a concert from the record breaking BAD World Tour.   

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Partnering with Sony Music and The Estate of Michael Jackson, BET has created a unique and spectacular televised tribute to the short films from Michael Jackson's BAD.  Through photos, visuals and interviews with celebrity fans, cultural critics and contemporary artists who have been influenced by Michael, the special will take viewers on a fascinating journey celebrating the everlasting influence on the music video artform by one of the most historically significant works of modern music, BAD.  The special will include interviews with Ne-Yo, Ashanti, Michael Eric Dyson, A$AP Rocky, Beverly Johnson, Affion Crockett, Al Sharpton, MC Lyte and others. 

BAD is not only a multi-platinum album; it is a cultural phenomenon.  The album was #1 around the world, made history with five consecutive #1 singles on the Billboard chart, and produced nine chart-topping singles, and nine groundbreaking and iconic short films, including Smooth Criminal, The Way You Make Me Feel and Bad.  To date, the BAD album has generated over 45 million units in sales.  The BAD World Tour was Michael's first concert tour as a solo artist, and his only North American tour, and included 123 concerts attended by more than 4.4 million fans over sixteen months. When it concluded, the tour had shattered all previous touring records for attendance and total gross revenue. 

BET PRESENTS:  BAD25 – THE SHORT FILMS OF MICHAEL JACKSON reminds us, once again, that Jackson was, indeed, BAD. 

BET PRESENTS:  BAD25 – THE SHORT FILMS OF MICHAEL JACKSON is produced by Ducret Media for BET Networks with executive producer Tony Ducret and producer Amita Patel. 

Join the BET PRESENTS: BAD25 – THE SHORT FILMS OF MICHAEL JACKSON conversation on Twitter by using hashtag: #MJBAD25; and following us @BET.   

About BET Networks

BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET operates in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

About BAD25

Twenty-five years after the phrase "Who's Bad" became a generation's cultural catchphrase, Epic/Legacy Recordings, in collaboration with The Estate of Michael Jackson, will celebrate the legendary album and record breaking BAD tour on September 18, 2012 with the release of a deluxe package, BAD25, which includes three CDs, two collectible booklets, and features the first ever authorized DVD release of a concert from the record breaking BAD tour.  This magnificent 3 CD/1 DVD box set will also include two extensive booklets with yet unseen photos form the recording sessions, video sets and the concert tour, the original BAD cover art, a two-sided poster and more.  A BAD25 two CD standard edition featuring the original album plus the CD of demos and new remixes will also be made available as will a standalone edition of the DVD and a picture disc of the original album.

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SOURCE BET Networks