BET to Air Live Coverage of President's STATE OF THE UNION Address, 1/24

BET Networks brings to its multiple platforms expert analysis of President Obama's State of The Union Address of 2012 in a live on-air special "2012 State of The Union" Special premiering LIVE on Tuesday, January 24 at 9 PM ET/ 6 PM PT on Centric and BET.com. The special will re-air on BET at Midnight EST/ 9 PM PST. BET News correspondent Ed Gordon will moderate BET's State of The Union coverage LIVE from the Newseum in Washington D.C. Rev. Lennox Yearwood from the Hip Hop Caucus, Crystal Wright of the blog ConservativeBlackChick.com, former Special Assistant to the President Bush for Domestic Policy Ron Christie, and 2008 Obama campaign pollster Cornell Belcherwill be on hand to offer analysis. This one-hour special is part of a series of BET News specials the Network will produce bringing an African-American perspective to the 2012 Presidential Election cycle.

Hosted by award-winning broadcast journalist Ed Gordon, "2012 State of The Union" Special will provide viewers with context and insight into the speech. Following the on-air special BET will continue the conversation on BET.com with a small group of invited guests who will provide perspectives on the speech beyond political observations.

Log on to BET.com/News for exclusive video content, up-to-date coverage and compelling specials. With frequent updates on a wide array of topics including politics, finance, entertainment and more - BET.com/News is your destination for the latest in and around the country. Also, join the conversation about the special on Twitter by using hashtags: #BETNews and #BETVOTE2012.

"2012 State of The Union Address" Special is produced by BET News.

ABOUT ED GORDON

Ed Gordon, a well-seasoned anchor, reporter, interviewer, radio host and Emmy Award-winning broadcaster first joined BET in 1988 and helped distinguish the channel's place among top television news divisions. During his tenure with BET News, Gordon became a significant force in television news reporting and interviewed an impressive and diverse slate of people including important world figures such as Nelson Mandela, Oprah Winfrey, President Bill Clinton, Academy Award winners Jamie Foxx and Halle Berry, as well as Nation of Islam leader Minister Louis Farrakhan, the late Michael Jackson and R&B artist R. Kelly.