After a legendary 14-year run, BET's landmark variety show 106 & Park will draw the curtains one last time next month. The network will continue to host various 106 & PARK-style on-air specials—such as their annual New Year's Eve show, 106 & PARTY, as well as in support of major network events, like the BET Awards—but plans to otherwise migrate daily programing online.
In an announcement posted to the BET website, the network's President of Music Programming and Specials Stephen Hill recalled some of the series more memorable moments and to express his excitement for the show's jump from on-air to digital:
It's been a great 14-year run as America's top music/variety show on cable. And now that very valuable brand is going to take its talents to the digital realm. The interactive brand you helped build, 106 & Park, is alive and well…and it's moving to the space in which our audience NOW interacts with music the most: online. It'll be very exciting to connect with the millions of people that are already engaged with 106 & Park and other BET digital and social media entities and bring content that will further evolve the 106 & Park brand — and enhance the overall BET Networks brand. As we transition to the digital space, we look to continue 106 & Park's role as both a leader of and a mirror to youth culture. We'll have more information to share about how that is to roll out very soon.
And 106 & Park will still have specials on BET. What's a New Year's Eve without 106 & Party? 106 & Park Presents: 106 & Party will be on-air to take our viewers into the beginning of the second half of this decade in a big way. And when it's time for the BET Awards to come around, you can be sure that 106 & Park Presents: Live, Red and Ready will be ushering you into the show and that 106 & Park will be an integral part of the BET Experience.
I'm not trying to minimize it; this is a very big change. We thank all the people who have worked on the show over the years; the talented hosts, the hard-working staff, production crews and all the incredible guests we've had. Most of all, we'd like to humbly thank the "livest audience," both in studio and at home, who fueled this landmark TV show from the very beginning. Meet you in the digital domain.
He signed-off with a hopeful, "On onward and upward." 106 & PARK will have its final daily on-air show on BET on December 19.