Guess Who's Back?

Debra Lee, you are the one.

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Most recently serving as the host of Our World with Black Enterprise, Ed Gordon has long been a much respected and admired presence within broadcast journalism.

He first joined BET in 1988, while the network was still an independent entity under Robert Johnson (and when you wished you were old enough to really reminisce about watching 'Teen Summit' with Adimu). PR Newswire is nowhere near wrong in calling Gordon "synonymous with the 'big' interview." 

He's reported with and for the big dogs in news--among them CBS' 60 Minutes II, NBC's Dateline, NPR's News and Notes (which I listened to religiously in CNY)--but the cool thing about Gordon is just how cool he really is. He could easily slot a 24-hour news net or post up on a broadcast station in the prime time news arena, but he doesn't. I remember him saying--and I paraphrase!--that the reason he's always ardently pursued the "Black" stories, is simply because if we don't tell it, who will? 

Can you tell I'm a fan?

According to PR Newswire:

"I am excited about coming back to BET," said Ed Gordon. "Since my departure (from BET) viewers have told me consistently that they wanted me to return to the network. Well here I am! I am elated about the plans we have to serve the viewers and cover our community and the world."

I actually had the pleasure of introducing Mr. Gordon while at 'Cuse as a member of the National Association of Black Journalists. So this news is particularly energizing to me. (Insert shameless plug here: My org, NABJ-SU, still keeps it extra funky: Jeff Johnson--half man, half amazing journalist, author and BET News-er--will run through 'Cuse this April.) 

Furthermore, one can't deny it sends a "really?" into your spirit. You know goodness well that over the last decade or so, BET has been feeling like an abusive relationship. In the net's defense, Lee and Co. really have been working on remanufacturing BET as a brand. I would venture even further to say that the addition of Centric and TVOne, competition aside, give it the breathing room to find itself again. It can't be all things to all Black people.

We're too complicated. Anywho: WELCOME BACK ED!! YAY! And all you puritanical types: GET EXCITED.