Louis Carr

Over the course of his 30-year career at BET, Carr has raked in more advertising dollars targeted toward African American consumer markets than any other company exec. He’s the author of two books, founder of the Louis Carr Internship Foundation—which is celebrating its 15th year—and is a recipient
of the Diversity Award from the Hyatt Corp. and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Patricia Martin Legacy honoring his work around diversity. Most recently he became a TEDx Speaker, where he emphasized “The Necessity of Being Uncomfortable.” How does cable’s diversity measure up? On-air talent has improved dramatically, he says. However, the executive ranks need work. “Whether they are on the content side, sales side, or distribution, there is still major opportunity for improvement in the executive suites of every major cable organization, especially the big conglomerates.”