Connie Orlando

With Orlando leading music programming and news at BET Networks, the BET Awards in 2016 saw a 16 percent increase in ratings year-over-year, reaching a total of 22 million viewers. It’s ranked as the No. 1 awards show among African Americans 18-49—and has been for 15 consecutive years. She’s also behind the “BET Truth Series,” a group of original documentaries including “Katrina 10 Years Later” and “Muhammad Ali: The People’s Champ,” which won a NAACP award. In the coming year, she’ll focus on tent-pole events such as the Soul Train Awards and The Hip Hop Awards, and will lead the news team on an investigative documentary on race and justice.

Honored For: