With his chiseled jawline and infectious smile, T. J. Holmes is a popular choice for weekend news junkies. All that, though, is about to change as the telegenic journalist prepares to leave CNN to attempt to beef up BET's news coverage.

Holmes joined CNN in October 2006 and anchors the weekend edition of CNN Newsroom. The multi-platform deal with BET will give him his own self-styled show.

No doubt this is a lucrative career move that will give the award-winning news anchor a platform to imprint his own perspective on stories that matter to him and the black community.

For some, however, this is a surprise move and analysts question whether the cable television network has the resources and viewers to make this a smart transition. "BET has a niche audience in a crowded and competitive market," says media analyst Brad Adgate of Horizon Media.

There is a lurking concern, nevertheless, among some people in the black community that the cable network's content has not sufficiently evolved since its launch in 1980.

Critics say it does not adequately reflect serious issues and political coverage or the intellectual concerns of the well-heeled black middle class. In 2006, for example, BET was criticized for not televising the funeral of civil rights leader Coretta Scott King live.

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