Video Soul premiered on June 26, 1981 and was originally a half-hour show. The show was created after MTV refused to play videos by most African-American musicians, as MTV made the de facto color policy effective. Both BET and Video Soul served as a place of refuge for new African-American musical talent.
Video Soul premiered on June 26, 1981, and was initially a half-hour program. The show emerged after MTV implemented a color policy that effectively excluded most videos by African-American musicians. Both BET and Video Soul provided a haven for new African-American musical talent.