Paxton K. Baker is the Executive Vice President and General Manager of CENTRIC, BET’s complementary network targeting the African American and multicultural adult. Baker is also President of BET Event Productions, which produces music festivals, TV specials and concerts throughout the world. He has produced numerous television shows and home videos, and released over 30 DVD titles.

In 2007 he was appointed Chairman of Viacom’s Marketing Council, and continues to lead over 35 senior marketing and sales executives across all Viacom properties; focusing on training and strengthening brand partnerships. In 2008 he co-founded the Viacom Programming Council, comprised of senior programmers from MTV and BET Networks, as well as Paramount Pictures.  He serves as Vice Chairman.

Prior to joining BET, Baker was President and Founder of PKB Arts & Entertainment, which was incorporated in 1988. Since 1990, Baker has produced and booked talent for the Aruba Jazz and Latin Music Festival; Amsterdam Drum Jazz Festival; Trinidad Pan Jazz Festival; as well as toured such acts as Gloria Estefan, Herbie Hancock, Carlos Santana and Wynton Marsalis throughout the Caribbean, Africa, South America and Europe.  PKB Arts and Entertainment was purchased by BET in April 2000, retaining Baker as President of the newly formed company, BET Event Productions. The company’s client list of events includes J&R Music World (New York City), Anguilla, Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

As the General Manager of CENTRIC, Baker has led programming initiatives that continue to win numerous awards, including over 15 Telly Awards, a local Emmy Award, a NAMIC award for the show My Two Cents, and in 2008, a GLAAD special recognition award for “fair and inclusive” programming. Baker is also the Executive Producer of the popular series Real Life Divas, a series that is used for New York City after- school programs to inspire young African American girls.