It’s official. Tomorrow is officially the last day of the 106 & Park run and the feeling in the air is one that many can’t quite make out. On one hand, we remember the days as a child when we would rush home and get through my homework as fast as possible just so we wouldn’t miss AJ & Free’s comedic hosting and the amazing stars that graced the 106 & Park couch. On the contrary, and in more recent times, it seems as if many of us could go months and months without watching a single episode. What happened?
Over the years, there had been an obvious change not only towards the hosts of 106 & Park but the demeanor of the show as a whole. Don’t get me wrong, change is great and despite how much we loved AJ & Free, seeing new faces on 106 & Park was inevitable due to the new ventures that the former hosts wanted to explore.
Unfortunately, with change comes a huge risk, a risk of growing stale and not captivating the audience that 106 & Park once had which I believe ultimately led to this demise. While they have stated their reasoning for the cancellation being that they want the show to go digital, there are many more factors that played in the minds of viewers. The decline in viewers, the revolving door and hosts and lack of big names that once flooded the 106 & Park set have all contributed to this fall. If I had to use a word for how I’ll be feeling as I tune into the last broadcast on Friday, December 19th, 2014, it would definitely have to be bittersweet.
After all, there was a time when it was arguably the most influential television show on BET and its showcase of music artists that really wouldn’t be able to get much attention anywhere else drew us in even more. We watched careers take off due to a hot, new single on 106 & Park or an interview that made us fall in love with an artist. As this show leaves the air, there will be a void that only it could fill and I just hope that BET provides the viewers with a new type of music show that inspired just as 106 & Park did.
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