BET Awards 2009: Ciara breaks down, Black media outlets cry foul
Watershed of tears stops Ciara press conference at 2009 BET Awards
Singer manages to resume interviews
Disclaimer: This podcast interview was taken from our archives of a previous event.
Uncut and Unedited: Does the BET Awards discriminate? Decide for yourself.
Watch the video at www.youtube.com/blackpress
(BlackPress.org)- To be sure, this year's BET Awards was an emotional night for all whoattended but for some celebrities and Black media outlets, June 28,2009 was more emotional than ever.
Many Black-owned mediaoutlets complained that Black Entertainment Television's owner Viacom,Inc. either blacked them out of the opportunity to cover the historictribute to the Michael Jackson or didn't give them fair treatment at the event.
Outletslike Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, People and Billboardmagazine all had access to rehearsals, celebrities, special events,after parties and more, claim the Black media outlets. The Chicago Defender,which is 5 minutes away from Jackson's hometown of Gary, IN, did nothave a representative at the event. To add insult to injury, theChicago Defender was forced to run AP videos of the event on itswebsite.
This isn't the first time that BET was accused ofplaying racial favorites at the awards show. At the inaugural BET HipHop Awards show in Atlanta, GA, Black journalists were so enraged withBET's alleged treatment toward White-owned and mainstream media outletsthat some actually packed up their gear and left before the event wasover.
"As managing editor for the Historical Black PressFoundation which works with 450 Black-owned media outlets and the hostof BlackPressRadio's podcast series, I'm often caught in the middle. I see how hard the media relations staff works to pull off the nations largest award show, but I also understand the challenges of the Black Press,"said DC Livers who regularly covers events hosted by Black-owned ororiented media outlets like the BET Awards. "But, when it was announced thatBET was reformatting its show to accommodate the Michael Jackson tragedy, myphone blew up with text messages, calls and Tweets asking why membersof the traditional Black Press weren't being allowed to cover theevent."
During the first week of May 2009, BlackPressRadiocontacted the media department for BET and was told that the companywas "making some changes" and that the media credentialing process forthis year's event would done "by invitation only." BET also angeredmany with their decision to switch the event from the last Tuesday ofJune to a Sunday night. Even normal BET Awards host Mo'Nique missed achance to do her Beyonce/Sasha Fierce impression when she realized shewouldn't attend the event due to a previously scheduled performance atthe Beacon Theatre in New York City. Jamie Foxx was given the job ofhosting the event in her absence.
"I knew that would meantrouble for our membership, but BET pays millions to pull this eventoff. It's their party and they can kinda invite who they want. But, ifthe company can rip apart an entire stage, revamp an entire awards showand pull off the music industry's first tribute to Michael Jackson in48 hours, it ought to be able to find a way to make sure Black-ownedmedia outlets have a seat at the table," Livers said.
"Blackjournalists repping White-owned and mainstream media outlets is not thesame as making sure that America's Black Press has equal access to thathistoric event."
Livers said that in order to try to preventfuture misunderstandings, some of the publishers and supporters likeDavid Parks, whose father Gordon co-founded Essence magazine, will seeka meeting with Viacom's brass to address their concerns and form anaction plan for the future. The group hopes the meeting take placebefore the upcoming "SOS: Can We Save the Black Press" town hallmeeting in Harlem in September, just weeks prior to the BET Hip HopAwards.
"This year HBPF celebrates its 10th anniversary ofenhancing the Black Press through technology, helping Black-owned mediaoutlets find a presence on the Web and increase their competitivenature using the Internet,but when it comes to many of Viacom producedevents like the BET Awards it's like the 60s. Hopefully, the meetingwill help quell the growing tension," Livers said.
In related news, R&B sensation Ciara,23, who wore a Black and gold military style jacked in honor of thelate King of Pop, broke down in tears at her post-performance pressconference at last night's BET Awards.
"[Michael Jackson] wasdoing a song for Hurricane Katrina and he wanted me to be a part ofit," she said. She missed the call when she didn't hear the phone ring.
Ciaraperformed Jackson's 1991 hit 'Heal the World' told reporters,"For me,[Michael Jackson] was the reason why I perform. He means that much,"she said.
SAVE the DATE: Sept. 17-19, 2009
5th Annual Black Press All Star Awards in Harlem, New York
SOS: Can We Save the Black Press Town hall meeting
REGISTER NOW: www.acteva.com/go/blackpress
Join our SOCIAL NETWORKS:
www.myspace.com/blackpress
www.twitter.com/blackpressradio (3 year anniversary)
Website: www.BlackPress.org
Video Channel: www.youtube.com/BlackPress
Historical Black Press Foundation | Copyright 2000-2009 All Rights Reserved.
Singer manages to resume interviews
Disclaimer: This podcast interview was taken from our archives of a previous event.
Uncut and Unedited: Does the BET Awards discriminate? Decide for yourself.
| Download | Duration: 00:27:05
Watch the video at www.youtube.com/blackpress
(BlackPress.org)- To be sure, this year's BET Awards was an emotional night for all whoattended but for some celebrities and Black media outlets, June 28,2009 was more emotional than ever.
Many Black-owned mediaoutlets complained that Black Entertainment Television's owner Viacom,Inc. either blacked them out of the opportunity to cover the historictribute to the Michael Jackson or didn't give them fair treatment at the event.
Outletslike Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, People and Billboardmagazine all had access to rehearsals, celebrities, special events,after parties and more, claim the Black media outlets. The Chicago Defender,which is 5 minutes away from Jackson's hometown of Gary, IN, did nothave a representative at the event. To add insult to injury, theChicago Defender was forced to run AP videos of the event on itswebsite.
This isn't the first time that BET was accused ofplaying racial favorites at the awards show. At the inaugural BET HipHop Awards show in Atlanta, GA, Black journalists were so enraged withBET's alleged treatment toward White-owned and mainstream media outletsthat some actually packed up their gear and left before the event wasover.
"As managing editor for the Historical Black PressFoundation which works with 450 Black-owned media outlets and the hostof BlackPressRadio's podcast series, I'm often caught in the middle. I see how hard the media relations staff works to pull off the nations largest award show, but I also understand the challenges of the Black Press,"said DC Livers who regularly covers events hosted by Black-owned ororiented media outlets like the BET Awards. "But, when it was announced thatBET was reformatting its show to accommodate the Michael Jackson tragedy, myphone blew up with text messages, calls and Tweets asking why membersof the traditional Black Press weren't being allowed to cover theevent."
During the first week of May 2009, BlackPressRadiocontacted the media department for BET and was told that the companywas "making some changes" and that the media credentialing process forthis year's event would done "by invitation only." BET also angeredmany with their decision to switch the event from the last Tuesday ofJune to a Sunday night. Even normal BET Awards host Mo'Nique missed achance to do her Beyonce/Sasha Fierce impression when she realized shewouldn't attend the event due to a previously scheduled performance atthe Beacon Theatre in New York City. Jamie Foxx was given the job ofhosting the event in her absence.
"I knew that would meantrouble for our membership, but BET pays millions to pull this eventoff. It's their party and they can kinda invite who they want. But, ifthe company can rip apart an entire stage, revamp an entire awards showand pull off the music industry's first tribute to Michael Jackson in48 hours, it ought to be able to find a way to make sure Black-ownedmedia outlets have a seat at the table," Livers said.
"Blackjournalists repping White-owned and mainstream media outlets is not thesame as making sure that America's Black Press has equal access to thathistoric event."
Livers said that in order to try to preventfuture misunderstandings, some of the publishers and supporters likeDavid Parks, whose father Gordon co-founded Essence magazine, will seeka meeting with Viacom's brass to address their concerns and form anaction plan for the future. The group hopes the meeting take placebefore the upcoming "SOS: Can We Save the Black Press" town hallmeeting in Harlem in September, just weeks prior to the BET Hip HopAwards.
"This year HBPF celebrates its 10th anniversary ofenhancing the Black Press through technology, helping Black-owned mediaoutlets find a presence on the Web and increase their competitivenature using the Internet,but when it comes to many of Viacom producedevents like the BET Awards it's like the 60s. Hopefully, the meetingwill help quell the growing tension," Livers said.
In related news, R&B sensation Ciara,23, who wore a Black and gold military style jacked in honor of thelate King of Pop, broke down in tears at her post-performance pressconference at last night's BET Awards.
"[Michael Jackson] wasdoing a song for Hurricane Katrina and he wanted me to be a part ofit," she said. She missed the call when she didn't hear the phone ring.
Ciaraperformed Jackson's 1991 hit 'Heal the World' told reporters,"For me,[Michael Jackson] was the reason why I perform. He means that much,"she said.
SAVE the DATE: Sept. 17-19, 2009
5th Annual Black Press All Star Awards in Harlem, New York
SOS: Can We Save the Black Press Town hall meeting
REGISTER NOW: www.acteva.com/go/blackpress
Join our SOCIAL NETWORKS:
www.myspace.com/blackpress
www.twitter.com/blackpressradio (3 year anniversary)
Website: www.BlackPress.org
Video Channel: www.youtube.com/BlackPress
Historical Black Press Foundation | Copyright 2000-2009 All Rights Reserved.
Posted by Black Press Radio.com at 6/28/2009 11:40 PM 
Categories: BET Awards, BET Awards '09
Tags: BET Awards Viacom black press journalists
Categories: BET Awards, BET Awards '09
Tags: BET Awards Viacom black press journalists
Well, I think that this is what happens when historically black owned business sell out to white owned businesses. Obviously, the rules have changed in an attempt to change the image of Black Entertainment Television'BET'. No longer will BET cator exclusively to black viewers, the mission of Viacom to their stakeholders is to mainstream its viewership to the white mainstream, otherwise I believe that BET would have to quietly shut down. For years the leadership at BET did nothing in terms of real creativity and really put BET on the map, thus they had no choice but to sell, which they did, and now you are seeing gradual changes in terms of structure and operations. I do not think that blacks should be upset, being that for years nothing was done, however, this should be a lesson.
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