Stop BET’s Hot Ghetto Mess
Posted by bronzetrinity on July 19, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Black Bloggers and Civil Rights Groups Unite to Topple BET’s “Hot Ghetto Mess”
Austin, TX -July 19, 2007 – If Viacom’s Black Entertainment Television goes through with it’s plans to air ” Hot Ghetto Mess” next week, many people will be watching, but not for the reason BET wants. Realizing that mere online advocacy was not going to be enough to topple “Hot Ghetto Mess” after she’d gotten advertisers to flee the show, Gina McCauley, creator of the blog What About Our Daughters? turned to a coalition of religious and women’s groups including the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the National Coalition for Black Civic Participation, National Organization for Women, Rainbow PUSH, and the National Congress of Black Women.
The result is what may very well be the largest intergenerational collaboration between young online activists and their older offline counterparts in United States history. Their focus; to convince advertisers that buying ad time on BET’s “Hot Ghetto Mess” just isn’t worth it, despite the high ratings that the show is likely to bring if it airs.
On July 25, 2007, “Hot Ghetto Mess” watch parties are being scheduled in Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York, Austin, the District of Columbia and the list of locations keeps growing. Those attending the watch parties will be recording which companies purchase advertisements during the show. The coalition then plans to target those businesses with possible boycotts or demonstrations.
” The message we want to send to advertisers is that “Hot Ghetto Mess” is radioactive. They don’t want to come within one mile of it.” McCauley said.
Transitioning from being a one-woman blog to working with long-established organizations has not been easy. “There’s a reason why the only organization I belong to is AAA( the roadside assistance company).” In fact McCauley’s dialogue with these groups began after she wrote a post on her blog criticizing their methods.
“I’m not going to lie and say I haven’t been impatient with the pace of their response,” said McCauley. “As a blogger I move at warp speed. I can respond instantaneously with one click. I don’t have to have a committee debate what I am going to release to the world.” While initially disappointed with the pace of the response to her request for assistance, her patience is finally beginning to pay off.
“Yes, to me, they move at glacial speed.” McCauley says of the organizations she’s been working with “BUT, when they move- THEY MOVE!”. Currently that glacier is aimed straight at Black Entertainment Television and Viacom.
###
Contact: Gina McCauley, creator of the blog, What About Our Daughters
http://whataboutourdaughters.blogspot.com/
e-mail:WAODmedia@gmail.com (interview requests)
e-mail:WhatAboutOurDaughters@gmail.com
–
Gina
What About Our Daughters
“Combating negative portrayals of African American women in popular culture.”
whataboutourdaughters.blogspot.com
bronzetrinity said
Thanks to Eddie Griffin for this!!!
HAT TIP TO MO’KELLY REPORT
mokellyreport@sbcglobal.net
Do you want to know “How to Shut Down ‘Hot Ghetto Mess’”? According to Mo’Kelly Report, go after Viacom, the parent company of BET, who plans to air “Mess” on July 25th right behind D. L. Hughley’s S.O.B. (Socially Offensive Behavior).
From the Report:
Viacom should be all-too familiar with pulling the plug on a controversial program in order to save itself. As the parent company to CBS Radio, they are intimately acquainted with the negative backlash and loss in advertisement revenue the Don Imus controversy brought to its doorstep.
That said…
Use the following information as you see fit. You all know what to do… BUT always be courteous and respectful in the process. Always be ‘better’ than which we wish to boycott.
Viacom Executives
Shari Redstone, Vice Chairman
shari.redstone@viacom.com
Philippe P. Dauman
philippe.dauman@viacom.com
Thomas E. Dooley
thomas.dooley@viacom.com
Michelena Hallie, VP
michelena.hallie@viacom.com
Bruce Tobey, EVP
bruce.tobey@viacom.com
Ira Jaffe President 212-654-7433
ijaffe@nationalamusements.com
Timothy Stevenson President Viacom Realty 212-258-6000
timothy.stevenson@viacom.com
Eileen Wainwright Chief Operating Officer 212-258-6000
eileen.wainwright@viacom.com
Joe Simon Chief Information Officer 212-846-5365
joe.simon@viacom.com
Michael Fricklas General Counsel 212-258-6000
michael.fricklas@viacom.com
George Llano Chief Security Officer 212-258-6000
george.llano@viacom.com
Laura McGrath Internal Audit 212-258-6000
laura.mcgrath@viacom.com
Leslie Moonves Chief Operating Officer 212-258-6000
leslie.moonves@viacom.com
Ira Jaffe President and Chief Operating Officer 212-654-7433
ira.jaffe@viacom.com
Shari Redstone Vice Chairman 800-516-4399
shari.redstone@viacom.com
Charles Phillips Vice Chairman 800-516-4399
charles.phillips@viacom.com
Fred Reynolds Chief Financial Officer 212-258-6000
fred.reynolds@viacom.com
Bill Apfelbaum Chief Executive Officer 212-599-1100
bill.apfelbaum@viacomoutdoor.com
Larry Levine President, Viacom Outdoor Displays 212-297-6500 larry.levine@viacomoutdoor.com
Present Sponsors
AT&T, Daimler Chrysler and Target
KUDOS TO: Gina at WhatAboutOurDaughters:
Viacom
1515 Broadway
New York, NY 10036
(212) 258-6000
WHEN YOU CALL:
(They will try to pass you off to BET. I promise. Ask for the President and CEO’s office. At least try to ascertain if they even KNOW about HGM)
Remember, that these folks don’t work FOR Viacom. They are high level people in their own right. You can see the text of my e-mail over at The War on Black Women, our overflow site ( I get long winded on occasion)
Blyth J. McGarvie Bmcgarvie@LIFgroup.com, 757-345-3595
William Schwartz – william.schwartz@cwt.com
Sheri Redstone – sredstone@nationalamusements.com – 781-461-1600( the email is a guess, but my e-mail hasn’t come back undeliverable)
Robert K. Kraft ( still looking)
Thomas Dooley ( still looking)
George Abrams ( still looking)
Charles E. Phillips ( President of Oracle. Still looking for contact info. He’s a Hampton and NYU grad anybody got access to the one of those schools’ alumni databases?)
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Electronic Village reports Black Entertainment Television (BET) has begun “damage control” over the brouhaha surrounding its July 25th roll out with D. L. Hughley’s S.O.B. (Socially Offensive Behavior) and Hot Ghetto Mess.
ABOUT VIACOM
Viacom connects with our diverse audiences everywhere they are. As a leading global entertainment content company, we know what our viewers want and proudly deliver it across the globe through television, motion pictures and a wide range of digital media. Our family of prominent and respected brands includes the multiplatform properties of MTV Networks, BET Networks, Paramount Pictures, Paramount Home Entertainment, DreamWorks and Famous Music.
MTV Networks includes favorites like MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, COMEDY CENTRAL, CMT: Country Music Television, Spike TV, TV Land, Logo and more than 137 networks around the world. In addition, digital assets such as Neopets, Xfire, Atom Entertainment, Harmonix and Quizilla offer compelling and interactive content, providing an even deeper connection with our devoted and focused demographics.
BET Networks presents the best in Black media and entertainment featuring traditional and digital platforms. Brands including BET, BET J, BET Gospel, BET Hip Hop, BET.com, BET Mobile , BET Event Productions and BET International deliver relevant and insightful content to consumers of Black culture in more than 84 million households.
And with Paramount Pictures Corporation, audiences have access to a huge library of top films through brands like Paramount Pictures, Paramount Vantage, MTV Films, Nickelodeon Movies, DreamWorks and Paramount Home Entertainment.
Fueled by our world-class brands, Viacom serves an ever-growing population of kids, tweens, teens and adults who want their favorite media and entertainment, 24/7.
PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS
NAIRI INC
REDSTONE SUMNER M
DAUMAN PHILIPPE P
DOOLEY THOMAS E
FRESTON THOMAS E
Ellen Gray | BET keeping lid on ‘Hot Ghetto Mess’
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – If you want to know who’s to blame for the controversy over BET’s plans to turn the Web site “Hot Ghetto Mess” into a TV show, well, that would be people like me.
…Holding off questions about the show till the end of his press conference, Hudlin managed to run down the clock. A smaller group of reporters stayed behind to ask about “Mess,” which premieres July 25 and has reportedly already lost two of its advertisers.
Keep moving, nothing to see here, insisted Hudlin, who said the advertisers hadn’t seen the show. Neither have critics, who were instead provided screeners of shows whose premieres are further away.
“The show isn’t finished yet,” Hudlin said. And yet, “everyone who’s seen a rough cut of the show sees it’s not remotely anything like what they presume the show to be.”
…So what can we expect from BET’s version of “Hot Ghetto Mess”? [Read more...]
Daily News TV critic Ellen Gray (graye@phillynews.com) is covering the Television Critics Association’s summer meetings in Beverly Hills. For more, see her blog at go.philly.com/ellengray or join her at 11 a.m today on philly.com, where she and Inquirer TV critic Jonathan Storm will be hosting an online chat.
July 19, 2007
Wall Street cheers Redstone ruckus
According to a report by my colleague Tim Arango at Fortune, Viacom (VIAB) and CBS (CBS) board member Shari Redstone, daughter of Viacom and CBS chairman Sumner Redstone, is said to be leaving Viacom’s board after a major falling-out with her father.
… Wall Street is jumping to the conclusion that Sumner may now look to sell Viacom and/or CBS since Shari Redstone would no longer appear to be a logical candidate to run either company after the 84-year-old media maven either retires or, uh, not to be morbid, dies.
“The immediate knee-jerk reaction is that maybe Sumner wouldn’t hold onto Viacom or CBS or that he could recombine Viacom and CBS if Shari won’t be around to run them as is her legacy. But I wouldn’t bet on that happening,” said David Joyce of Miller Tabak & Co.
Shari Redstone may leave Viacom board: source
By Kenneth Li
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Viacom Inc. (NYSE:VIA-B – News) Vice Chairman Shari Redstone may leave the board over a falling out with her father, Chairman Sumner Redstone, a source familiar with the matter said on Thursday.
Viacom shares rose 3.5 percent as her possible departure revived questions over who might succeed the 84-year-old mogul, stoking speculation the company could be sold, one industry analyst said. Viacom owns the MTV Networks and Paramount movie studios. [editor insert: BET]
Shari Redstone, 52, sits on the board of Viacom and CBS Corp. (NYSE:CBS-A – News) and was viewed as a potential successor to her father.
“Shari is still an active and involved member of both the CBS and Viacom boards,” Nancy Sterling, a spokeswoman for Shari Redstone said, declining to confirm any negotiations. “She has no intention of resigning and has not been asked to resign.”
Viacom and CBS representatives were not immediately reachable for comment.
…The latest feud comes after Shari Redstone had pushed for executive compensation to be more closely tied to performance, according to a Fortune magazine report published on the CNN Money Web site on Thursday, citing unnamed sources.
Representatives for both sides are negotiating a separation agreement that could include Shari Redstone buying out the family owned theater chain National Amusements to detach from family affairs, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing an unnamed source.
National Amusements controls about 80 percent of Viacom’s voting stock.
NAIRI INC: Declared Holdings
Company/Relationship Reported Shares Ownership
CBS CORP CL B
Director
NYSE:CBS 31-Dec-05 46,829,414 Direct
VIACOM INC CL A
Director
NYSE:VIA 31-Dec-05 46,829,414 Direct
Sumner Redstone is no stranger to family strife. He settled a messy lawsuit in February with estranged son Brent Redstone in a squabble over his share of the family fortune.
Viacom’s class B shares rose $1.45, or 3.49 percent, to $42.68 on the New York Stock Exchange.
Redstone Split Boosts Viacom
By TSC Staff
7/19/2007 10:26 AM EDT
Viacom (VIA – Cramer’s Take – Stockpickr – Rating) rose 3% on news reports that Chairman Sumner Redstone’s daughter is leaving the board.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Shari Redstone, widely seen as heir apparent atop the media conglomerate, and her father “had a major falling out.” The report cited a person familiar with the situation.
The news pushed Viacom shares up as investors speculate the uncertainty about Viacom’s management could cause the elder Redstone, Viacom’s controlling shareholder, to sell the company.
Last year Redstone surprised Wall Street by firing Viacom chief Tom Freston and replacing him with two longtime sidekicks, Philippe Dauman and Tom Dooley.
Shares rose $1.28 to $42.50.
Father-Daughter Split Seen at Viacom
Thursday July 19, 3:14 pm ET
By Seth Sutel, AP Business Writer
Viacom Chaiman Redstone Reported to Have Falling Out With Daughter Shari, His Heir Apparent
NEW YORK (AP) — Sumner Redstone, the chairman of Viacom Inc. and CBS Corp., has reportedly had a falling out with his daughter and heir apparent, Shari Redstone, that could eventually result in her departure from his media empire.
If the younger Redstone does leave, it could throw open the question of who would succeed the 84-year-old media mogul as the controlling shareholder of Viacom and CBS Corp., which used to be combined with Viacom. Shari serves as a director of both companies, and is vice chairman of both boards.
Fortune magazine and The Wall Street Journal reported on their Web sites Thursday that a serious rift had developed between Redstone and his daughter, largely over corporate governance issues including Shari’s effort to more closely tie executive compensation with financial performance.
Nancy Sterling, a spokeswoman for Shari Redstone, said Shari is a “committed member” of the boards of both Viacom and CBS and has “no intention of resigning from those boards, nor has anyone asked her to resign.
…Shari Redstone, who is 53, has been widely expected to succeed her father as the controlling shareholder of both Viacom and CBS.
Earlier this year, Sumner Redstone settled a separate dispute with his son Brent, a lawyer living in Colorado. Brent had sued his father claiming he had been cut out of the decision-making process at National Amusements Inc., a privately held company that owns a chain of movie theaters as well as voting stock in CBS and Viacom.
As part of that settlement, the ownership of National Amusements was restructured so that Sumner Redstone owns 80 percent of the company, and Shari the other 20 percent. Previously Brent Redstone had owned one-sixth of that company, Shari one-sixth, and the remaining two-thirds by their father.
Viacom’s B shares rose $1.19, or 2.9 percent, to $42.42 in afternoon trading Thursday while CBS shares gained 5 cents to $34.88.
Paramount & DreamWorks: Splitsville?
Bad blood between the studio and Spielberg could end this Hollywood marriage
by Ronald Grover, Los Angeles bureau chief for BusinessWeek.
Could Paramount Pictures (VIA) lose Steven Spielberg and the DreamWorks (DWA) studio it bought just 20 months ago for $1.53 billion? It’s entirely possible. People close to Spielberg say he is vexed that Paramount has treated his team shabbily and grabbed credit for DreamWorks productions. If Spielberg were to leave, says a person familiar with the situation, he could take several of his hitmakers and the DreamWorks name with him.
…Paramount and its parent, Viacom Inc., express confidence that Spielberg will stick around. “We couldn’t be happier with DreamWorks, and I think they’re enjoying the success as well,” says Viacom CEO Philippe P. Dauman.
The DreamWorks-Paramount marriage has been rocky almost from the moment, in late 2005, that Grey persuaded the Viacom board to buy Spielberg’s baby. DreamWorks wasn’t doing particularly well at the time.
The rationale went like this: The untested Grey would use DreamWorks’ superior marketing and distribution to overhaul the company. He would have an instant pipeline of hot projects. Plus, Paramount got the DreamWorks library, which was valued at about $900 million at the time and included such films as American Beauty. (Within a few months, Paramount sold a 51% stake in the library to private equity funds for $675.3 million.).
…Spielberg brought with him Transformers. DreamWorks also made Blades of Glory, Norbit, and Disturbia, which, along with Transformers, account for nearly half the $1 billion Paramount has generated at the U.S. box office this year.
…Spielberg, who is famously loyal and shuns public conflict, also fumed at how Paramount and Viacom treated his friends. He was upset last year when Viacom Chairman Sumner Redstone fired and then publicly trashed actor Tom Cruise, who worked with Spielberg on two films. (Spielberg and Redstone later had a makeup dinner.) Nor did Spielberg like it when Paramount executives criticized Clint Eastwood’s marketing plans for Flags of Our Fathers, a DreamWorks production.
markbey said
Good work bronze thank you for posting this I will call some of these folks and email them as.
Villager said
Thank you Bronze Trinity for keeping the HGM feet to the fire.
peace, Villager
African American Political Pundit said
Great blog, great information, great presentation. Your smart and hard work will continue to pay off.
Hot Ghetto Mess « The Blog and the Bullet said
[...] Posted by Jack Stephens on July 30th, 2007 Mark, blogger for Progress At All Costs, writes about the campaign to stop “Hot Ghetto Mess:” Bronze Trinity has written a post about a current campaign to get the sponsors of HGM to pull their sponsorship of the show. Sponsors such as State Farm have started pulling their sponsorship of HGM. Bronze Trinity has illustrated what is going on in this post titled Stop BETs HOT GHETTO MESS Bronze Trinity has written a post about a current campaign to get the sponsors of BETs Hot Ghetto Mess (HGM) to pull their sponsorship of the show. This campaign is an excellent example of online activism practiced by activist bloggers such as Eddie Griffin and What about our Daughters who is really, really getting up in peoples hind parts, especially BETs. Bronze Trinity has illustrated what is going on in this post titled Stop BETs HOT GHETTO MESS. [...]
rubyspirit said
I think you are making a BIG mistake. The show points out some changes we as a Black family should make … which is the reason for your ASSOCIATION. The show addressed America and showed black and white foolery. Clearly it is the reason why “Hot Ghetto Mess” exists. We refuse to accept our idiocy and make change.
Don L. Rondeau said
My brief video report on the negative images of black people made by other black people…
http://www.redteamone.com/images/1Man01.wmv
Sincerely
Don L. Rondeau
bronzetrinity said
Thank you Don for your video
I watched it and it was great. We need more Black commentary like this and I agree with what you said. Instead of just getting hip hop videos as our social commentary we need to have a balance with middle class, educated people who represent those of us who are middle class. I am not saying that we should not pay attention to the struggles of others but does it really make sense to always listen to music (gangsta rap) if you have never experienced that life? I need music from people who are more like me. Seriously, if I would never hang out with gangstas then why would I want to listen to their music?