National Association of Black Journalists accuse NBC of ‘whitewashing’
The National Association of Black Journalists is not happy with NBC's decision to have Megyn Kelly replace “Today’s” first black female anchor Tamron Hall.
The National Association of Black Journalists is not happy at all with NBC’s decision to have Megyn Kelly replace “Today’s” first black female anchor Tamron Hall on the third hour of the news show.
“The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) is saddened by Tamron Hall’s departure from NBC. She broke ground as the first black female ‘Today’ show co-host and was enjoying ratings success alongside Al Roker during the show’s third hour of programming,” they wrote in a letter to NBC. “NBC has been a leader for diversity in broadcasting, but recent reports that Hall and Roker will be replaced by former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly are being seen by industry professionals as whitewashing.”
NABJ went on to criticize Kelly directly for views she had expressed on Fox News.
“Kelly has a well-documented history of offensive remarks regarding people of color. On ‘The Kelly File,’ her Fox News show, the host said then-First Lady Michelle Obama’s commencement address at Tuskegee University pandered to a ‘culture of victimization.’ While NABJ wishes Hall well on her next move, NABJ requests a meeting with NBC leadership on the top-rated show’s dismantling. We look forward to dialogue and resolve regarding black journalists and their continuing roles at NBC both in front and behind the camera,” the letter read.
NBC has since responded through a spokesperson: “NBC News has a long and proven history as an industry leader in newsroom diversity. We will continue to engage in the running dialogue we’ve had for many years with the National Association of Black Journalists and other advocacy groups to advance those goals.”
