Wednesday, June 03, 2020

Nickelodeon USA to Go Off-Air for 8 Minutes and 46 Seconds in Support of Justice, Equality, and Human Rights

Nickelodeon USA will today, Monday, June 1, 2020 be going off the air for 8 minutes and 46 seconds at 6pm ET, 5pm PT in support of justice, equality, and human rights. We are all part of the change #BlackLivesMatter ✊🏿✊🏾✊🏽✊🏼✊🏻





For help on how to talk to children about racism and inequality, these books offer a good starting point.

Update (6/2): To mark #BlackOutTuesday, Nickelodeon and ViacomCBS' social media channels around the world today paused to reflect on recent events. Their focus is building community, taking action, and sparking real change in the fight against racial injustice.

ViacomCBS website also went dark as part of #BlackoutTuesday, a day being promoted by activists to observe, mourn and bring about policy change following Floyd’s death. The landing page read, “Our Business Is On Pause Today,” and explained that the media company was encouraging employees to “shift their focus from building our business to building community.”





From Deadline:

ViacomCBS Unveils 8-Minute, 46-Second Blackout Video Tribute to George Floyd – Update

UPDATED 1:30 PM: ViacomCBS has unveiled a powerful 8-minute, 46-second video tribute to George Floyd, which marks the time in which Floyd was pinned to the ground with a police officer’s knee on his neck, resulting in his death. You can watch above.

In an internal memo, ViacomCBS President of Entertainment and Youth Brands Chris McCarthy announced Sunday that all entertainment and youth brands and platforms will be going dark for 8 minutes and 46 seconds at 5 PM Monday, which marks the time in which George Floyd was killed. The time will not only serve as a tribute to Floyd but as a tribute to all those who have been victims of racism including Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and countless others.

ViacomCBS also went dark in 2018 for 17 minutes in solidarity with the National School Walkout to honor the 17 students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida who killed.

In addition to the killings, McCarthy addresses the everyday inequality in the community and how the pandemic disproportionately impacts communities of color. He went on to talk about what ViacomCBS is doing as a call to action to help support the communities including Black Out Tuesday where they will not hold any meeting or conduct any business in order to stand in solidarity with their Black colleagues.

ViacomCBS’s international entertainment and youth partners will be going dark, as well as other and other ViacomCBS brands including BET, Nickelodeon and CBS Sports. MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo Media, Comedy Central, Paramount Network, Smithsonian Channel and TV Land are also among channels going dark.

Nickelodeon also released a scrolling video which contains language from the Kid’s Bill of Rights which the network first put together on June 7, 1990. It begins with the statement “Nickelodeon is going off the air for 8 minutes and 46 seconds in support of justice, equality and equal rights.” You can watch [above].

Read McCarthy’s full memo below.

Team,

The last few weeks have brought to the surface long standing racism, videos of unspeakable behavior and the harsh reality of inequality many in our community deal with on a regular and daily basis. In Minneapolis, the horrifying murder of George Floyd, in Georgia the senseless killing of Ahmaud Arbery, and in Kentucky, the deplorable shooting of Breonna Taylor, to name just a few recent examples.

This is on top of a pandemic which has emphasized the tragic inequalities that disproportionately impact communities of color, especially African American and Latinx communities, in addition to the unjust targeting of Asian Americans.

While I am not a person of color and can never fully understand this experience, I am offended by the systemic racism and want to stand together with our communities of color in the hurt and pain. We must all do our part – discrimination against one of us is discrimination against all of us.

Therefore, as President of our Group, I commit that we will do the following:

1. Use our platforms to shine a light on the realities of racial injustice and call for equality.

This morning, we made the following statements across our brands and platforms.

Black Lives Matter

We stand with the #BlackLivesMatter movement and call for the end of systemic racism. These racist and brutal attacks must end. We call for justice.

2. Amplify the voices of the communities we serve and provide a call to action for change.

Tomorrow, for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, we will go dark across our brands and platforms to mark the time in which George Floyd was brutally killed as a tribute to Mr. Floyd and other victims of racism. We will provide a call to action encouraging our audiences to get involved and help be part of the solution with our partner Color of Change.

3. Foster a culture that deeply values and respects diversity and inclusion.

On Tuesday, we are joining Black Out Tuesday, to focus our attention away from work and towards our community. We will not hold any meetings nor conduct any business – rather we will stand in solidarity with our African American colleagues and loved ones across the country.

This is just the beginning and I acknowledge that we don’t have all the answers. Over the next few weeks, you will be invited to join us for discussions on ways we can use our brands and platforms to inspire and enact change.

Thank you,

Chris

###

From CNBC:

ViacomCBS networks like MTV, Comedy Central air nearly 9 minutes of breathing to remember George Floyd

- Several ViacomCBS TV networks, including MTV, Comedy Central and VH1, ran nearly nine minutes of breathing sounds with the words “I can’t breathe” Monday evening.

- The company said the video is meant to show its support for the Black Lives Matter movement.

- The video also displays a way for viewers to text Color of Change, an organization that says it provides online actions and in-person events for people to stand up to racial injustice.

Several ViacomCBS TV networks, including MTV, Comedy Central, VH1 and more, ran eight minutes and forty-six seconds of breathing sounds with the words “I can’t breathe” Monday evening.

The company said the video is meant to show its support for the Black Lives Matter movement and the fight against police brutality and racial inequality. The video also displays a way for viewers to text Color of Change, an organization that says it provides online actions and in-person events for people to stand up to racial injustice.

The company’s Entertainment & Youth Group networks, including MTV, Comedy Central, Paramount Networks, VH1, TV Land, CMT, Logo and MTV partner brands CBS Sports, BET and Nickelodeon ran the spot at 5 p.m. Eastern on Monday.

George Floyd died last week in Minnesota after a white officer pressed a knee into his neck for nearly nine minutes (the same length of the video the networks aired) while taking him into custody. People in cities across America gathered over the weekend to protest the police’s treatment of Floyd and others who have died in police custody.

Chris McCarthy, president of the Entertainment & Youth Group, explained the spot in an email to employees.

“One week ago, for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the breath of one of our fellow humans was taken from him. His name was George Floyd,” he wrote. “Today at 5pm ET, the E&Y brands and platforms around the world will go dark for 8 minutes and 46 seconds to show our support for the Black Lives Matter movement, and the fight against police brutality and racial inequality.”

“We know there is a lot of work ahead of us, and I am committed to action beyond these words with all of you,” McCarthy continued. “We must continue to work together, to look within, and to support one other and our fellow humans – all with compassion for each other.”

###

From The Week:

ViacomCBS TV networks broadcast an almost 9-minute tribute to George Floyd 1 week after his death

Numerous TV networks owned by ViacomCBS just went dark for more than eight minutes to pay tribute to George Floyd one week after his death.

MTV and Comedy Central were among the ViacomCBS stations that on Monday starting at 5:00 p.m. ET aired the words "I can't breathe" for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, alongside the sound of breathing, reports CNBC. A Minneapolis police officer who has since been fired and charged with murder last week kneeled on Floyd's neck for that length of time while Floyd said that he couldn't breathe, and his death has sparked nationwide outrage and protests.

A message at the bottom of the screen during the ViacomCBS blackout urged viewers to text "DEMANDS" to 55156, promoting the civil rights organization Color of Change.

ViacomCBS President of Entertainment and Youth Brands Chris McCarthy previously announced that "we will go dark across our brands and platforms to mark the time in which George Floyd was brutally killed as a tribute to Mr. Floyd and other victims of racism" in a employee memo, in which he also pledged to "use our platforms to shine a light on the realities of racial injustice and call for equality." Brendan Morrow

###

From Romper:

Nickelodeon Went Off Air For 8 Minutes & 46 Seconds In Moment Of Solidarity
By Kaitlin Kimont
June 1, 2020
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In a moment of solidarity for George Floyd, the Black man who was killed in police custody on Memorial Day after an officer knelt on his neck for nearly 9 minutes, Nickelodeon went off the air on Monday evening. Along with other networks like Comedy Central, BET, and VH1, Nickelodeon paused its scheduled programming for exactly 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the amount of time Derek Chauvin from the Minneapolis Police Department had his knee pressed on Floyd's neck as he repeatedly said, "I can't breathe."

"Nickelodeon is going off the air for 8 minutes and 46 seconds in support of justice, equality, and human rights," the children's television network wrote on Instagram on Monday ahead of its moment of silence at 6 p.m. EST.

At 6 p.m., Nickelodeon's screen turned orange and its "Declaration of Kids' Rights" played across the screen. "You have the right to be seen, heard, and respected as a citizen of the world," the text read. "You have the right to a world that is peaceful. You have the right to be treated with equality, regardless of the color of your skin. You have the right to be protected from harm, injustice, and hatred. You have the right to an education that prepares you to run the world. You have the right to your opinions and feelings, even if others don't agree with them."

Nickelodeon's symbolic moment of silence followed a weekend of large-scale and impassioned protests that erupted across the country and abroad demanding justice for Floyd and an end to police brutality and violence against Black communities. Although Chauvin was fired from the Minneapolis Police Department and has since been charged with third-degree murder, Floyd's family has called for first-degree murder charges after an independent autopsy found that he died as a "result of asphyxiation from sustained pressure on his neck," CNBC reported. The three other officers involved in Floyd's arrest on May 25 have also been fired, but have not faced any charges, according to CNN.

While many parents applauded Nickelodeon's move to go off the air in a moment of support, others criticized it as "inappropriate."

"Rather inappropriate for young children, it scares them!!" one parent commented on Facebook, while another said, "This is not the right platform for this at all. The average age of the children that watch your channel are under the age of 12 and if anything all [you're] doing is scaring children and that is just wrong."

In response to that comment, Nickelodeon pointed out a reality that "unfortunately, some kids live in fear every day." "It's our job to use our platform to make sure their voices are heard and their stories are told," the comment added.

Supportive feedback, however, outweighed any criticism directed at the network. "@Nickelodeon is just giving me more reasons to love them. Well done," one viewer tweeted. Another said, "#Nickelodeon thanks. This actually gave my kids comfort."


This wasn't the first time Nickelodeon used its platform to denounce racism and voiced its support for the Black Lives Matter movement in the wake of Floyd's death. On Sunday, Nickelodeon wrote on Instagram: "Black lives matter. Black culture matters. Black communities matter."

"We stand in solidarity with our Black colleagues creators, partners, and audiences and condemn all acts of racism, discrimination, and senseless acts of violence."

###

From Muse by Clio:

ViacomCBS Networks Are Going Dark at 5 PM Today to Air This Chilling 8:46 Video

A stark memorial to George Floyd

At 5 p.m. ET and 5 p.m. PT today, the MTV and ViacomCBS Entertainment & Youth Group networks will run a chilling spot featuring simple white text against a black background.

The copy reads: "I Can't Breathe," and the PSA lasts 8:46, a reference to George Floyd, the 46-year-old black man who died a week ago in Minnesota while in police custody. Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pinned Floyd to the ground with his knee for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, as three other officers looked on. All four were subsequently fired, and Chauvin charged with 3rd-degree murder and 2nd-degree manslaughter. The phrase "I can't breathe" has quickly become a rallying cry for those seeking social justice and sweeping reform in the law enforcement ranks.

Play Video
ViacomCBS | Black Lives Matter
The episode, of course, has ignited civil unrest and riots across the nation and cities worldwide.

Created internally, the spot also features unsettling breathing sounds and encourages audiences to join with network partner Color of Change in calling for public officials to act. It will run on MTV, Comedy Central, Paramount Net, Pop, VH1, TV Land, CMT and Logo, as well as sibling networks BET, Nickelodeon and CBS Sports.

Entertainment & Youth Group president Chris McCarthy sent this email to his team about the spot:

Each of us is welcomed into this world with our first breath. It unites us across the planet as human beings. One week ago, for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the breath of one of our fellow humans was taken from him. His name was George Floyd.

Today at 5 p.m. ET, the E&Y brands and platforms around the world will go dark for 8 minutes and 46 seconds to show our support for the Black Lives Matter movement, and the fight against police brutality and racial inequality.

Our team has created a powerful graphic that focuses on the line "I Can't Breathe" to describe the lives of many who are brutalized by a system built on systemic racism.

We are seeing the tragic impact of discrimination affect our community in a myriad of ways—including the disproportionate number of people of color who have been impacted by Covid-19—another life or death fight for our breath.

Breath is one of the many things that unites us—and during this time, when Black lives are under attack in so many ways, we want to leverage all of our platforms to show our ally-ship. We have partnered with Color of Change to include a call to action—an important step to help all of us understand that we have a responsibility to get involved and be part of the solution. Please be on the look out for a note later today on how all of us can get involved in Black Out Tuesday tomorrow.

We know there is a lot of work ahead of us, and I am committed to action beyond these words with all of you. We must continue to work together, to look within, and to support one other and our fellow humans—all with compassion for each other.

On Friday, Nike used a similar black-and-white motif in a spot from Wieden + Kennedy, telling those who would ignore racism: "Don't Do It."

###

From TheWrap:

Watch ViacomCBS’ Powerful 8-Minute, 46-Second Blackout Video Tribute to George Floyd Here

“I Can’t Breathe” will pulse like a heartbeat on your screens at 5 p.m. local time

ViacomCBS is honoring George Floyd with an eight-minute and 46-second blackout video, symbolizing the length of time that Floyd was suffocated by a police officer, resulting in his death.

The phrase “I can’t breathe” will pulse across the screen at 5 p.m. ET/PT when ViacomCBS channels go dark on Monday. Programming will resume at 5:09 p.m.

Below is Chris McCarthy’s full memo to his staff.

Team,

Each of us is welcomed into this world with our first breath. It unites us across the planet as human beings. One week ago, for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the breath of one of our fellow humans was taken from him. His name was George Floyd.

Today at 5pm ET, the E&Y brands and platforms around the world will go dark for 8 minutes and 46 seconds to show our support for the Black Lives Matter movement, and the fight against police brutality and racial inequality.

Our team has created a powerful graphic that focuses on the line “I Can’t Breathe” to describe the lives of many who are brutalized by a system built on systemic racism.

We are seeing the tragic impact of discrimination affect our community in a myriad of ways – including the disproportionate number of people of color who have been impacted by COVID-19 – another life or death fight for our breath.


Breath is one of the many things that unites us – and during this time, when Black lives are under attack in so many ways, we want to leverage all of our platforms to show our ally-ship. We have partnered with Color of Change to include a call to action – an important step to help all of us understand that we have a responsibility to get involved and be part of the solution. Please be on the look out for a note later today on how all of us can get involved in Black Out Tuesday tomorrow.

We know there is a lot of work ahead of us, and I am committed to action beyond these words with all of you. We must continue to work together, to look within, and to support one other and our fellow humans – all with compassion for each other.

Chris

ViacomCBS’s international entertainment and youth partners will also be going dark, as well as other and other ViacomCBS brands including BET, Nickelodeon and CBS Sports. MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo Media, Comedy Central, Paramount Network, Smithsonian Channel and TV Land are also among channels going dark.

Floyd, an innocent black man, died on May 25 after being pinned face-down on the ground with white officer Derek Chauvin’s knee pressed against his neck for nearly nine minutes. The incident was caught on video by a bystander. Chauvin has since been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.

Floyd’s death was ruled a “homicide caused by asphyxia” on Monday after his family insisted an independent autopsy be conducted to determine his cause of death.

Watch the tribute from ViacomCBS above.

###

From C21 Media:

ViacomCBS nets go dark for George Floyd


The channels displayed this message for eight minutes and 46 seconds

ViacomCBS’s US cablenets Comedy Central, MTV, Smithsonian Channel and Nickelodeon paused their programming last night in tribute to George Floyd, the black man killed by a Minnesota police officer last week.

The channels turned their screens dark and displayed the message ‘I can’t breathe’ for eight minutes and 46 seconds, the same amount of time that Floyd was pinned to the ground by officer Derek Chauvin, who held his knee upon Floyd’s neck despite his pleas for help.

Floyd’s death has sparked major civil unrest across the US, with protests and riots leading to curfews in several cities.

In an internal memo, ViacomCBS president of entertainment and youth brands Chris McCarthy revealed the networks would go off-air in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, condemning violence towards African Americans at the hands of the police.

In line with many other companies and social media users across the world, McCarthy also said ViacomCBS would today be observing ‘Blackout Tuesday.’ The company will not conduct business or hold any meetings as a show of solidarity for their black colleagues. The exec also highlighted the fact that the coronavirus pandemic has been disproportionately affecting communities of colour across the US.

McCarthy’s statement read: “While I am not a person of colour and can never fully understand this experience, I am offended by the systemic racism and want to stand together with our communities of colour in the hurt and pain. We must all do our part – discrimination against one of us is discrimination against all of us.

“Therefore, as president of our group, I commit that we will do the following: use our platforms to shine a light on the realities of racial injustice and call for equality, amplify the voices of the communities we serve and provide a call to action for change and foster a culture that deeply values and respects diversity and inclusion.”

Fellow ViacomCBS channel brands VH1, CMT, Logo Media, Paramount Network, BET, CBS Sports and TV Land all went dark on Monday evening.

Children’s network Nickelodeon also expressed solidarity with the movement, halting its scheduled programming to display its Kids’ Bill of Rights, which the network originally put together in 1990.

Nickelodeon screens turned orange for just under nine minutes, with a message reading: “You have the right to be seen, heard, and respected as a citizen of the world. You have the right to a world that is peaceful. You have the right to be treated with equality, regardless of the colour of your skin. You have the right to be protected from harm, injustice, and hatred. You have the right to an education that prepares you to run the world. You have the right to your opinions and feelings, even if others don’t agree with them.”

###

From Decider:

Nickelodeon’s “I Can’t Breathe” Commercial Sparks Controversy: “Educate Your Kids”

Nickelodeon has gone dark in protest of George Floyd‘s death. On Monday, the kid-friendly network went off the air for eight minutes and 46 seconds, the length of time that Floyd was pinned to the ground with a police officer’s knee on his neck, as a tribute to Black Americans who have died as a result of police brutality. While a few parents complained that the “I Can’t Breathe” commercial that played during the blackout was too “scary” for their children, the vast majority insisted that Nick’s ad was “super important” for kids to see. “Check your privilege and educate your kids,” tweeted one viewer.

Yesterday afternoon, ViacomCBS brands paid tribute to George Floyd with a powerful spot meant to visualize his pain. For eight minutes and 46 seconds, Nickelodeon, MTV, and other ViacomCBS networks went dark, save for the words, “I can’t breathe” regularly appearing and fading on the screen. The text was punctuated by the sound of heavy breathing and a request for viewers to join Color of Change in its mission to reform the criminal justice system.

Nickelodeon’s strong stand against police brutality was praised by many viewers, but a small set felt that the eight-minute spot was too graphic for young children. One Twitter user shared a video of the clip (alongside alt-right Q Anon conspiracy tags) and insisted that she’s “pissed” about the ad, as her “8 year old is scared to death.” Another user quoted the video and asked why Nickelodeon had “to make it scary” for children.

[...]

Many Nickelodeon viewers were quick to point out that “it is scary” — particularly for Black Americans who are brutalized by the police. “Nickelodeon did what it had to do… Teach them!” one fan urged white parents. “I’m in tears rn. This is so powerful,” said another.


From Media Play News:

ViacomCBS Channels Go Dark for 8 Minutes, 46 Seconds in Support of ‘Black Lives Matter’

ViacomCBS last weekend vowed to make a strong statement following the death of black man Greg Floyd by a white Minneapolis police officer on Memorial Day. At 5 p.m. ET on June 1 the media giant’s properties, including MTV, Comedy Central, BET and VH1 aired eight minutes and forty-six seconds of breathing sounds with the words “I can’t breathe.” Other contributing channels included Paramount Networks, TV Land, CMT, Logo, CBS Sports and Nickelodeon.

Chris McCarthy, president of the company’s entertainment & youth group, in an email to staff first reported by CNBC, said the symbolic move — the time span a white police officer kneeled on Floyd’s neck, killing him — was about denouncing a horrible tragedy due to social injustice.

“One week ago, for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the breath of one of our fellow humans was taken from him. His name was George Floyd,” McCarthy wrote. “Today at 5pm ET, the E&Y brands and platforms around the world will go dark for 8 minutes and 46 seconds to show our support for the Black Lives Matter movement, and the fight against police brutality and racial inequality.”

The ViacomCBS action comes following a weekend when myriad media companies, streamers and studios pledged solidarity on social media to Black Lives Matter.

“We know there is a lot of work ahead of us, and I am committed to action beyond these words with all of you,” McCarthy wrote in the email. “We must continue to work together, to look within, and to support one other and our fellow humans – all with compassion for each other.”

###

From MarketWatch:

Some parents are slamming Nickelodeon’s George Floyd tribute for ‘scaring children’

Several ViacomCBS networks went dark for a symbolic eight minutes and 46 seconds on Monday night

These almost nine minutes of near silence speak volumes.

Eight ViacomCBS networks went off the air for eight minutes and 46 seconds on Monday night in a tribute to George Floyd, the black man who was pronounced dead soon after white Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for that long, and whose death has sparked civil unrest around the world over the past week.

Most of the channels, including BET, MTV, VH1, Comedy Central and CBS Sports, aired the words “I can’t breathe” on a dark background, along with the sound of someone breathing while a clock counted down the 8 minutes and 46 seconds that Chauvin kept his knee pressed against Floyd’s neck while the man was lying facedown in the street.

Nickelodeon took a more kid-friendly approach to the social justice campaign, using an orange background (the network’s signature shade) with the message: “Nickelodeon is going off the air for 8 minutes and 46 seconds in support of justice, equality, and human rights.”

The message airing at 6 p.m. ET also scrolled the “Nickelodeon Declaration of Kids’ Rights” on repeat, which the network created in June 1990. It reads:

“You have the right to be seen, heard, and respected as a citizen of the world. You have the right to a world that is peaceful. You have the right to be treated with equality, regardless of the color of your skin. You have the right to be protected from harm, injustice, and hatred. You have the right to an education that prepares you to run the world. You have the right to your opinions and feelings, even if others don’t agree with them.”

The orange Nickelodeon spot did not feature the breathing sounds.

But a brief segment of the other version of the tribute, featuring the words “I Can’t Breathe” set to the sounds of someone inhaling and exhaling, also aired on Nickelodeon later that evening. And some people are criticizing the campaign on Twitter and Facebook for scaring their children, and asking what the striking spot was doing on a kids’ network.

[...]

Reps for Nickelodeon declined to comment, other than to share the text from the “Nickelodeon Declaration of Kids’ Rights” as an explanation.

ViacomCBS was not immediately available for comment by press time. In fact, the media company’s website went dark as part of #BlackoutTuesday, a day being promoted by activists to observe, mourn and bring about policy change following Floyd’s death. The landing page read, “Our Business Is On Pause Today,” and explained that the media company was encouraging employees to “shift their focus from building our business to building community.”

But ViacomCBS President of Entertainment and Youth Brands Chris McCarthy had this to say about the campaign before it was aired.

“While I am not a person of color and can never fully understand this experience, I am offended by the systemic racism and want to stand together with our communities of color in the hurt and pain,” he wrote in an internal memo reported by Deadline. “We must all do our part – discrimination against one of us is discrimination against all of us.”

And Nickelodeon’s official Facebook page responded to one critic by writing, “Unfortunately, some kids live in fear every day. It’s our job to use our platform to make sure their voices are heard and their stories are told.”


This was a sentiment shared by many people who noted that a lot of black children have been scared for their own lives and those of their family members “for over hundreds of years.”

“Thank you for doing this,” wrote a viewer under the name Rachel Gardiner on the network’s Facebook post promoting the tribute. “This IS the right platform. This is a scary time and riots are everywhere; we need to discuss these things with our children and they need to know about equality and their rights.”

A Twitter user wrote that shielding children from issues like this “is how racism and other forms of discrimination are being passed down. They’re learning to bully others because their parents are ‘too scared’ to educate them about the world they have to live in.”


Watch the full eight minute, 46 second tribute below.


[...]

###

From Deadline:

ViacomCBS & 4Music Among UK Broadcasting Networks To Go Dark In Tribute To George Floyd

Channel 4’s 4Music, ViacomCBS channels and ITV are among the TV and radio networks in the UK that will go dark in tribute to George Floyd.

The action, which has a number of monikers on social media including #BlackOutTuesday and #TheShowMustBePaused, sprung up in the music industry and is now being embraced by broadcasting networks and streamers, including Amazon.

The blackout is a message of solidarity in response to the death of Floyd on May 25. Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder in relation to the incident, which has sparked days of fraught protests across America.

Channel 4’s 4Music channel said it will pause content every hour on television and social on Tuesday “to show solidarity with our colleagues, viewers, artists, on screen talent and all people of colour.”

On Monday, ViacomCBS announced plans to switch off its entertainment and youth brands, including MTV and Comedy Central, for 8 minutes and 46 seconds (marking the time in which Floyd was killed) at 5PM in the U.S. Similar plans have been drawn up in the UK, where the likes of MTV UK will cease broadcasting at 7PM on Wednesday.

Deadline has reached out to the BBC to establish if it will be participating in a television blackout on Tuesday. ITV’s daily show This Morning paused at 11AM on Tuesday, displaying the words “Black Lives Matter” on a black screen.

Amazon Prime Video UK also tweeted in support of the movement [... .]

Meanwhile over in radio, Absolute Radio and Scala Radio were among those who said they will abstain from posting on social media as part of their stand against racism. The BBC’s youth station, Radio 1Xtra, is planning special programming and debates in support of the black community in the UK and around the world.

###


Originally published: Tuesday, June 02, 2020 at 00:29 BST.

Additional source: La República, Insider,.BuzzFeed.
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