A social media firestorm erupted after a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist with the Washington Post was booted from a conference featuring former first lady Michelle Obama.
The BET Network demanded Robin Givhan leave the “Leading Women Defined” conference in Bal Harbour, Florida for publishing a story on a Q&A session that was reportedly off the record, according to the New York Post’s Page Six.
The Washington Post fashion critic, who received the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for Criticism, published her story Wednesday, quoting Obama from the “private gathering of supremely accomplished black women.”
“I couldn’t count on my husband’s campaign to protect me; I had to protect myself,” Michelle Obama said. “They were using me like I was a candidate and supporting me like I was a spouse.” https://t.co/blEKEvyA3B
— Robin Givhan (@RobinGivhan) March 21, 2018
“I couldn’t count on my husband’s campaign to protect me; I had to protect myself,” Obama said in a chat with former presidential adviser Valerie Jarrett. “They were using me like I was a candidate and supporting me like I was a spouse.”
First Lady advice: “Take time to know what you care about. And what you can do in the realm of the administration. You have to know what the goals of the administration are.” The Obama administration’s was healthcare. So Michelle Obama focused on “gettin… https://t.co/wGINLfVWSH pic.twitter.com/j0dmLRs5P8
— Robin Givhan (@RobinGivhan) March 21, 2018
Obama also reportedly spoke about welcoming Donald and Melania Trump to the White House after she had been crying saying her goodbyes to White House staff.
On the 2009 inauguration: “Now that was a crowd…” Chuckle, chuckle, chuckle #lwdbet https://t.co/Nnp12PFYMl pic.twitter.com/mPr0ATERDI
— Robin Givhan (@RobinGivhan) March 21, 2018
According to Page Six:
When BET brass saw the story, they kicked Givhan out and canceled a panel she was due to moderate.
But while claiming Michelle’s talk was private, BET didn’t play by its own rules: The network posted sections of the interview on its website, while Valerie Jarrett, who conducted the chat, teased on social media that fans should “tune in to BET” to hear all that Obama really said.
The incident spiraled into a social media screaming match, and Givhan was subjected to a barrage of abuse, with one tweeter saying she “violated a sacred trust between women, black women.”
I suggest you get your facts straight. https://t.co/keiRtCiGK1
— Robin Givhan (@RobinGivhan) March 22, 2018
It was certainly not the former. And I guess you wrote the latter so I can’t be a judge of that. https://t.co/UEQtNIutSw
— Robin Givhan (@RobinGivhan) March 22, 2018
Givhan was “invited as a guest (not working press) to moderate a fashion panel,” a BET representative said.
it wasn’t off-the-record. https://t.co/lYfEFr4Xzm
— Robin Givhan (@RobinGivhan) March 22, 2018
The network had reportedly paid for Givhan’s travel and hotel expenses.
“She was made aware that it was an intimate conversation in a sacred space of sisterhood and fellowship,” the BET representative said.
It was an on-the-record conversation in front of a journalist https://t.co/wtsjiZPmmJ
— Robin Givhan (@RobinGivhan) March 22, 2018
I did my job by publishing an on-the-record conversation. https://t.co/lYfEFr4Xzm
— Robin Givhan (@RobinGivhan) March 22, 2018
It was an on-the-record conversation accompanied by its own host-supplied hashtag. https://t.co/AW31Qm6g4l
— Robin Givhan (@RobinGivhan) March 22, 2018
Givhan unloaded in scathing tweets as the debate raged, critics calling her out and the journalist defending herself.
It was on-the-record. And no, I’m not one of you if that means refraining from doing my job https://t.co/Mz8xJ1kJHn
— Robin Givhan (@RobinGivhan) March 22, 2018
My job is to report fairly, broadly and accurately. It is not to protect you. https://t.co/mXw82xNbX7
— Robin Givhan (@RobinGivhan) March 22, 2018
Permission to publish? WTF! https://t.co/JQ6CrVXbWP
— Robin Givhan (@RobinGivhan) March 22, 2018
I was a journalist listening to an on-the-record conversation between newsmakers. And I did my job. I cannot speak for other journalists in the room. https://t.co/RzJMIzsSJf
— Robin Givhan (@RobinGivhan) March 22, 2018
Givhen wasn’t alone, however, as many others – journalists included – called out the drama-filled
Ummmmm y’all do know that BET posted a video of the convo on their website, right? So let’s stop acting like this was a private chat in your living room. https://t.co/eCtZWzio5I
— Nic (@NicNdzibah) March 22, 2018
Thank you, @RobinGivhan for this report, cause the hoi polloi also wants to know what M.O. had to say. Not to mention there’s a BET video in the story with clips from the talk, so there’s no “off the record” argument to be made here. https://t.co/4A3QVwDnL6
— Vanessa Williams (@WaPoVanessa) March 22, 2018
I have no idea what’s going on, but it looks bonkers from my cheap seat.
— Cailleach Cochall (@HRHTish) March 22, 2018
The link is online. Clips of the talk and reactions from attendees. The whole thing was filmed so not quite off the record.
— Nic (@NicNdzibah) March 22, 2018
What is going on with these ladies? This isn’t super secret sorority land. The article was great by the way, telegraphing understanding, empathy and honesty.
— I’m here for dot gif (@CityPretzelDC) March 22, 2018
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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