A Victory In The Fight Against BET

Bloggers, Activists, & Civil Rights Groups Get BET To Back Down

Press Release Below

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BET's "Hot Ghetto Mess" is Hot Ghetto Gone!: Network Changes Name to "We Got to Do Better."

Austin, TX - July 23, 2007- After battling widespread public outrage over its intent to air a show, " Hot Ghetto Mess," on July 25th, BET has relented and changed the name from "Hot Ghetto Mess" to "We Got to Do Better." It wasn't all that she was hoping for, but Gina McCauley, creator of the blog What About Our Daughters?, is reserving judgment until the show airs.

"On Friday a third-party called me and said that BET was reeling and didn't know what to do. That was when I gave them several alternatives. I suggested that they either release the show directly to DVD or they could change the name."

McCauley's largest concern with the television show " Hot Ghetto Mess" was that it was tied directly to the website of the same name.

"The website is indefensible. For BET to be so arrogant to think that they were going to get away with promoting and promulgating something as abominable as HotGhettoMess.com, they had to be complete total idiots" said McCauley.

"My position has always been that people who want to watch foolishness should pay for it. I will not purchase the products, goods and services of a company that advertises on something called "Hot Ghetto Mess."

Although she doesn't think BET can pull off social commentary, McCauley is waiting until she sees the show when it premiers on Wednesday.

However, McCauley is warning advertisers willing to risk sponsoring on the show, whatever the name. " We fully intend to hold the advertisers accountable for every photo, video or joke appearing on 'We Got to Do Better.'

BET.com reflects the name change which apparently was done so quickly that whoever edited the show description to replace HGM with WGTDB failed to delete an "H" and one of the revisions reads HWGTDB.

###
Contact: Gina McCauley, Creator of What About Our Daughters?
Whataboutourdaughters@gmail.com

Whataboutourdaughters.blogspot.com

"Combating negative portrayals of African American women in popular culture."

======================

WhatAboutOurDaughters.com Founder gives an update here.

=========================

My position is that we should not back down just yet. Exploitation by any other name is still exploitation. But I am willing to wait and see how this plays out....