Firings, layoffs and suspensions are almost the order of the day now at ESPN, which today suspended controversial anchor Jemele Hill for two weeks. Already on thin ice for recently tweeting that President Trump and his supporters are "white supremacists," Hill violated ESPN's social media policy for the second time. Monday, after Dallas Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones said he's now requiring his players stand for the national anthem, Hill recommended people boycott the team's advertisers:
Jerry Jones also has created a problem for his players, specifically the black ones. If they don't kneel, some will see them as sellouts. If you strongly reject what Jerry Jones said, the key is his advertisers. Don't place the burden squarely on the players.
In a short message on ESPN.com today, the network announced:
ESPN has suspended SportsCenter anchor Jemele Hill for two weeks for a second violation of the company's social media guidelines.
In a statement Monday, the company said Hill "... previously acknowledged letting her colleagues and company down with an impulsive tweet. In the aftermath, all employees were reminded of how individual tweets may reflect negatively on ESPN and that such actions would have consequences. Hence this decision."
Hill tweeted Sunday that fans who disagree with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who said players who disrespect the flag will not play for his team, should boycott the team's advertisers.
This play always work. Change happens when advertisers are impacted. If you feel strongly about JJ's statement, boycott his advertisers. https://t.co/LFXJ9YQe74
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) October 9, 2017
Or, how about not patronizing the advertisers who support the Cowboys? You can watch and do that, right? https://t.co/duPNqxFta7
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) October 9, 2017
Last month, Hill issued an apology after tweeting about President Donald Trump. She was warned about violating policy, but unlike others running afoul of management previously, she was not disciplined. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, White House spokesman, called that a "fireable offense." Hill's anger and lack of discipline have finally caught up with her. This loose cannon can tweet, but she can't hide.
Today, New York Daily News writers Amara Grautski and Leonard Greene and TMZ Sports dragged race hustler Al Sharpton into the issue. They wrote he "jumped into 'The Star-Spangled Banner' brouhaha, sharing his opposition to the disciplinary action and urging fans to take a stand. “ESPN’s suspension of Jemele Hill is an outrage and should NOT go unanswered,” Sharpton tweeted. “ESPN and advertisers will hear from us!”
Out on the street, TMZ stuck a microphone in Sharpton's face for this: "It's outrageous. Jemele Hill and anyone else has the right to express their views. To try and silence her will not silence many of us." He also said Jones put his players in a position to "sell their right" to express themselves in order to do their trade.
Sharpton aside, Sports Illustrated legal analyst Michael McCann thoroughly examined the constitutional rights of the network and Hill and concluded it was well within its rights, as a private company, to discipline her:
ESPN has made clear to its employees that it must “avoid personal attacks and inflammatory rhetoric” and “refrain from overt partisanship.” Such directives expressly apply to ESPN employees when they use social media platforms. Regardless of whether one agrees or disagrees with the substance of Hill’s commentary, it is clear that ESPN has directed its employees to avoid expressing views that might compromise the network’s business objectives.
But the often nasty Deadspin blog isn't so sure about that. Deadspin went with the headline that Hill has been suspended "for no good reason." Managing Editor Tom Ley wrote: "If ESPN really believes a tweet noting that boycotts work is worth a two-week suspension, they should be ashamed of themselves."
As for today, the ever popular "rename ESPN's initials game" must go with "S" as in "suspension."
