Dear Cartoon Brew…we need to have a talk about your handling of the Skyler Page story

 

Hey Amid,

 

How are ya. Look, so I know what you are going through right now. I go through it, too. You got an exclusive news story, Variety even picked it up, and I’m sure you are loving the traffic spikes. And while I commend you for writing a piece that certainly brings to light an issue that rears its ugly head in not just the animated workforce, but all of them, I do think how you reported it needs some tweaking.

For those that don’t know, Cartoon Brew aka the site that Jerry Beck built, had reported an exclusive that Clarence producer Skyler Page has been fired from Cartoon Network after sexual assault allegations. Actually, that wasn’t really the exclusive because the only work that went into the investigation was getting a statement from the network that Skyler had been let go. Everything else was really screen-capped from Twitter. Granted, we do pieces all the time with Twitter feeds as a byline, however it’s hardly an exclusive as Twitter has millions more visitors than Cartoon Brew, but that’s besides the case.

Amid had written his piece and then finished it off with an insensitive gag using a Cartoon Network promotional piece to help illustrate a point. Unfortunately, the graphic used really was in bad taste, and really has nothing to do with the victim. As a matter of fact, I do think that you, Amid, should take down the image as really you are putting Cartoon Network’s marketing team front and center of a piece that really has nothing to do with them. Their jobs are to promote a series, and I’m sure the majority of them had no idea that Mr. Page would turn out to be the scum bag that he really is. That’s what background checks are for!

Secondly, and most importantly, Amid…man to man…you really should not be posting up pictures of the victim. Is it illegal? It’s shades, because as a news outlet you do get the right to report, and I respect that. But, the question is should you be posting up the picture of an alleged assault victim?  Your website’s tagline is ”Animation art and culture since 2004.” What do art and culture have anything to do with ”posterizing” a victim’s photo without her know how or consent?  I don’t recall the victim stepping forward and sending out a statement, do you? As a journalist, (and more importantly as an editor) you have to report the news, but the victim was NOT the story…the perpetrator was. 

Look, I know how this business works Amid, and I’m sure you have bills to pay just like the rest of us. But, on behalf of the animation community, and more importantly on behalf of animated journalism, we ask that not only you take down the picture (s) that have nothing to do with the story, but you also issue an apology. Look, sometimes we fuck up…Christ knows I have. But, I hold myself, and all my staff accountable for their actions.

So, do the right thing, Amid. Be a man about it. Remove the pics, and let’s get back to doing what we do…reporting the news.