Help Jacqui Stay in Chattanooga
Donation protected
Jacqui Helbert, my sister, worked in Chattanooga for WUTC, an NPR affiliate station, in her new dream job as a radio reporter. The station is located on the campus of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Jacqui had moved to the area for the position almost 6 months ago, selling some of her prized possession to be able to pursue a career in journalism.
Jacqui was recently fired from that job after making a story that angered TN lawmakers . The story was about the anti-trans bathroom bill and how it would directly affect a group of high school students from a gay/straight alliance. Jacqui embedded with the students as they traveled to the capitol to talk to their lawmakers. She wore her press pass with WUTC lanyard, had a large shotgun microphone, bulky radio equipment, and WUTC tote bag.
The lawmakers were enraged after the story gained a lot of traction and they received angry phone calls. Senator Bell was upset about negative publicity and claimed Jacqui hid her microphone and didn’t identify herself. Colleagues of Representative Brooks was worried he appeared “pro-gay” in the story and could lose votes from conservatives.
Chattanooga has a problem with “good ol’ boy clubs” holding positions of power. The chancellor of UTC was pressured by lawmakers to fire Jacqui, or lose funding. They chose to throw Jacqui under the bus.
They discounted all the proof that Jacqui had identified herself, statements from witnesses, and the chancellor order her fired. Then immediately censored the story, removing it from the website.
The incidents are documented in various articles over the last couple weeks. The most thorough can be found here:
http://www.nashvillescene.com/news/pith-in-the-wind/article/20856151/did-legislators-get-a-public-radio-reporter-fired
http://www.nashvillescene.com/news/pith-in-the-wind/article/20857504/yes-jacqui-helbert-was-fired-over-fear-of-funding-cuts
The firing has become a national news story. Officials and ethicists from various organizations including NPR, Poynter, Columbia Journalism School, and Society for Professional Journalists, and RTDNA have all agreed Jacqui should not have been fired. NPR released a statement saying that he removal of her story and her firing were a breach of journalistic standards.
http://www.npr.org/about-npr/521715822/oreskes-memmott-wutc
This campaign is to raise money to help Jacqui stay in Chattanooga. She loves the area, the people, and radio. She is currently independently working on a few stories, but rent and bills are coming due. Jacqui wants to document Chattanooga independently while waiting to see if she will get her job back after the lawsuit.
Her work tends to focus on marginalized groups, and the people and culture of Appalachia, and she thinks that Chattanooga is the perfect place to do that work.
If you heard about her story, and decided not to send UTC money because they violated freedom of the press, or feel strongly about free speech, instead please consider helping my sister.
Thank you!!!
Please help spread the word!
Jacqui was recently fired from that job after making a story that angered TN lawmakers . The story was about the anti-trans bathroom bill and how it would directly affect a group of high school students from a gay/straight alliance. Jacqui embedded with the students as they traveled to the capitol to talk to their lawmakers. She wore her press pass with WUTC lanyard, had a large shotgun microphone, bulky radio equipment, and WUTC tote bag.
The lawmakers were enraged after the story gained a lot of traction and they received angry phone calls. Senator Bell was upset about negative publicity and claimed Jacqui hid her microphone and didn’t identify herself. Colleagues of Representative Brooks was worried he appeared “pro-gay” in the story and could lose votes from conservatives.
Chattanooga has a problem with “good ol’ boy clubs” holding positions of power. The chancellor of UTC was pressured by lawmakers to fire Jacqui, or lose funding. They chose to throw Jacqui under the bus.
They discounted all the proof that Jacqui had identified herself, statements from witnesses, and the chancellor order her fired. Then immediately censored the story, removing it from the website.
The incidents are documented in various articles over the last couple weeks. The most thorough can be found here:
http://www.nashvillescene.com/news/pith-in-the-wind/article/20856151/did-legislators-get-a-public-radio-reporter-fired
http://www.nashvillescene.com/news/pith-in-the-wind/article/20857504/yes-jacqui-helbert-was-fired-over-fear-of-funding-cuts
The firing has become a national news story. Officials and ethicists from various organizations including NPR, Poynter, Columbia Journalism School, and Society for Professional Journalists, and RTDNA have all agreed Jacqui should not have been fired. NPR released a statement saying that he removal of her story and her firing were a breach of journalistic standards.
http://www.npr.org/about-npr/521715822/oreskes-memmott-wutc
This campaign is to raise money to help Jacqui stay in Chattanooga. She loves the area, the people, and radio. She is currently independently working on a few stories, but rent and bills are coming due. Jacqui wants to document Chattanooga independently while waiting to see if she will get her job back after the lawsuit.
Her work tends to focus on marginalized groups, and the people and culture of Appalachia, and she thinks that Chattanooga is the perfect place to do that work.
If you heard about her story, and decided not to send UTC money because they violated freedom of the press, or feel strongly about free speech, instead please consider helping my sister.
Thank you!!!
Please help spread the word!
Organizer and beneficiary
Jenny Melody Snead
Organizer
Maryville, TN
Jacqui Helbert
Beneficiary
