A&E should have just proceeded with this bumbling mess of a documentary!
According to Deadline — A&E has pulled the plug on its upcoming docuseries centered on the KKK, amid growing criticism and ethics violations surrounding payments.
The network announced their plans to scrap the project, which was intended to serve as a close look extractors focused on helping people leave the Ku Klux Klan, in a statement released Saturday.
“Our goal with this series has always been to expose and combat racism and hatred in all its forms,” the network said in a statement. “However, A&E learned last night from the third-party producers who made the documentary that cash payments — which we currently understand to be nominal — were made in the field to some participants in order to facilitate access. While we stand behind the intent of the series and the seriousness of the content, these payments are a direct violation of A&E’s policies and practices for a documentary. We had previously provided assurances to the public and to our core partners — including the Anti-Defamation League and Color of Change — that no payment was made to hate group members, and we believed that to be the case at the time. We have now decided not to move forward with airing this project.”
The network went on to say, “A&E takes the authenticity of its documentary programming and the subject of racism, hatred and violence very seriously. Just because this particular show goes away, the issues of hate in America do not. We will still seek to fight hate in America through on-air programming including town halls and documentary programs produced in partnership with civil rights organizations, as well as continue to work with the civil rights community to facilitate a deeper dialogue on ending hate through comprehensive educational and outreach campaigns.”
A&E’s decision not to air the series came less than a week after its announcement, and after a year and a half worth of work and money!