At the start of this week, Beth Rigby was once again trending on Twitter – but for all the wrong reasons.
Within minutes of Beth’s question to the PM at the recent press briefing, trolls were found circulating online, labelling the Sky News’ Political Editor under derogatory terms such as ‘daft cow’, ‘sickening’, and a ‘tramp’, among other insults.
https://twitter.com/1BJDJ/status/1376576162697252873
One critic on Twitter also described her as “one of the country’s most notorious Covid rule breakers”.
Such online vitriol isn’t new to Rigby and is something that is sadly a routine occurrence for high profile journalists in the profession, but criticism against the broadcaster significantly worsened when she went to colleague Kay Burley’s 60th birthday party in December, breaching social distancing rules and threatening the reputation of Sky News.
The pair, along with some other colleagues, were temporarily suspended from the news organisation, with Beth’s return to Sky at the start of March splitting public opinion. Best friend and colleague Kay Burley, who hosted the event and was spotted hugging Rigby that night, is set to return to Sky in June but has been keeping a low profile on social media since last year.
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Whilst no one can deny Rigby knowingly broke social distancing rules – legislation which she was thoroughly clued up on because of the nature of her work – she has paid her dues and taken time to reflect, something which MPs and government ministers who have made similar mistakes seem unwilling to do.
Take last year’s Cumming Saga for example: whilst calls landed in every direction for the PM’s top aide to resign, he was neither pushed nor shoved by 10 Downing Street, remaining in his position for the rest of the year despite his 260 mile trip in May arguably a greater breach of rules given the severity of lockdown at that point.
“is it not at least respectable that the Sky News Editor is able to own up to her mistakes and admit wrong doing”
Likewise, former Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn’s dinner party which exceeded the rule of six didn’t garner half as much press attention as Rigby’s outing, with Corbyn not even receiving a fine for his Covid-19 rule breaking.
Given Beth’s email apology which was issued to all Sky News staff, iterating her deep regret and genuine sorrow for what she had done, is it not at least respectable that the Sky News Editor is able to own up to her mistakes and admit wrong doing?
When so many politicians and key figures shy away from any public responsibility, it seems both brave and bold for Rigby to own up to making a genuine mistake and prove that she is able to learn from this.
If our online cancel culture is such that there is no space for anyone to make mistakes or slip up, where does this leave society more broadly? Is this not simply a slippery slope? After all, no individual is entirely without faults.
Shocked at all the trolling of @BethRigby tonight. She made a mistake, apologised, paid her dues. People being more upset that she is still in a job than Johnson, Hancock, Patel et al speaks volumes. And the vitriolic personal insults, from women as well as men, make me feel sick
— Tracey Wilkinson (@marinermummy) March 29, 2021
This also raises the question of the significance of December’s event within the context of Rigby’s wider career, spanning over two decades. Having excelled in both print and broadcast roles, she is arguably one of the best journalists and interviewers in the Westminster circuit, providing a strong sense of inquiry but also fairness. Given her strong ability to carry out such a challenging role, is it therefore not important to judge Beth more on the quality of her government questioning rather than the context of her private life?
Of course, journalists are public figures and as such should be open to a certain level of public scrutiny as politicians are, with the distinction between public and private becoming evermore blurred. But the recent criticism of Rigby stretches well beyond this, bordering on intense harassment.
.@BethRigby asks the PM whether he's concerned people will stop listening to the rules 👇
Boris Johnson says 'the more cautious we are the better chance we have' and adds the Novavax jab is being made whilst 'pending MHRA approval'.https://t.co/dlQbrQIPUW pic.twitter.com/8LE95JptSg
— Sky News (@SkyNews) March 29, 2021
It is important to remember that whilst journalists like Rigby have a thick skin and a strong persona, they are also real people behind the keyboard, just like anyone else, with real feelings. It is therefore no wonder that this constant vile vitriol of targeted abuse online must be taking its toll.
In a recent talk for the Women in Media Conference, Beth reflected on this hardship, pointing out that shielding yourself from social media can only take you so far and this has subsequently deterred many women from entering public office altogether.
“surely it would be more conducive to cultivate a positive and open social media space”
For those who remain supportive of Rigby – myself included – they aren’t trying to dismiss the severity of the Covid-19 rule breaking, but simply recognise that she is a human, just like anyone else, who makes mistakes.
Instead of online trolls spending hours on end targeting a journalist for carrying out her job, surely it would be more conducive to cultivate a positive and open social media space, meaning no one’s mental health would have to suffer.
Lauren McGaun
Featured image courtesy of Lauren McGaun. No changes were made to this image.