US writer sacked after declaring #OscarsSoWhite is over

The all-white winners of the Best Acting Oscars at this years ceremony. Photo/Getty

A US website has sacked a reporter after he declared the #OscarsSoWhite movement is cancelled.

Mashable senior film reporter Jeff Sneider made the claim in an article and subsequent tweet in which he pointed to the high number of non-whites tipped for a nomination at this year's Oscars.

OSCAR MAP 3: So long #OscarsSoWhite (and Live/Night & Rules/Apply)! Half of this year's acting nominees could be POC https://t.co/37HxItE1iN

— Jeff Sneider (@TheInSneider) November 30, 2016

The awards for the last two years were dogged by controversy because there were no people of colour nominated for major acting awards, prompting the start of the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite by Twitter user April Reign.

The article promoted an online backlash and ultimately the end of Sneider's job at Mashable.

Many Twitter users took issue with the fact that Sneider, a white man, had taken a movement started by a black woman and decided it was dead.

the movement is not yours to cancel if you didn't start it. You dismissed those who created it @ReignOfApril

— Jasmine (@jazadelphia) December 1, 2016

mic.com reports Mashable entertainment editor Josh Dickey expressed regret, attaching a correction to the article and tweeting his own claim to responsibility.

In an email, Mashable's director of communications Paul Cafiero said that the site "has decided to part ways with" Sneider as a direct result of the day's events, mic.com reports.

The movement's founder April Reign tweeted that Mashable had to do more to promote equality.

Nice, but what's the plan to ensure something similar doesn't recur? How diverse is your staff? Why don't you interview relevant sources? https://t.co/Z3W38bRQxw

— April (@ReignOfApril) December 1, 2016

You still gonna get that work #OnToday, @mashable. Hire a staff that reflects the diversity you say you seek. Interview relevant folks = me.

— April (@ReignOfApril) December 1, 2016

Meanwhile, Reign has started another hashtag on Twitter: #MashableCancels.

Somebody call me when #MashableCancels student loans.

— Pepperidge Farm remembers (@jnlbrk) December 1, 2016

#MashableCancels Black Lives Matter because a white cop gave those black kids ice cream cones that one time.

— Kathryn Haydon (@kathrynhaydon) December 1, 2016

#MashableCancels Inauguration 2017. Obama stays indefinitely pic.twitter.com/VvoH3bFnIi

— jazzybell0093 (@jazzybell0093) December 1, 2016