Media firms, celebrities join BlackOut Tuesday protests

Major broadcasters, celebrities and music streaming companies including Apple Music and Spotify turned off or made changes to their services on Tuesday to mark their solidarity with protests against the killing of George Floyd.

ViacomCBS Inc said it will be on "on pause" for #BlackOutTuesday to reflect on recent events and to shift focus from "building business to building community".

The company on Monday had its channels, including CBS News, MTV and Comedy Central, transmit 8 minutes and 46 seconds of breathing sounds with the words "I can't breathe", denouncing the incident last week that sparked protests across America.

A Minneapolis police officer was arrested last week on third-degree murder and manslaughter charges for his role in the death of the 46-year-old Floyd.

Celebrities including Rihanna, Katy Perry, Britney Spears and Kylie Jenner all went dark on social media to acknowledge Floyd's death.

NBA stars including LeBron James and Steph Curry posted an empty black photo on their Instagram pages. The league's official page posted the same photo with the hashtag "#NBATogether".

Streaming giant Spotify Technology said it would feature an 8 minute and 46 second long track of silence in select podcasts and playlists on Tuesday, while also halting social media publications.

Apple Music said it would use the day to reflect and plan actions to support black artists, creators and communities.

Dozens of artists and sports stars have spoken out against Floyd's death and the racism they say lay behind it as the protests spread through US cities.

Leading record labels said they would mark Tuesday by suspending business and working with communities to fight racial inequality.

"Watching my people get murdered and lynched day after day pushed me to a heavy place in my heart!," Rihanna wrote on Instagram.