In Philadelphia and the Los Angeles where I live, a person that does not present as a Black/African American does not use the phrase without repercussions. To do so is disrespectful and a racial microaggression. It should continue to be looked upon poorly.
The reporter didn’t deserve to be fired for its use but did deserve to be fired for her ignorance and insensitivity in this day and age. The fact that she did not do her own research is a reprehensible offense since fact checking and researching is her job. She was fired because it is not a Black persons responsibility to educate her on racial history, it is her responsibility as it is for everyone, to learn it themselves.
There is plenty of literature and other resources that explain this point in minute detail. Proximity to Blackness is NOT Blackness nor is it permission to disregard real lived experiences of Black people which includes the experience of non Black people appropriating cultural iconography, speech, and practices then using to create and/or reinforce negative stereotypes.