Imus Replacement Tryouts: Media Matters Statement
Philadelphia Radio Host & Columnist Michael Smerconish Tapped
Washington, DC - In the wake of the Don Imus controversy, NBC News president Steve Capus acknowledged "that there have been any number of other comments that have been enormously hurtful to far too many people. And my feeling is that ... there should not be a place for that on MSNBC."
He also stated, "This is about trust. It's about reputation. It's about doing what's right," later adding, "I hope we don't squander this remarkable opportunity that we have to continue this dialogue that has taken place, to continue the dialogue about what is appropriate conduct and speech, to continue the dialogue about what is happening in America. I think we have, as broadcasters, a responsibility to address those matters." [MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews; 4/11/07]
According to an April 20 Philly.com article, "The Big Talker 1210 AM morning show of Daily News columnist Michael Smerconish is to be simulcast Monday through Wednesday on MSNBC." The article noted that Smerconish will fill the slot previously held by Imus in the Morning, which was canceled on April 11 in the wake of controversial comments by Imus, then the host, on the April 4 edition of the show.
David Brock, President and CEO of Media Matters for America made the following statement today regarding the selection of Smerconish:
"It is our hope that as one of Imus' temporary replacements, Michael Smerconish, as well as other broadcasters, news corporations, and journalists, will take Mr. Capus' words of 'responsibility' and 'opportunity' to heart.
"In the past, Michael Smerconish has said that Muslims who pray in public are committing "a form of terrorism," and he has complained that the United States' "limp-wristedness" is "compromising our ability to win the war on terror."
"In the wake of the Imus controversy, it is important that all media figures keep in mind both the responsibility they hold and the crucial role they play in shaping the public discourse on the airwaves. They should take this opportunity to elevate the tone, quality, and accuracy of the public debate.
"In addition, we hope that MSNBC will include a broader, more diverse range of voices for consideration in its search to find a permanent replacement for Imus in the Morning.
"We, at Media Matters for America, will continue our mission to highlight and critique bigoted commentary, in addition to other forms of conservative misinformation in the media, and bring them to the public's attention."
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We must wait and see if the firing of Don Imus makes for more responsible broadcasting and reduces bigotry or becomes a means of trying to get people off the airwaves just because influential people disagree with them. While Polls seem to show that most Americans are supportive of the Imus firing, I wonder if they supported Bill Maher's firing or the banning of the Dixie Chicks from hundreds of radio stations because they were voicing unpopular political opinions. And even if the polls favored the actions taken, was it right? Media needs to be diverse. Fox News has coined the phrase, "Fair and Balanced." News talk shows need to be fair but shouldn't need to be balanced. I don't have any problems with Liberals or Conservatives who discuss a point of view. I do have problems about lying and misleading information. Joe Scarborough, Chris Matthew and Keith Oberman are not balanced in their views but as far as I can tell, there information is accurate and fair. When they make a mistake, they own up to it. Compare that to other talks show hosts who make up statistics and get information from unreliable Internet sources and never admit to a mistake. It's like Dick Cheney still saying that Sadaam Hussein was linked to 9/11. If you say it enough it becomes a fact.
As an African-American female, I would like to find our how to get statements and questions like these of mine as "dialogue" on tne mass media of things like were said by the CEOs of MSNBC,NBC about the use of the word____ ( the last time I put in the word I got flaged as using profanity) over the public air waves charges being only brought by Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson over the mass media in April 07 when they have had a complaint and an on going boycott by a whole Black female college, Spellman, for over two years? In this dialogue, I would ask the CEOs if these complaints were never brought up because this whole college of Black female's boycott was against the BLACK MEN in the Black music industry and not the 1 White MAN Don Imus. And, isn't this racial discrimination? So far a dialog with these Black famale students have been limited to two days fo meetings with these students and the Black music industry heads only been covered by Oprah on her TV program and she will be taking her TV program's cameras to all of these continued meeting between these two in the future. Still no mass media coverage, but dispite Al Sharpton being a no show on the second day of Oprah's programing of this Town hall meetings, when the music industry met with these students, the CEOs continue to show Sharpton's threats to meet with this industry!
I saw Al Sharpton on CNN 4-13-07 complaining about the media never covering him when he goes after the Black music industry, and when given a chance to do so being covered by the TV cameras of Oprah, Sharpton was a no show. How can a dialogue take place where as Oprah named these 4-16 and 17-07 programs,"Now that you have fired Don Imus, where do we go from here"? is the subject be heard by the MSNBC, NBC never allowing things like this on their networks? I pray where we go from here is to allow Black female community leaderslike me to be able to get an answer as to why was Don Imus fired because Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton for two years waited for a White man to bring up this ____ word issue which they had ignored against Black men for over two years and from this by me to you ,still are!!!