NBC, CBS Radio suspend Imus simulcast for two weeks
In the wake of comments host Don Imus made on the April 4 edition of MSNBC's Imus in the Morning -- in which Imus referred to the Rutgers University women's basketball team as "nappy-headed hos" -- NBC News announced that "[b]eginning Monday, April 16, MSNBC will suspend simulcasting the syndicated 'Imus in the Morning' radio program for two weeks," according to a statement posted on the NBC Universal Media Village website. Additionally, CBS Radio announced it will suspend Imus for the same two-week period, according to an April 9 Associated Press report. That report asserted that CBS made the suspension "without comment."
On the April 9 edition of NBC's Nightly News, anchor Brian Williams made the announcement his top story, noting that "NBC news called his remarks racist and abhorrent and said Imus has agreed to take action to change the discourse on his program."
Media Matters for America noted Imus' April 4 comments at the time, as well as his subsequent apology two days later. However, as Media Matters noted at the time of Imus' apology, his remarks about the Rutgers team are just the latest in a long history of racial slurs made by him, his guests, and regular contributors on the show.
From the April 9 edition of NBC's Nightly News with Brian Williams:
WILLIAMS: Good evening. Tonight, NBC News has announced radio host Don Imus, whose national morning show is simulcast on our cable network, MSNBC, is being suspended. He will not be seen on MSNBC for two weeks beginning Monday because of comments he made last week.
For many years, Imus in the Morning has been among the most influential of all nationally syndicated shows. Many of us at NBC News are guests on the Imus show. Don Imus spent this entire day apologizing under withering fire for the remarks he made about members of the Rutgers women's basketball team.
Tonight, in making the announcement, NBC News called his remarks racist and abhorrent and said Imus has agreed to take action to change the discourse on his program.
Imus gets a two week time out for racial slurs. Rush gets canned for his. ESPN showed more class in dealing with this than MSNBC, IMHO. Any takers that Obermann will make him his "worst" tonight? My money's on NO.
How about "Worst Person of the Year?"
Nope. Instead, Olbermann devoted his third story to the suspensions (MSNBC and CBS.) And if you don't know, that's a position of a bit more significance than a "worst person" award.
And he preceeded the story with a personal note: "A brief preface to our third story in the Countdown: The suspension of Don Imus by this network and CBS Radio for his remarks last week about the Rutgers University Women's basketball team. I may be mistaken about the exact date, but I don't believe I've appeared on his radio or television program since 1998. It's been a conscious decision stemming from what I thought were inappropriate things he has said about various people. It's has also been a conscious decision not to try to publicize this stance. To borrow a phrase from an ex-colleague: 'It's not my day to run the network.'"
So finally we have it from Olbermann: Not a fan, and apparently ordered not to trash Imus.
Thanks for posting that mini-transcript. I missed his remarks and was curious about how he would handle it.
FIRST OFFENSE, or a "Pattern of Behavior"?
[link to mediamatters.org] seems to me Imus (and particularly his band of "entertainers/newsmen") has been pursuing this unfunny brand of Rightwing "humor" for years. Slurs, put-downs, and namecalling is the order of the day. So-called "irreverent" and disrespectful cynicism rules the broadcast, as each on the team tries to think of the most clever way to nastily portray those they find worthy (for whatever reason, sometimes unknowable) of being smeared, insulted, and perhaps even destroyed publicly. Regular features are "imitations" of such people as the mayor of New Orleans and Bill Clinton, fueled by two-dimensional stereotypes made up entirely of depictions suggested by rightwing talking points.
Second, it's about time guys like Limbaugh and Imus and Hannity and many others were held to account for the things they say. There is no way that a civilized society should tolerate the output of Savage, Malkin, Coulter, Limbaugh, Liddy, Boortz, and a myriad of other haters who service a fringe audience of rightwing extremists. Not on PUBLIC airwaves.
Third, at the very least, there should be REAL "balance", and the "Fairness Doctrine" should be reinstated immediately. Not that this would produce discourse from the left which reflects the hatred the Right now spews forth, but at least the competing political messages could at last be heard with some equity.
Fourth, Imus is on the air because he makes his masters money. He has enough of an audience for the corporation to rake in millions of dollars on a regular basis. Imus' "punishment" here is a two-week vacation. Most American workers would consider this a REWARD rather than a punishment.
Fifth: A conversion CAN be done. Oprah showed the way. She was typecast/directed to have a shout-fest show of conflict and confrontation, because that was "what sells". She had the power to change direction, and have an uplifting and informative program instead. She proved that the small-minded people who RUN the networks don't know what they're talking about, by stubbornly insisting that only shows modelled on other "successes" can be successful ... and those "models" always aim at the audience of the least common denominator. The Corporations, like the Republicans, have ZERO faith in the intelligence of the American People. Sadly, they can make their millions of dollars from the few million fringe Americans who consume hatred and negativism.
Sixth: It is neither an issue of "market solutions" nor "fairness" to allow corporations to make all the rules. Our PUBLIC airwaves belong to the PUBLIC, and we should insist on standards, which include NOT rewarding haters and racists, and having a balance of viewpoints. It is time for Rightwing corporate ownership of our media to be broken up and made to comply. Returning the Fairness Doctrine would go a long way towards cleaning up our "media".
Sorry Tex, I don't buy it.
Imus is an equal opportunity offender. He mocks Bush, Cheney and scores of their rightwingers. Labelling Imus as a conservative given his vote for John Kerry and anti-war stance is ignorant.
1) He does not mock those people BECAUSE OF their race or sex. He mocks those people when they do things he considers stupid. That is a very different thing. Further, those other targets are rich, powerful and privileged, and some have a platform for responding. They are not members of groups who continue to be systematically denied many of the best opportunities for good jobs. They are not in groups about which many of the powerful believe those ugly stereotypes.
2) He is also a member of the same demographic groups--and is rich and powerful, as they are-- as your examples. Even if he were to make fun of them because of these characteristics, it would have a completely different impact--e.g., a Jewish comedian can tell jokes about other Jews when a non-Jewish person cannot.
3) He sits around with other middle-aged or older white males and makes fun of women who don't meet their standards for physical attactiveness or what they perceive to be non-threatening personalities. They are all entitled to BE sexists, racists, homophobes, etc. They are not entitled to ACT on their bigotry on the air, without consequences. They can go to Imus' family room and make those statements over beers, if they must.
4) How do you KNOW he voted for Kerry? Because he SAID so? If you listened to his show, which I did until I finally had had enough, you would have heard him flip-flop many times. And even if he did, that does not offset the more frequent examples of RW leanings. And, how many progressives or even left leaning moderates does he invite on his show? Lieberman is a big favorite of his. So is Russert. You've seen their names frequently here at MMFA.
He makes fun of jews all the time as money grubbers. As far as I know, he isn't jewish. He makes fun of conservatives all the time. He isn't conservative.
He has said many times he voted for Kerry. I don't see where that is debateable.
If people want to call him a racist, then they better call Hillary and Joe Biden racists too.
I just find it odd that Media Matters wants to paint Imus as a conservative racist, when he is so obviously not a conservative. So what if he has Russert and Lieberman on, he also has Kerry and Biden on.
I find it funny that you come in here and lie so much. Biden was pilloried for his comments both by the liberals here and in the press. At least some of us also criticised Hillary for her racist joke. You are determined to see a double standard so even when it doesnt materialize you just pretend it did. My question for you is will you EVER visit our planet?
Great post. I wonder why MSNBC did not take the same approach Indiana University did with Bobby Knight (for significantly different behavior, of course). They established a "zero tolerance policy" calling for firing if there was any repetition of a past pattern, and then followed through. I have also wondered whether IU would have taken that approach if Knight had been winning as many games (and bringing in as much money for the university--like Imus, he did a tremendous amount of charitable work and fund raising) as in his glory days. It is interesting how "principled" some institutions get when weaker rather than more powerful people behave badly.
But this apparently isn't anything new. Check the shocking memory circa 1971 at On Our Radar blog, http://onourradar.blogspot.com/2007/04/imus-memory-hole.html
Should the marketplace or society, somehow, say enough is enough after more than 35 years of degenerate racism and sexism?
This seems like an appropriately measured response. NBC had not previously taken Don to the woodshed. He's now on notice.
He may or may not see the error in his ways - but the next time he puts it out there, he's done.
Good start. Now can we please have that idiot Beck off the air? I caught my father watching him, and I had to shorten my visit.
How do you tell a family member that 50% of what comes out of his mouth is pure bullsh_t, and the other 50% is hatred for anyone not angry, white, and Christian?
Answer: you can't, unless you wish to have an even more uneasy holiday next year.
There are some who just don't understand that Imus/Beck/Limbaugh/Hannity/etc. are both lying sacks as well as homophobic, racist, sexist, alarmists who make money off of people's fears.
Maybe your father is older and wiser than you.
It would be a very interesting trick if his father were YOUNGER than him, but clearly not wiser. Beck is a worthless bloviating screechmonkey.
I caught my dad watching Keith Olbermann and I was amazed. He lives in the Indiana Bible belt and is a staunch Democrat. He thinks Iraq was a big mistake and Bush should be impeached. He loaths O'reilly and Hannity as well as Beck. He is 86 years young and fought in WWII. He helped run Count Chocola out of office. Dad, I'm proud of you! Coolest Dad Ever!!!
Why the selective outrage for a John Kerry voter?
Where was the outrage for Hillary and Joe Biden to resign when they made racist jokes?
I think the Rutgers basketball babes should get to appear on his show and make fun of him - no holds barred.
As usual, Leather, you aren't making any sense.
Please enlighten us as to the "racist comments" made by Hillary and Joe Biden.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sM19YOqs7hU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1Mq8kOXV_E
Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton making racists remarks. They apologized. Imus made a dumb racist joke. He apologized.
Only one of the three is a comic. Why should the comic get axed while the other two keep their jobs? Imus apologized and got a two week suspension. That is enough.
Imus? A comic? Gee, I thought 'comic' meant 'funny' or 'humorous'. This guy is funny as a heart attack and as humorous as shooting a guy in the face. Not funny, just a loose cannon.
Leather,
You know by now that Hillary and Joe didn't mean it. They get a pass from the left. Its not about what they say, its what party they belong to. The left forgives their own. Personally, I'm not offended in the least about their comments, but that Ghandi guy who owns the gas station got a double whammy. Hillary not only slurred him, but she is going to grab his profits, too.
You are delusional. Biden was raked over the coals, his presidential bid was immediatly pronounced dead. Several of us took Hillary to task also. Why do you guys just pretend that what you WISH happened to conform to your delusional fantasies is what DID happen?
Biden's bid was DOA upon him announcing it, and Hillary is still the front runner. How is it exactly that you guys "took her to task?" Who's delusional, again?
forgive my ignorance if im wrong the hilary clinton video was convenietly cut before and after but it sounds to my like she was again qouting somone else like the supposed southern drawl that was reported as pandering am i wrong ?
Way to go, Keith. Tom Delay vs Imus. Nice way to sell out.
The second time I watched your show, and I gave up Deal or No Deal to do it. Never again.
I assume you mean you watched Olbermann's show instead of Deal or No Deal. First, why you think Olbermann's the point of this topic is beyond me. Second, you cleary did NOT see Olbermann's show because instead of awarding a "worst person" award to Imus, Olbermann devoted an entire segment to the shock jock. That's a bit more significant than a "worst person" snippet.
So you can go back to hating Olbermann and NBC by ... uh... watching NBC.
NBC and CBS suspend Imus when he makes anti-black comments, but not when he made anti-Jewish comments (when he referred to "money grubbing Jews.") Translation: anti-Semitism is OK with CBS and NBC but not anti-black sentiment. Despicable-a word that describes both Imus and NBC/CBS.
I think we all need to grow up a little bit here. At what point does it stop? The PC police will make this country the most humorless and stuck up nation in the world.
"Watermelon man"
"blazing saddles"
"foxy brown"
Ending racist phrases will in no way end racism. Itll make it worse.
Why does Borat get away with it? Is it because he is Jewish?
Apparantly you two guys cant see the difference between satirizing racism and BEING racist
Taking the microphone from filth corporate hacks who pollute the airwaves will make our nation stronger.
blazing saddles was a comedy aimed at rascists was it not ?
Please don't compare Imus to Rush. Thats moronic. Can you tell me even one other broadcaster with 10,000,000 fans thats said on air that Bush and Cheney should be hung for war crimes?
Seriously he's one of them "he's not all bad" kind of guys.
I don't understand why MMFA is attacking Imus. He is NOT a conservative.
He voted for Kerry and is against the war. Has he skewered MMFA or Keith Olberman? There must be a reason for this incessant whining.
"There must be a reason for this incessant whining."
-----
So please explain. Why do you do it so much?
Is Dodge your favorite car?
Is stupid your favorite breakfast cereal?
Good for Imus. He needs a vacation anyway. LOL. And Sharpton thought he REALLY had some power. LOL. Stop trying to tell people what they can say, ok?
Somewhere tonight, Dick Cheney is smiling. Way to get played, MMFA!
Unfortunately for all the do-gooders writing and posting here, there is a very substantial difference between "free" and "hurtful" speech. Free speech is guaranteed. Hurftul speech is left unaddressed (by the Constitution, anyway) for a very simple reason. Hurt is in the ear of the beholder. It's a passive, subjective reaction.
The freedom of expression is what is pivotal here. You don't think it's funny? You don't think it's appropriate? Well, I'm certain you didn't hear it in the first place.
There's an abundance of retrograde outrage, here and around the lefty blogosphere. I've been very generous to Media Matters in the past, but no more.
Whatever you think. Imus has NO first amendemnt right to a radio program. Nor to the use of OUR airwaves in a manner his employers dont think reflect well upon THEM. NONE.
JMA - One think I think we can all be certian of that you don't know what your talking about if your trying to argue free speech and MSNBC suspending Imus.
The 1st amendement doesn't give you the right to have a nationally synidcated radio show on public air waves. Imus can take the next 2 weeks and exercise his freedom of speech like the rest of us.
I've been very generous to Media Matters in the past, but no more. jmaharry /
Generous how? Not posting?
Yeah me neither. Media Matters is really making a mountain out of a mole hill with this Imus ordeal. So he said something stupid. BIG DEAL! He apologized and that is a LOT more than most people do. It isn't like he dropped the "N" bomb. Geez...Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson make a big deal out of everything. You know why? GREED. They would have NO JOB if they didn't.
You don't see much of a connection between "nappy headed" and the "N-word"? You can't see why a talented team of black women would be offended at being called "nappy headed ho's"? Seriously?
For what it is worth, it was only a matter of time when Imus was being called on what he said on the radio. As a former longtime listener, I know that Imus' producer Bernard McGuirk is a major instigator. For many years, both men have gotten away with a lot of offensive statements. I hope McGuirk was also suspended (if not fired) as well. There is no mention anywhere in the press about McGuirk's part in the discussion. It is not just Imus who should be called on his statements.
What's really sad to me is that this godawful twit is now...
SAYING I'M SORRY, APOLOGIZING ... doing that whole routine.
It is so pathetic to see this two-bit dirtball doing the "I'm so sorry thing." This is hardly the first time he's pulled this garbage, as this great Website has documented.
We know were not done with this yet...Imus has not yet checked himself into rehab!
WTF??? Why wait till next week to start his punishment?? Big shot Imus doesn't play by the rules us lowlifes have to play by. If I said what he said at my job, I would be OUT. No 2 weeks, no apology and nobody saying that I'm "really a sweet lady" and I was "just joking". He is a lousy human being and all the charity work in the world will not make his clean.
Charity might have something to do with it. Olbermann pointed out that the "time drag" will allow for "maximum exposure for [Imus'] charity radio-thon later this week."
Maybe some good can come from all this controversy. I mean, beyond getting Imus off the air for two weeks.
I wonder what would have happend if he vehemntly defeneded his wisecrack as only a joke and people need to get over it. I bet he wouldnt have gotten suspeneded, (jeez it sounds like junior high school, the remark AND the reaction.)and if anyone of the vile black rap artists who regularly "dis" all kinds of things said it, it would become the next platinum seller "nappy headed ho".this country needs to recognize the racisim on both sides of the aisle. until we come to terms with it, we are fukked.
these stereotypical catch phrases always add flash fuel to the never ending smoldering embers of racisim
there is a rap group called Nappy Roots that put out an album called Watermellon, Chicken and Gritz. Maybe they could do the song.
I thought Imus would reject the criticism as a joke. I haven't watched the guy in 10 years but but he is pretty crude. Howard Stern was making fun of him this morning saying he was apologizing like a first year broadcaster. I wonder if he took your advice if he would be better off. Colter never apologized and she got by with minimal damage. Of course Hillary and Biden are lefties so they can say anything they want with no ramifications.
Frankly, he could have keep the racial part out of it and still made his point. He should invite the Rutgers team on to hash it out. He should have told the race-baiters like Sharpton to take a flying leap.
Eugene Robinson had a good editorial about the issue in the WashPost today. He confirmed the racism of Imus's comment, while acknowledging that calling black women "ho's" didn't originate in the white radio broadcaster community. It's not going to stop until EVERYONE that uses that sort of language publicly is ostracized.
Cool!!! But here's the problem... Don't Stop There!!! There's enough trash talkin' idiots on the air that we can pass right into '08 cleaning house. I also think that there sould be legislation against demeaning our freedom of speach. The Bushies love this stuff because it creats a diversion from the real truth behind Dubya's agenda. I don't hear too much about PNAC and its' implications to our future. Don't hear much about alot of his blunders. What's the deal? MSM, for the most part just doesn't get it. Our country is in grave danger from within.
Please give Don Imus a break! I find this to be the equivalent of what Republican bloggers did to Dan Rather. Don Imus is a person who has to try to be funny for 3-4 hours every single day. If he makes an inappropriate remark he should not be lumped into the same category as the conservative radio show host trash that's out there. I've listened to Imus a great deal, and his show changed a lot over the last few years to include a much larger amount of political debate. He is not a conservative host and gives equal time to both sides. He is nationally syndicateed and is a moderate... It seems to me that Media Matters would consider his show invaluable in the big picture. This is a Sharpton witch-hunt. IMHO it is a desperate attempt on his part to regain relevancy. Sharpton himself is not exactly a paragon of integrity and tends to get carried away with his accusations. Give Don Imus some respect, he is not as bad as you guys are making him out to be. No I am not a conservative.
IMUS - ENOUGH ALREADYDon Imus is now challenging the Trent Lott record for number of apologies. He has apologized daily on his show and in conversations with Al Sharpton and many others.With the media paying undue and hyped attention to this story, his opportunities to apologize will be endless.Imus needed to acknowledge his guilt for his thoughtless, reprehensible remark, but other than that, his sincere apology should be to the Rutgers basketball players whom he gratuitously insulted. We don't know what he may have done with respect to them or to Rutgers, but scholarship or other funds might not be a bad idea.
Those who know Don Imus, such as Tom Oliphant, are supportive since they know that he is in no way racist. That does not excuse the remark, but it certainly justifies forgiveness.
To put the matter in perspective, remember that a large part of his shtick is the cutting remark, often a bit offensive. He trades insults with his guests and attacks injustice with relentless criticism. Although close to the line, his comments are not really serious, such as when he called Governor Bill Richardson a "fat sissy" and the New York Knicks "chest-thumping pimps". Also, Imus constantly refers to Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld as "war criminals", although here he may be serious. None of this excuses his Rutgers remark and, as Imus has said, he has been "humiliated". A two week suspension may be appropriate but cancellation of his program would not. His show is usually entertaining, it supports good charitable work, and it provides thoughtful, strong comment on political and other events by Imus and his intelligent, influential guests. And when generals and other high officials get away with reprimands or less for such actions as permitting Abu Ghraib or lying about Jessica Lynch and Pat Tillman or Iraq's connection to 9/11 or nuclear materials, cancellation of Imus in the Morning would be overkill.
from Homer www.altara.blogspot.com
It is incredible how they can just bring him back in two weeks. This network continuously give this man the platform that he needs to transmit hateful messages to people. He continues to dehuminanize the African-American community and what is even worst is that these programs are disseminated around the world. How can the network allow this man to continue this and hateful trend. Who is responsible? why didn't the network cut off his show when they realize that the subject line had change cross over to a dangerous zone. What are we as black people, nullity? impunity rules in the United States when black people are the victims. No collective social consciouness that enable the majority to fully understand the impact of people like Mr. Imus on peace and acceptance. He continues to violate and insulte people and he had never not for once been punished. Solely because Mr. Imus was talking about African-American people. He needs to be punish and the network needs to take responsibility for harboring a man such as Mr. Imus and his colleague. These two men were so comfortable that they forget that they were on television they actually thought that they were in the comfort of their home, trashing not only the African-American community here but Africans around the world. This means that the network created an environment that made them feel comfortable to do so. When you are at work you know that you cannot let your hair out otherwise you will be fired! obviously calling African-American students prostitutes does constitute as an insult. I wonder how that would have played out if they were a group of caucasian young female that he was calling prostitutes like that what the reaction of the network would have been. Just wondering...