Updated: MSNBC, CBS Cancel Imus

Posted by Pam Spaulding at 7:26 AM on April 13, 2007.

Update: CBS Radio has just dropped Imus - IMMEDIATELY (no show tomorrow)!

NEW YORK (CNN) -- CBS has canceled Don Imus' radio show, effective immediately, after uproar over his racist and sexist comments about Rutgers women's basketball team.
"From the outset, I believe all of us have been deeply upset and revulsed by the statements that were made on our air about the young women who represented Rutgers University in the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship with such class, energy and talent," said CBS President and Chief Executive Officer Leslie Moonves, in announcing the decision.

The decision by CBS came a day after NBC Universal decided to part ways with Imus, thus canceling the simulcast of his show on MSNBC.

Thoughts?

***

The next question is, what will CBS radio do? From MSNBC:

MSNBC said Wednesday it will drop its simulcast of the "Imus in the Morning" radio program, responding to growing outrage over the radio host's racial slur against the Rutgers women's basketball team.

In a statement, NBC News announced "this decision comes as a result of an ongoing review process, which initially included the announcement of a suspension. It also takes into account many conversations with our own employees. What matters to us most is that the men and women of NBC Universal have confidence in the values we have set for this company. This is the only decision that makes that possible."

…The network's decision came after a growing list of sponsors - including American Express Co., Staples Inc., Procter & Gamble Co., and General Motors Corp. - said they were pulling ads from Imus' show for the indefinite future.

You can see video of NBC News President Steve Capus explaining the network's decision to drop the show here.
NBC Today show weatherman Al Roker, has a unique insider perspective on what went on. His comments in his column about Imus were made prior to this announcement of the cancelation of the simulcast, but it's a telling description of ...

... what was going on:

I don't think I've ever had more response to an online journal than yesterday.

As you may know I called for the firing/resignation of WFAN/MSNBC morning host Don Imus. This after he and his morning "Crew" referred to the Rutgers Women's basketball team as, among other things, "nappy-headed hos." Ugly racism and sexism at its worst.

Based on the passionate responses we got from people on both sides of the issue, it seems we still, after all this time, have a long way to go in our country when it comes to race. [Amen, Al.]

And, by the way, it's not like I hold a deciding vote at CBS, Inc., Mr. Imus' actual employer, or at NBC Universal, the company that owns MSNBC, and my place of employment, NBC News, as to whether Imus and company stay or go.

…Mr. Imus misspoke when he told Matt [Lauer on Today] that if all we could come up with was a few instances of racial intolerance in the span of a 30-year program, it was, in essence, not that big a deal.

Not so fast, Don. On a regular basis, African-Americans, no matter who they are, were generally portrayed in a "pimp" or "Aunt Jemima" voice. People of color were routinely denigrated. There was an atmosphere of intolerance going under the guise of comedy. Imus would have you believe this is an isolated incident. It is not. Maybe not to the extreme such as was the case last week, but It exists, thanks to Don Imus, Sid Rosenberg and Bernard McGuirk.

People have written in asking why haven't I spoken out against others who have made similar transgressions. The answer is simple; one that I'm not particularly proud of: It wasn't in my "house" and it wasn't so profoundly blatant.

Don Imus broadcasts under the NBC News banner via MSNBC. This is a reflection of my company. I won't stand for the idea that someone who has the privilege of working under the aegis of NBC News could damage this organization with the taint of racism and sexism.

And a word about this organization. There has been a lot of soul searching going on, both publicly and privately. And it is the strength and character off the management of NBC News that gives me a source of pride. Our president, Steve Capus, has been about as transparent in his dealings with this as anyone could be. It visibly pains him, as it does all of us here, both people of color and white, that we are going through this. His support, and the support of Jeff Zucker has meant a lot to the people of this company.

Guess what? There wasn't a lot of soul searching going on in the minds of:

• Fred Barnes on Fox News' Special Report, who said the Rutgers basketball team "acted like victims" at their press conference.
• John McCain, Rudy Giuliani, and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who were ready to plop their tushes back in the seat to gab with their brother in arms.
• Newsweek's Howard Fineman and the Boston Globe's Tom "solidarity forever" Oliphant, who had The I-Man's back and were ready to go on-air to "enable you to do a lot of the good things you do."

Or all the rest of the pundit class apologists who appeared on his show who were ready to make him the victim, and give him a pass. What do they have to say now?

Media Matters, which did a kick-ass job compiling a wealth of information about the long history of Imus and his crew's bigotry, reacted to the news:

"By canceling their simulcast of Don Imus on MSNBC, the National Broadcasting Company has finally done the right thing. We hope CBS Radio will again follow NBC's lead.
More and more Americans are coming to understand the damage done by major news organizations providing a platform for bigoted commentary and other conservative misinformation, and they are demanding change. MSNBC's decision is an important step in the right direction.

This decision sends a clear message to other networks, journalists and media personalities that bigotry and hate speech have no place on America's airwaves.

The cable networks would be well advised to think twice about their broadcasting decisions in the future. It is our hope that this will open a larger dialogue on the overall tone of the media today."

The National Gay and Lesbian Task force has called for his ouster:

"Don Imus blurted out unvarnished racist and sexist epithets at the Rutgers women's basketball team, a group of star athletes and star student citizens. If this was an isolated incident, a sincerely made apology might be considered, but Don Imus is a serial offender and his `I'm a good person' protestations ring hollow. His defamations rend the social fabric and insult, demean and degrade all of us, but especially the undeserving targets of his rage. There is no excuse for his employers to allow him any further access to the public airwaves. Enough. Give Imus the pink slip."

Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) :

"GLAAD is gratified that Imus is finally being held accountable," [President Neil] Giuliano said. "We hope that media will take this opportunity to examine the pass that CBS Radio and MSNBC have given Imus' bigotry over the years -- and question whether this most recent incident could have been avoided had they taken responsibility for enforcing a zero-tolerance policy and holding Imus accountable for his previous incidents of vulgar defamation."

"The time for network spin, evasion and non-apologies is over. CBS Radio now has a responsibility to publicly and definitively ensure that this type of incident, and the show's history of similar incidents, are never repeated again."

Tagged as: media, racism, msnbc, imus

Pam Spaulding blogs at Pam's House Blend.