Posted on 04/11/2007 5:17:31 PM PDT by rocksblues
NEW YORK (AP) - MSNBC said Wednesday it will drop its simulcast of the "Imus in the Morning" radio program, responding to growing outrage about the radio host's racial slur against the Rutgers women's basketball team.
"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," NBC news said in a statement.
The announcement also was made on air.
Talk-show host Don Imus triggered the uproar on his April 4 show, when he referred to the mostly black Rutgers women's basketball team as "nappy-headed hos." His comments have been widely denounced by civil rights and women's groups.
The decision does not affect Imus' nationally syndicated radio show, and the ultimate decision on the fate of that program will rest with executives at CBS Corp. In a statement, CBS reiterated that Imus will be suspended without pay for two weeks beginning on Monday, and that CBS Radio "will continue to speak with all concerned parties and monitor the situation closely."
MSNBC's action 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.
But it did not end calls for Imus to be fired from the radio portion of his program. The show originates from WFAN-AM in New York City and is syndicated nationally by Westwood One, both of which are managed by CBS Corp.
Bruce Gordon, former head of the NAACP and a director of CBS Corp., said before MSNBC's decision Wednesday he hoped the broadcasting company would "make the smart decision" by firing Imus.
"He's crossed the line, he's violated our community," Gordon said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "He needs to face the consequence of that violation."
Gordon, a longtime telecommunications executive, stepped down in March after 19 months as head of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, one of the foremost U.S. civil rights organizations.
He said he had spoken with CBS chief executive Leslie Moonves and hoped the company, after reviewing the situation, would fire Imus rather than let him return to the air at the end of an unpaid two-week suspension beginning next Monday.
A CBS spokesman, Dana McClintock, declined comment on the remarks by Gordon, who is one of at least two minorities on the 13-member board.
The 10 members of the Rutgers team spoke publicly for the first time Tuesday about the on-air comments, made the day after the team lost the NCAA championship game to Tennessee. Some of them wiped away tears as their coach, C. Vivian Stringer, criticized Imus for "racist and sexist remarks that are deplorable, despicable, abominable and unconscionable."
The women, eight of whom are black, agreed to meet with Imus privately next Tuesday and hear his explanation. They held back from saying whether they'd accept Imus' apologies or passing judgment on whether a two-week suspension imposed by CBS Radio and MSNBC was sufficient.
Stringer said late Wednesday that she did not call for Imus' firing, but was pleased with the decision by NBC executives.
Imus has apologized repeatedly for his comments. He said Tuesday he hadn't been thinking when making a joke that went "way too far." He also said that those who called for his firing without knowing him, his philanthropic work or what his show was about would be making an "ill-informed" choice.
At the Rutgers campus in New Brunswick, N.J., about 300 students and faculty rallied earlier in the day to cheer for their team, which lost in the national championship game, and add their voices to the crescendo of calls for Imus' ouster. One of the speakers was Chidimma Acholonu, president of the campus chapter of the NAACP.
"This is not a battle against one man. This is a battle against a way of thought," she said. "Don Imus does not understand the power of his words, so it is our responsibility to remind him."
Looking back on when I was a little nappy headed boy.....
So now the words "Nappy headed" are bad words, right?
I agree. As I posted on another thread, I find myself in the uncomfortable and unfamiliar position of agreeing with Howard Stern and Rosie O’Donnell. Imus and his corporate masters are cowards, pure and simple.
Or the constant referral to She Who must Not Be Named as "Evil" and the "Worst Person on the Planet".
Only when uttered by white people.
he’s violated our community,”
What is this “our community crap”?
“MSNBC’s action 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.”
The market working. These companies pay the bills—his salary, and the rest of the cost of producing his lowlife babble.
They no longer want their reputations associated with him or his foul mouth.
I hope this is the start of a trend away from trash-talk, profanity, etc.
see #24
What a load of crap! The PC police will put us all in jail if they had their way. Imus did a stupid thing and his life is ruined. Are we a bunch of zombies? This has got to stop or we will all be afraid that we will offend someone and lose our jobs and lifelihoods. Each one of us could be the next one to go. Imus has been calling Bush and Cheney “war criminals” for months and no one raised an eyebrow. But this puts him on a fast train to nowhere. Pure craziness. When Rosie O’Donnell comes on the “View” and defends Imus it has gone way past the point of no return. When does this end?
All the suits are worried about is ratings, not their reputations.
I remember Imus doing a parody of Wilfred Brimley sodomizing a turkey right before Thanksgiving.
Nobody had a problem then!
I’m surprised that no one has accused Imus of being a right-wing extremist—because if he’s not, he must be from the left wing. Has John Kerry come to the defense of his friend? He was always appearing on his radio show during the 2004 campaign.
And MSNBC is the Pimp for not having the stones to yank him the day he uttered that drivel. MSNBC only canned him after Sharpton and Jackson got a fly in their panties. Who even knew Sharpton HAD a radio show?
I can't believe anybody listens to him thirty five years past his prime.
while that is true, what did he do or say ?
Scary line of reasoning...
Please let me know when the poverty pimps go down to Duke and apologize to the rugby team. When that happens, I might pay attention to the PC crap going on here.
Yes it is. When there is a ‘battle against a way of thought’.. well we’d all better redouble our protection of Amendments 1 AND 2.
Don’t ya just love the way MSNBC folds like a cheap suit???
I guess this will drop PMSNBC’s overall ratings from a 0.00005 share to a 0.00001 share. As far as one should be concerned, this so-called network really doesn’t exist.
If that’s what “nappy” is, then it started with Buckwheat on “The Lil’ Rascals”.
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