CBS Fires Don Imus Over Racial Slur
Steve Guttenberg
CBS announced Thursday that it has fired Don Imus from his radio program, following a week of uproar over the radio host's derogatory comments about the Rutgers women's basketball team.
"There has been much discussion of the effect language like this has on our young people, particularly young women of color trying to make their way in this society," CBS President and Chief Executive Officer Leslie Moonves said in announcing the decision.
One of those discussions took place at noon today with a coalition of leaders from the civil rights and women's movements, who said it was time for Imus to go, reports CBS News correspondent Nancy Cordes.
"It's important that we stand with the women of Rutgers who are deeply hurt by the highly insensitive comments of Don Imus," said Marc Morial, CEO of the National Urban League.
It's a stunning fall for one of the nation's most prominent broadcasters. Time Magazine once named the cantankerous host as one of the 25 Most Influential People in America, and he is a member of the National Broadcaster Hall of Fame.
But Imus found himself at the center of a storm after he called members of the Rutgers team "nappy-headed hos" last week. Protests ensued, and one by one, numerous sponsors pulled their ads from Imus' show. On Wednesday, MSNBC dropped its simulcast of the program.
Losing Imus will be a financial hit to CBS Radio, which also suffered when shock jock Howard Stern departed for satellite radio early last year. The program is worth about $15 million in annual revenue to CBS, which owns Imus' home radio station, WFAN-AM in New York, and manages Westwood One, the company that syndicates the show across the country. CBS Corp. is also the parent company of CBSNews.com.
The Rev. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson met with Moonves to advocate Imus' removal.
Jackson called the firing "a victory for public decency. No one should use the public airwaves to transmit racial or sexual degradation."
Said Sharpton: "He says he wants to be forgiven. I hope he continues in that process. But we cannot afford a precedent established that the airways can commercialize and mainstream sexism and racism."
Sumner Redstone, chairman of the CBS Corp. board and its chief stockholder, told Newsweek that he had expected Moonves to "do the right thing," although it wasn't clear what he thought that was.
The news came down in the middle of Imus' Radiothon, which has raised more than $40 million since 1990 for good causes. The Radiothon had raised more than $1.3 million Thursday before Imus learned that he lost his job.
"This may be our last Radiothon, so we need to raise about $100 million," Imus cracked at the start of the event.
Volunteers were getting about 200 more pledges per hour than they did last year, with most callers expressing support for Imus, said Tony Gonzalez, supervisor of the Radiothon phone bank. The event benefited Tomorrows Children's Fund, the CJ Foundation for SIDS and the Imus Ranch, which hosts kids with cancer.
Imus, who was suspended by CBS Radio for two weeks without pay beginning next week, was in the awkward situation of broadcasting Thursday's radio program from MSNBC's studios in New Jersey, even though NBC News said the night before that MSNBC would no longer simulcast his program on television.
He didn't attack MSNBC for its decision — "I understand the pressure they were under," he said — but complained the network was doing some unethical things during the broadcast. He didn't elaborate.
He acknowledged again that calling the Rutgers women's basketball players "nappy-headed hos" a day after they had competed in the NCAA championship game had been "really stupid." He said he had apologized enough and wasn't going to whine about his fate.
"I said it," he said. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't say it."
Sharpton and Jackson emerged from a meeting with Moonves saying the corporate chief had promised to consider their requests.
"It's not about taking Imus down," Sharpton said. "It's about lifting decency up."
While Imus' dismissal may seem like a huge story, it is not the first time something similar has happened, reports Jeff Greenfield, CBS News' soon-to-be senior political correspondent.
Bob Grant, a popular New York radio host, was put off the air for calling the African-American mayor at the time a "washroom attendant." And Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder lost his CBS job on NFL football pre-game telecasts by saying black athletes were superior to white athletes.
Throughout all of this, Imus has said he wants the chance to apologize to the 10 players face to face, adds Cordes.
On the "Oprah" show today, the team indicated that could happen very soon.
"We promise to come into this meeting with an open heart and open mind," said C. Vivian Stringer, Rutgers' coach.
© 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report. "There has been much discussion of the effect language like this has on our young people, particularly young women of color trying to make their way in this society," CBS President and Chief Executive Officer Leslie Moonves said in announcing the decision.
One of those discussions took place at noon today with a coalition of leaders from the civil rights and women's movements, who said it was time for Imus to go, reports CBS News correspondent Nancy Cordes.
"It's important that we stand with the women of Rutgers who are deeply hurt by the highly insensitive comments of Don Imus," said Marc Morial, CEO of the National Urban League.
It's a stunning fall for one of the nation's most prominent broadcasters. Time Magazine once named the cantankerous host as one of the 25 Most Influential People in America, and he is a member of the National Broadcaster Hall of Fame.
But Imus found himself at the center of a storm after he called members of the Rutgers team "nappy-headed hos" last week. Protests ensued, and one by one, numerous sponsors pulled their ads from Imus' show. On Wednesday, MSNBC dropped its simulcast of the program.
Losing Imus will be a financial hit to CBS Radio, which also suffered when shock jock Howard Stern departed for satellite radio early last year. The program is worth about $15 million in annual revenue to CBS, which owns Imus' home radio station, WFAN-AM in New York, and manages Westwood One, the company that syndicates the show across the country. CBS Corp. is also the parent company of CBSNews.com.
The Rev. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson met with Moonves to advocate Imus' removal.
Jackson called the firing "a victory for public decency. No one should use the public airwaves to transmit racial or sexual degradation."
Said Sharpton: "He says he wants to be forgiven. I hope he continues in that process. But we cannot afford a precedent established that the airways can commercialize and mainstream sexism and racism."
Sumner Redstone, chairman of the CBS Corp. board and its chief stockholder, told Newsweek that he had expected Moonves to "do the right thing," although it wasn't clear what he thought that was.
The news came down in the middle of Imus' Radiothon, which has raised more than $40 million since 1990 for good causes. The Radiothon had raised more than $1.3 million Thursday before Imus learned that he lost his job.
"This may be our last Radiothon, so we need to raise about $100 million," Imus cracked at the start of the event.
Volunteers were getting about 200 more pledges per hour than they did last year, with most callers expressing support for Imus, said Tony Gonzalez, supervisor of the Radiothon phone bank. The event benefited Tomorrows Children's Fund, the CJ Foundation for SIDS and the Imus Ranch, which hosts kids with cancer.
Imus, who was suspended by CBS Radio for two weeks without pay beginning next week, was in the awkward situation of broadcasting Thursday's radio program from MSNBC's studios in New Jersey, even though NBC News said the night before that MSNBC would no longer simulcast his program on television.
He didn't attack MSNBC for its decision — "I understand the pressure they were under," he said — but complained the network was doing some unethical things during the broadcast. He didn't elaborate.
He acknowledged again that calling the Rutgers women's basketball players "nappy-headed hos" a day after they had competed in the NCAA championship game had been "really stupid." He said he had apologized enough and wasn't going to whine about his fate.
"I said it," he said. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't say it."
Sharpton and Jackson emerged from a meeting with Moonves saying the corporate chief had promised to consider their requests.
"It's not about taking Imus down," Sharpton said. "It's about lifting decency up."
While Imus' dismissal may seem like a huge story, it is not the first time something similar has happened, reports Jeff Greenfield, CBS News' soon-to-be senior political correspondent.
Bob Grant, a popular New York radio host, was put off the air for calling the African-American mayor at the time a "washroom attendant." And Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder lost his CBS job on NFL football pre-game telecasts by saying black athletes were superior to white athletes.
Throughout all of this, Imus has said he wants the chance to apologize to the 10 players face to face, adds Cordes.
On the "Oprah" show today, the team indicated that could happen very soon.
"We promise to come into this meeting with an open heart and open mind," said C. Vivian Stringer, Rutgers' coach.
- no previous page
- next
1/2
Popular on CBSNews.com
- Clean-up efforts underway in Okla. 29 Photos
- Young victims of deadly Okla. tornado 10 Photos
- I-5 bridge collapses in NW Wash.; people in water
- Forecasters warn: Up to 6 major storms this season
- Kids, teachers from destroyed Okla. school reunite
- Boy Scouts approve plan to accept openly gay boys 328 Comments
- First funeral held for young Oklahoma tornado victim
- Tsarnaev friend implicates dead brother, self in murders
We MARCH ON!
Boycott! Every company, every news station. Let us, the citizens of this country, take back our airwaves, television stations, and TELL those who are doing this. WE are in control of the media.
WE can make it ONE standard of decency.Do not buy one record, watch one show from any network who REFUSES to listen to the voice of the people...Do not buy any product from ANY company that buckles to idiots,and we ALL KNOW WHO THEY ARE.
STAPLES----- NOW HOME DEPOT
BIGELOW TEA--------- LIPTON OR ARIZONA
PROCTOR AND GAMBLE-------- COLGATE-PALMOLIVE
and CBS which includes:CBSB., CBS Entertainment, CBS News, CBS SportsB., CBS Radio, UPNB., ShowtimeB., The Movie Channel, FlixB., CBS Outdoor, King WorldB., Spelling TelevisionB., Entertainment TonightB., Star TrekB., Simon & SchusterB., Pocket BooksB., CSTV College Sports TelevisionB., CBSSportsline, CBS Digital Media .
TURN THE CHANNEL AND subscribe to another network.
Nough said!
Are these inconvenient truths or is it okay for Hymie in Hymietown to be disparaged by a prominent black spokesman, and Reverend. For what it%u2019s worth CBS, NBC, MSNBC, MTV, VH1 and all affiliates are now blocked in my home. My money can be spent elsewhere rather than support a spineless, worthless management on a media outlet such as yours.
As a fan of Imus for over 20 years I've listened to the show change drastically from the Moby Worm, Billy Saul Harkas days. The "shockjock" days were well behind him.
While his comments were indeed grotesque, they were merely the result of momentary stupidity on his part. Imus had become much more about championing charitable causes, and creating a sounding board on current issues, when noone else seemed to care. He also dedicated his life to running the Imus Ranch (how many of us would do that?).
It's funny how CBS and MSNBC suddenly found the content of the show unacceptable when they only recently extended Imus's contract for another 5 years. I wonder how the CBS Radio and MSNBC employees, who felt so strongly that Imus should be fired, will feel when handed their pink slips now that they both have lost their most prolific and money making personality.
I also would like to hear how the pundits who were so outraged at about the damage done to the 10 Rutgers players, will now show their support for the millions of unfortunates who won't be benefiting from the various causes that Imus had supported though his show. It certainly is a strange penalty to demand the removal of someone's ability to perform a service to their community!
According to the article I read, Imus was speaking with producer Bernard McGuirk about the game when the exchange began on "Imus in the Morning," which is broadcast to millions of people on more than 70 stations and the MSNBC television network. Their conversation:
"That's some rough girls from Rutgers," Imus said. "Man, they got tattoos ... ."
"Some hardcore hos," McGuirk said.
McQuirk started the insult and Imus built upon it. Haven't they noticed that some of the sexiest women in movies also have tattoos? BOTH men should be fired, not just the celebrity.
Imus added the remark about their hair, but McQuirk's comment was about the entire team, with no discrimination. The article said 8 of the girls are black, which would indicate that there is a mixture on the team, but it's only the racist slur that gets people's attention. There was no comment about the producer's instigation of the conversation...all he's going to do is find another Imus and continue the negativity...
The next question is: what are you going to do about the hip-hop and rap songs that call women "*** and hoes" and recommend killing cops? Can you make certain they get fired, too?
TATE DEPARTMENT : FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Idaho has been officially declared to be a white state. Therefore it's name has been found offensive and will be banned from the union.
Should Idaho have been found to be a black rap artist, Idaho would have been granted a lifetime achievement award.
The ACLU immediately demanded that potatoes be removed from all schools and government buildings. They claim the separation of sauce from steak requires potatoes must be forbidden, so as to not be established as the official food of the union. They note that noodles and rice have been offended by the government's condoning the serving of potatoes at schools, in spite of the fact that the only ones served potatoes had to request them. School cooks had been allowed to cook potatoes, with some restrictions. While cooking, the chef must face Mecca. And the chef must not refer to the potatoes by name.
Boston added, all Mr. Potato Heads are to be treated as possible terrorist bombs.
For the rest of this comment, visit this blog:
http://blog.myspace.com/jburdman7
Enjoy!