In Defense of Imus

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Published April 12, 2007 by:

Dan Borrello

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Once Again, the First Amendment Loses Another Battle. Welcome Back to 1984

George Orwell's timing may have been off, but his sentiments may have finally caught-up with us after 23 years.

We've just endured another American travesty. Don Imus has been fired.

We don't even have to revisit his comments regarding the Rutgers women's basketball team. The odds are you already know. If you haven't heard, or you don't know, congratulations on completing Betty Ford.

Apparently, Imus's two week suspension by CBS Radio and dismissal by MSNBC's morning simulcast wasn't enough for a non-silent minority and a gutless group of advertisers.

Yes, it's true.

MSNBC is still a cable televison network. (And YOU may be that one person who appears in Keith Olbermann's ratings.)

And they fired Imus less than 12 hours before he returned to the airchair for his annual radiothon, which has raised millions of dollars for nearly two decades for SIDS and sick children. Now, CBS Radio has joined the bandwagon parade, caving to pressure while a radiothon in the talk show host's name tries to help sick children find hope.

Hope you're happy, Al Sharpton.

If the suits at GE (who owns NBC) want to end the simulcast, fine. The timing however, is absurd. Seems like another typical bonehead move by a network who tried to boost ratings with a failed ressurrection of Phil Donahue, flopped with Maury and Connie, and thought an ancient and burned-out John McEnroe would bring people to CNBC.

Based on that programming history, it wouldn't be surprising to see Ricki Lake take Imus's old TV slot.

Unfortunately in broadcasting, when one wall caves, it's easier to bring in the bulldozers instead of finding carpenters and giving them time to rebuild.

Here's a few things one should know about radio before you ask the lowly elevator operator to punch the buttons to the next floor in your ivory tower:

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compuwise

10/15/2007

Interesting article.

Dan Borrello
(Guest)

04/13/2007

Having worked in radio, I'm well familiar with freedom of speech, where it works and where it doesn't, and the argument over those two points. THAT WAS THE ENTIRE POINT OF THE ARTICLE. Freedom of speech should know no bounds (exception being the "clear and present danger" instance even fifth graders should be aware of). CBS and MSNBC didn't fire or suspend Imus the day of or the day after his comments, they suspended him and then waited until the firestorm grew and then fired him. They caved and turned their backs on a man who made them millions and millions of dollars for years because of a non-silent minority. Manipulation and intimidation: two tactics commonly employed by terrorists.

Avis
(Guest)

04/13/2007

Nice article. I am torn about the Don Imus incident. I don't see how firing him would do any good. It seemed too easy. About the free speech issue, a employer has every right to fire an employee they feel is damaging their company. When one talks about citizens having the right to "free speech" it does not mean you can say everything you want, especially on the public airwaves. What it means is that citizens of the United States have the right to speak freely on political issues without being tossed in prison, intimidated, or being abducted at night.

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