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Following the huge outcry over his racially insensitive remarks, Don Imus paid the penalty as his “Imus in the Morning” program was canceled by CBS Radio. The decision by CBS follows a similar one taken by NBC News not to simulcast the show on its network.
Don Imus overstepped the limits last Wednesday when he called members of the Rutgers University women’s basketball team as “nappy-headed hos.” The reference to "whores" triggered national outrage, which culminated today in CBS firing the popular talk-show host. His remarks were made after Rutgers lost the NCAA championship to the University of Tennessee.
Initially CBS and MSNBC had suspended Imus without pay for two weeks starting April 16. The repercussions started almost immediately with major sponsors like American Express, Procter and Gamble, and General Motors pulling their ads off 'Imus in the Morning'' radio program.
Yesterday MSNBC decided enough was enough and suspended the simulcast effective immediately. CBS Radio, which is the main station that syndicates the Imus show to 70 other stations, had reacted by saying said Imus was suspended for two weeks without pay.. It also added it would “continue to speak with all concerned parties and monitor the situation closely.”
Apparently a meeting with the Rev. Al Sharpton this afternoon was enough to convince CBS chairman, Leslie Moonves that Imus was not the kind of man they wanted on board.
“Those who have spoken with us the last few days represent people of goodwill from all segments of our society — all races, economic groups, men and women alike," a statement released by Moonves said. "In our meetings with concerned groups, 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.”
NBC executives hinted discomfort of staff was the main reason for deciding to part ways with Don Imus. CBS also consulted with staff and weighed in the innumerable e-mails and phone calls received from the general public before arriving at the decision.
The 66-year-old Imus was fired on a day when he turned his program into a charity fundraiser. Two charities for children with cancer and one for families that have lost babies to cot death were today's beneficiaries. During the program he appeared to hint that it might be his final bow on CBS.
“This may or not be our final radiothon,” he said. “There’s no way to know, anything. But let’s say for sake of being safe that it is. Ordinarily, we’d like to raise, say, around $3 million. But today our goal is around $100 million.”
Imus also said he had "apologized enough" and was not going to Larry King or Barbara Walters to try and repair the damage. "The only other people I want to talk to are these young women at the team, and then that's it," Imus said.
Imus was also due to travel to New Brunswick, N.J to personally meet the Rutgers team and tender his apologies. But in a candid admission, Imus acknowledged he alone was responsible for his predicament. “I said a stupid, idiotic thing that hurt these kids,” he said. “If I hadn’t have said it, we wouldn’t be here. So let’s stop whining about it.”
For CBS Corp, Imus' faux pas could not have come at a worse time. Still smarting from the "defection" of shock jock Howard Stern, CBS may find it difficult to replace Imus and draw in the same audience as he did. The main issue for the radio is to quickly find a replacement, which is easier said than done.
The Rev Al Sharpton was happy their efforts to force CBS to confront the issue bore fruit. Speaking to CNN, Sharpton said the issue was not about the personality, but of the misuse of airwaves. "We cannot afford a precedent established that the airwaves can be used to commercialize and mainstream sexism and racism," he added.
Don Imus will have plenty of time to find some humor in the drastic turn of events over the last week. But for the Rutgers team, his remarks have only brought pain and forced America to sit up and take notice.
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