The announcement that MSNBC is discontinuing its simulcast of Don Imus' morning talk show was predictable. So, too, has been the fallout. Cable news and radio talk shows are providing blanket coverage - much of which, by the way, does not include Black women - trying to decipher the meaning of his words and the impact on Imus' career.
Blacks are in a tizzy, many of whom believe that Imus crossed one of the lines that White men cannot cross and want him fired. Some Whites are understanding while others are wondering what all the fuss is about and why Blacks are so sensitive. Be that as it may, the Imus fallout will be far-ranging and provides the country an opportunity to speak frankly about the responsibility of those who have such significant access to the public airwaves.
One area of fallout that has to be explored is the detoxification of the public airwaves and Black America's role in that effort.
This is where we arrive at a "mirror moment" for Black America to come to grips with its own culpability in this regard. For far too long, prominent African Americans have played lip service to challenging Black "artists" who sellout Black people for money, offering "art" that only serves to enrich themselves while degrading, debasing, and disrespecting women. There is little sadder than hearing young Black boys and men refer to Black women as bitches and ho's, emulating their entertainment heroes.
Apologists such as Russell Simmons have defended the efforts of these traitors on entrepreneurial grounds suggesting that society is better because these sellouts have done something other than crime to get by. Meanwhile, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, and others have been timid in their efforts to turn up the heat on these "artists" in the same way they went after Imus. They and other prominent African Americans can only have credibility on this issue if they are as aggressive with Black "artists" who are far worse than Imus.
MSNBC's decision to cancel its simulcast is not a big deal. It doesn't produce the show and won't lose much by moving on from Imus. While Imus' ratings were rising on the network, MSNBC's recent success has been driven by its early evening and primetime programming.
It will likely repeat it's primetime lineup as it develops a morning news show and already have on staff the people who can fill the void.
CBS, with advertisers beginning to jump ship, has a decision to make: Keep Imus after his suspension ends and run the risk of further negative publicity or fire him. Firing Imus will be costly.
After losing Howard Stern to satellite Radio, Imus reportedly accounts for about 20% of CBS Radio revenue. Dismissing Imus will have a significant impact on the bottom line. They have to act quickly or run the risk of having the decision taken out of their hands: affiliates around the country are likely to reassess whether Imus is worth the trouble.
If enough decide that he isn't, then they may make the decision as to whether Imus is finished, not CBS.
Hopefully, the Imus affair will send a message to talk radio hosts, of all stripes, who traffic in racial stereotypes and racism to win listeners. Rush Limbaugh, Neil Boortz, and Michael Savage, among too many others, are quick to insult African Americans and other minorities for the sake of entertaining their listeners.
Imus' history of racial gimmickry undermined his apology and obscured the good charity work he has done. These radio hosts aren't as untouchable as they think and should consider themselves on notice.
Michael K.
Fauntroy is an assistant professor of public policy at George Mason University and author of the recently published book Republicans and the Black Vote.
i too would like to see the hatemongers on the radio lose their platforms. also, where is tipper gore when the hip hop lyrics are so toxic?
why do the hip hop hatemongers get recording contracts and concert tours? By: liveandlearn on April 11, 2007 at 10:55pm
Flag: [ ] Finally, someone from the mainstream media is held accountable for malicious, bigoted and ignorant speech!
I completely agree with the decision by MSNBC to drop Imus.
With that said, I would like to see that these same principles apply to anyone who goes over the line ridiculing or attacking individuals or groups with ignorant, malicious or bigoted remarks. The only people who tend to find these types of remarks "funny" or acceptable are just as ignorant and bigoted as the ones who are saying them.
Let's hold them all responsible from the person speaking into the mic, all the way up to the board of directors.
This pathetic level of commentary has gone on for way, way too long. We need to hold these people to higher standards again. After all, these media corporations had promised the people to use the public airwaves for the public good.
Let's make them keep their original promise to us.
Hopefully if anything good comes out of this it is that these corporations realize that bigoted, ignorant and malicious attacks against any group will not be tolerated by the people. By: truthcanhurt on April 11, 2007 at 11:47pm
Flag: [ ] I would like to think this Imus flap would have a long term benefit in the area of exploring race relations in the US, but I'm afraid the American Public have become so jaded, and fed on the "media outrage of the moment" cycle, that to many this is just another episode of "Surreal Life" Rev Sharpton cites the misuse of Public Airwaves in arguments for Imus dismissal, but frankly, the Public Airwaves are as much an endangered species as the rabbit ears in on your Television set.
If CBS fires Imus, which I suspect they will, if only to douse the torches of the rampaging mob, it is to be expected that Imus will make the jump to Satellite Radio, as Stern did, and continue his career there. I think this is what is missed by many people, Imus' firing is only cosmetic in the long run, with the real message being sent that MSNBC and CBS radio were willing to sacrifice Imus to protect their brand and retain their advertisers. Unless Imus decides to retire, in a few months he'll be back with listeners.
Facts a fact.
If Imus is to be fired from CBS, so be it, but I don't see what the long term victory over sexism and racism will be. By: FogBelter on April 12, 2007 at 12:12am
Flag: [ ] This article is so right on.
Our so called "vocal" African American leaders often play the one side political race game for profit. In my opinion this hurts credibility. The Black community helps to enable such attitudes and stereotypes.
This is where Imus probably got those remarks from. Yet leaders such as Sharpton and Jackson dance the political jig by not addressing the community itself. I don't listen to Imus, I understand he bashes everyone but this was one bash to many which caught up to him.
Should he be fired?..
.I don't know but if you live in the NYC area you will hear black radio stations saying the same type of misogynistic and racist comments. In 2004 a DJ named Ms.
Jones (who is black) from a popular radio station made disparaging and racist remarks about the tsunami victims and the station even made a belittling song. Although some other individuals were eventually fired for the song, she was only suspended for two weeks. When it comes down to it, it is about money.
That will determine his fate. With the news of a number of corporate sponsors pulling out, his career at CBS doesn’t look to good right now. By: NYCNJBaker on April 12, 2007 at 12:18am
Flag: [ ] Al Sharton regularly condemns rap artists who use deragotary language in their music and so does Jesse Jackson.
Shucks, Al Sharpton even spearheaded New York's effort to ban the use of the word, "Nigger."
So what is all this nonsense about Al Sharpton not condemning rappers?
Bottomline: Don Imus made a mistake, and their should be consequences.
By: JoeSun on April 12, 2007 at 12:35am
Flag: [ ] Frankly, we are fast becoming the epitome of a Jerry Springer society. It seems to have become more important to have an audience and notoriety when confronting conflict than it is to attain resolve and mutual respect. That model seems to serve the needs of the exploited and those who seek to exploit; reinforcing all that relegates objectivity to the outhouse while making the frailty and imperfection of the human condition a spectacle that harkens back to the Coliseum.
This situation isn’t and shouldn’t be about whether liberals or conservatives, this race or that race, hip hop or honky-tonk, one group or another, are more offensive and therefore more responsible for all that is wrong with America. I am not capable of judging the whole of Don Imus nor am I capable of crafting a recipe to fix all of America…and neither are the countless pundits and partisans who have sought to frame it so.
I’m not a religious person…but I often find kinship with the imagery surrounding the portrayal of one called Jesus and his teachings of understanding and forgiveness.
For all the banter I hear about the Bible and Christian values, it certainly seems to me that we are fast abandoning what many view as the sacred “tablets†in favor of the sacrosanct tabloids. If I’m right, all I can say is heaven help us.
By: thoughttheater on April 12, 2007 at 12:45am
Flag: [ ] How many years has Imus been on the air in NYC -- 20-30 years?
Something like that? And all of the sudden, the media has just discovered this?
Reporters and columnists from the most major networks, newpapers and magazines have been regular guests on Imus.
Listening to the outrage, it would seem no onelistend to the program until this week? The hypocrisy of the media is remarkable. It's as if they have all just "discovered" the content of the Imus in the Morning program.
And now, MSNBC has fired Imus. And the NY Times, as so many others, are piling on. And no doubt, the NBC NY Times regulars on Imus will add to this hypocrisy by distancing themselves from his program, that in many cases, helped launch their careers.
That is, if he still has a radio program to come back to.
Of course, I'm sure that NBC, along with all the media outlets that have just "discovered" Imus's history of horrid behavior, and who share this new found outrage, will forge a unified alliance to challenge racism sexism where ever it raises its head. This means, of course, a total ban on any musician, performer, comedian or writer with a history of racism and sexism.
This would no doubt include the likes of Chris Rock, Isaiah Washington, Snoop Dog, Ludacris, Ja Rule, Carlos Mencina, etc. Right? And this charge will no doubt be lead by Reverend Jackson and Reverend Sharpton.
Right?
And there will no doubt be many protests and bans over the upcoming, and do doubt racist, Halle Berry movie "Nappily Ever After."
By: jtwriter on April 12, 2007 at 01:01am
Flag: [ ] What you say is very true.
I'm a hispanic male and am saddened that civil rights leaders have gone from Dr. King to two dirt bags like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. They are nothing but hucksters and self-promoters and do not really care for the people they are claiming to represent.
We all know about Rev. Sharpton's situation with the girl who cried rape a few years back. Everyone also knows about Rev.
Jackson's hypocrisy upon having a kid out of wedlock. To be quite honest, I don't look for any politician or so called leader for pointers on who to follow or what to be outraged about. Imus deserved what he got and should deal with the consequences of his own actions, but, let us not forget that many of the black leaders in our society have stood by and watched for the past 15 or 20 years the degradation of women become commonplace and done nothing about it.
With the rise of hip-hop and rap, we have seen an increase in the degradation of women and an increase in violence against women, especially black women. These men and others like them have stood by and smiled at these entrepeneurial young men who have "risen out of the ghetto" to become role models for blacks and minorities to emulate. Frankly, it's a joke.
I do not allow my boys to listen to most of this garbage and constantly reinforce the belief that the things said thru this music and culture only serve to degrade and belittle and objectify women. Young black men will never rise to a position of prominence in our society as long as the means of their success comes from portraying a lifestyle that belittles and removes the dignity of women like these young women on that basketball team. Truthfully, if the same comment had been made by a black man on a show, the controversy would have been minimal as it's become the norm and acceptable for black men to talk this way about women.
By: nyyankee70 on April 12, 2007 at 01:27am
Flag: [ ] I was listening to Countdown with Keith Olbermann this evening and listened to the interview with Steve Cupa, President of NBC. Cupa stated that money had nothing to do with Imus's termination..
..what crap!
If the Imus in the Morning sponsors would have not pulled out, Imus would not have been fired. Does Cupa actually believe people are stupid and nieve? I believe it would have been a good thing to leave Imus on the air and talk about this terrible mistake he, Imus, made.
Imus could have brought many people of all ethnicities and cultures, male and female, young and old, to his show to talk about this problem and maybe something good would have came out of it. Imus could have invited the Rutgers womens' basketball team on his show and had millions of people listen, which I think would have happened. Doing this, would have given much insight to the racism in this country, and maybe even helped in some way or another.
This is the most racist country in the world...
..what a shame.
By: davelee on April 12, 2007 at 01:38am
Flag: [ ] Dr. Fauntroy, you write:
"One area of fallout that has to be explored is the detoxification of the public airwaves and Black America's role in that effort. This is where we arrive at a "mirror moment" for Black America to come to grips with its own culpability in this regard.
"
Thank you for your honesty; it is most appreciated. By: OhPlease2007 on April 12, 2007 at 01:47am
Flag: [ ] Don Imus could have done a lot more to heal racial wounds on the air than off. He will meet with Rutgers players and beg forgiveness.
The real winner in the Imus fall out is George Bush. Is there a war still going on? Haven't heard since the Imus flap began.
By: queenie on April 12, 2007 at 02:01am
Flag: [ ] Loved this post. My dreams are coming true in Black America, even though I'm white.
Watching Tavis Smiley host the Covenent With Black America broadcast on C-Span made me think, "why isn't this dialog happening on MSNBC, and CNN?
"
Personally, after reading the covenent itself, I hoped someone in the Democratic leadership was aware of its call to community action. It really is the best plan I've seen yet for the advancement of progressive and civil rights issues.
So, my question is.
..
Why doesn't MSNBC turn this experience of Imus' gross negligence into a positive growth of NEW AND PROFITABLE exploration of viewpoints?
Michael Eric Dyson, and Tavis Smiley are more than capable to handle the political, and cultural aspects of the morning talk show venue that Imus had.
Why don't we let those supposedly "progressive" voices for the left give their gravitas to an alternative format?
My god, there's a wealth of un-tapped resources in the community of diversity.
Yes, there's a lot of cleaning up of the air waves yet to do. But, at some point we ought to be thinking of filling the void with something that makes us all feel good.
Someone once told me, "It isn't enough to stop doing something bad, you have to START DOING SOMETHING GOOD.
" By: lovethesinner on April 12, 2007 at 02:50am
Flag: [ ] How incredibly refreshing it is to hear the doctor speak of a "mirror moment", of "lines White men cannot cross" and "Black 'artists' who are far worse than Imus". It's clear to me old man Imus didn't compose the terminology of the now infamous locker-room quip, but obviously, like some thirteen-year-old white suburban kid, parroted what he heard a black guy once say.
Regrettable, of course, but the remark was not premeditated, not a considered part of any kind of editorial statement -- the old man was riffing and in a moment of geriatric senility, pulled the equivalent of "grandpa yelling out the n-word at a ball game.
"(props to Bill Maher for that one) This "crucify Imus" pile-on is unreasonably, completely misplaced and disproportionate.
Meanwhile, countless hip-hop artists ARE amassing wealth in exchange for their very calculated and very premeditated disparagements. But hey, their selloff behavior is generating profits, shock-jock crudeness is generating profits, so why is everybody so upset ?
?
Let's all buy some stock in a media conglomerate, take our cut of the enterprise, and call it even, huh ? -- it's the American way, after all !
! By: Pandemia on April 12, 2007 at 03:49am
Flag: [ ] I'm glad he's gone, but he's only the first. Now if we can go after the companies that CREATE, PROMOTE, AND DISTRIBUTE rap artists and "minstrel" movies, that will be saying something.
Also, if WHITE AMERICA will stop buying RAP music, GIRLS GONE WILD dvds, and other degenerate so-called entertainment, these rappers and Joe Francis will GO AWAY. By: uheardme on April 12, 2007 at 05:57am
Flag: [ ] "You people" and by that I mean everyone who overreacts to people trying to be funny for a living who occasionally go too far are going to HURT our country. You are going to have a chilling effect on the industry, which is already damn near unlistenable because of all the commercials and really unfunny hosts, and you are going to make it even worse.
The more this kind of overreaction occurs, the more likely it is to occur again.
Being funny is hard. Being safe and trying not to offend anyone is BORING.
and WHEN HAVE YOU EVER COMPLAINED ABOUT A BLACK MAN GOING TOO FAR when trying to be FUNNY, because he may have insulted some white people? I doubt that you ever have, because you use the same double standard that too many others use. Because white people by and large CHOOSE NOT TO CARE (ie.
have a sense of humor about everything including themselves) and allow funny to be funny even when it insults a little.
You say you disagree with the hip-hop world's usage of these words, but where's the calls for all the artists to be fired from their record companies? They sell to KIDS, NOT A SINGLE KID IN THE WORLD LISTENS TO IMUS, but "you people" are all more outraged at a throwaway line of "nappy headed ho's" designed to fill in the 5 seconds of dead air when covering a sport that NO ONE CARES ABOUT and make people laugh.
DOUBLE STANDARD HYPOCRISY.
I will no longer be voting for Obama because of his overreaction to this. I will be voting for Ron Paul now, making him my first Republican primary vote ever.
If this is going to be the effect of a Democratic controlled government, thought police, big Daddy government and condemnation everywhere, then the warnings from the rightwing media will have proven justified. By: RamonBackwards on April 12, 2007 at 07:11am
Flag: [ ] While no one applauds the comments made by radio host Imus, his offensive words have served one very important public good. He has created a public space for an open and frank dialogue on US race relations, one long overdue.
Imus claims he is neither racist nor sexist and that his only crime committed is bad humour. Oh Really?
As a teacher I have seen this same scenario played out in school yards time and again.
The bully preys on the less powerful. The bully then defends his/her harassment of others as simply "school yard antics" or innocent "humor". It remains a golden rule that those who bully or belittle like those who hold racist or misogynist views NEVER admit so.
And I don't think deep down Don Imus truly believes he is guilty of bigotry either. However, Imus's public and private record suggests otherwise. Don Imus is in deep denial.
And so too are the John McCain’s and Joseph Lieberman’s who continue to support and profit from his show. They too must do some soul searching.
For an interesting take on this see Supreme Court attorney Lloyd William's recent article in Blackstarnews.
By: coastalboy on April 12, 2007 at 07:25am
Flag: [ ] Good post for the most part. Fox News has had a black woman from the start to offer her perspective. I would challenge you to quote any insult to blacks that Rush Limbaugh has uttered.
By: ResidentChimp on April 12, 2007 at 07:57am
Flag: [ ] I think the primary lesson for everyone, including black America, is that not everyone agrees with our views or behaviors, and that's OK. If we disagree, our job is to show that their characterization of our views or behaviors is incorrect, or face the fact that perhaps it isn't and deal with it, and most of all to avoid the double standard that what you can say depends upon who you are, in this case your racial identification.
A news item from Tobago (www.
shortnews.com/start.cfm?
id=61121) reports that Church leaders are trying to get an appearance by Sir Elton John banned because they fear that he will turn locals gay. This isn't much loonier than attributing all kinds of terrible effects to Don Imus's statements. It's time to grow up.
There are forces in our society who want to ban anti-war commentary from the airwaves because they belove it does "harm." From own parochial point of view, they may be right. So, should we ban anti-war speech because it hurts feelings and makes some people nervous?
What's next?
Political religious, racial and personal expression deserve the widest lattitude of expression, particularly if it challenges accepted belief and entrenched orthodoxies.
From a public relations point of view I agree that Imus made a serious error in judgment by not realizing that witch hunters were hanging on his every word.
I believe he should be back on the air in order to answer his critics. This is the American way. By: lairdwilcox on April 12, 2007 at 08:12am
Flag: [ ] Al Sharpton--"No Jewish stores in Harlem", resulting in a Jewish-owned store being burned down (does anyone recall whether there was injury or loss of life?
I can't remember)--No Penalty
Charles Barkley--"I hate white people"--no penalty.
The Duke Stripper--falsely accusing 3 Duke students of rape--no penalty. By the way, do you suppose the Rutgers student-athletes ever laughed over the plight of the Duke players, or made nasty comments about them, or used epithets to describe them?
Al Sharpton--the Tawana Brawley lies--no penalty.
Don Imus--An appallingly nasty comment--Fired, because NBC suddenly got religion when they started losing ad dollars. What hypocrites By: jojojo on April 12, 2007 at 08:35am
Flag: [ ] It could be, that this "Imas-foot-in-mouth" may have an increadble social impact on America, and could very well make it into the history books.
And, I'm the smartest person in the world, so read on.(And a polite FU 4 NY1 jumping on my spelling 2 save character space. 350 wrd limit)
-At some point, EVY1 has made a "gaffau" and inserted a "ped-to -oral" comment.
Imus had 1. He's human.
-As a amature T.
V. producer/director, I take FULL responsibility 4 what comes outa' my mouth. I've made more than 1 mea culpa in my time.
-Imus generates goo-gobs of $$ 4 MANY worthy causes, and often is the 1st 2 unapologiticlly call out a white raceist.
-With the amoun of media coverage this incident has caused, Imus defenders (like me) are fightfully pointing 2 the double standard of black "artist" i.e.
rappers and comedians, and holding them 2 the same standard. G8. Now, some of these foul mouth rhymsters will have 2 make some neded adjustments with their vernacular.
I feel, the rappers don't have 2 go PC all of a sudden, but get off Imus' back. He was trying to use hyperbolie, and went 2 far. Fuck it.
HIs deeds speak way louder than a joke that backfired.
By: mkhffpst on April 12, 2007 at 08:35am
Flag: [ ] MSNBC has set the standard. I will be listening closely and the minute I hear anything said that offends me, I will expect NBC to remove that person from the air!
By: Knighthawk on April 12, 2007 at 08:39am
Flag: [ ] "I would challenge you to quote any insult to blacks that Rush Limbaugh has uttered. "
Not much of a challenge, but ok.
Did you want more?
I can get a list. By: JennyTraynor on April 12, 2007 at 08:42am
Flag: [ ] Thank you, sir, for stating the obvious. Still we know that all people can be as blind as their prejudices allow.
There are still people out there who think it's okay to kill Iraqis so we don't have to "fight terrorism over here" because they don't really value "all life."
Likewise, young blacks have given rise to much of the hateful language that poor old, senile Imus was parroting. Yes, he should be gone, but the respectable members of the black community need to speak up more and condemn hate language among their youth.
They need to promote effort and work over material glitz and cheap celebrity just as much as the whites need to shun the Anna Nicoles and Mel Gibsons and waiting for the lottery to bail them out of debt.
Last year I heard a disgusted young (white) man, hardly a role model for his peers, grouse,"Everybody wants to be black 'til the cops show up." It was probably the most intuitive thing the fellow ever said (though probably not all that original).
Point is that celebrity and all its evils crosses race lines. White kids now talk of their hos and bitches, and the universal greeting is,"'Sup?" (a contraction of whassup ) I'll be happy to see wholesomeness and work ethic return as values.
Does this mean I have to give up my "Liberal" card? By: exflatlander on April 12, 2007 at 09:15am
Flag: [ ] As an African American AND a woman, I was deeply offended by Imus' racist and misogynistic remarks. I agree with MSNBC's decision to fire Imus because they are merely making consistent a policy on standards of decency--on MSNBC--that they have strictly enforced on its primary network, NBC, and other cable news outlet, CNBC.
That said, however, CBS should NOT follow suit, unless it is prepared to enforce a uniform policy. CBS is owned by Viacom, which owns MTV and more notably BET. Unless Viacom is prepared to enforce a uniform policy on standards of decency at all of its media outlets, it can not in good faith and fairness fire Don Imus, effectively and actually imposing a higher standard on The Don Imus Show than on programming on BET or MTV, but especially BET which invented the popularization of broadcasting entertainment that spews "nigga, ho and bitch" on the public air waves, daily.
If they do impose such a disparate and race-based policy, I would advise and support the effort of All White folks to boycott Viacom and its advertisers! By: dtd on April 12, 2007 at 09:19am
Flag: [ ] Let me see, if Blacks only stop saying "Nigger" then White racist well stop as well? That some segments of Black society are using the N-word and other degrading terms can and does provide some Whites an excuse for saying these words but make no mistake racist Whites don't need an excuse (nor do racist of any color)being racist.
News RSS