High ratings or not, Don Imus gets kicked off MSNBC

I am actually surprised that MSNBC has told Imus "allez, out!" I had to check Imus' ratings for the show because, you know it would have made sense if the show was floundering.

Well ... it seems somebody has a spine at MSNBC.

The TV Guy reports that Imus' morning simulcast was doing so well, CNN decided to change it's morning anchor line-up to stopgap the ratings blood-bath.

I am still cynical about this whole fiasco, but I'm going to applaud this move by the cable broadcaster. It seems they not only listened to the public uproar but actually follow the advice of key employees in the company. I don't know if Al Roker was one of those employees, but I love what he publish in his post, "Not in my house" :

My freedom of speech was questioned. Some of the complaints that came in fell in that same category; I was denying Don Imus his freedom of speech. Far from it. Don Imus has the right to say whatever he wants, however hateful, stupid or uncaring. He DOES NOT have the right to say it on public airwaves or on the cable broadcast of a publicly owned company. That is a privilege, just as you do not have the right to have a license to drive a car. It is a privilege. Privileges can be revoked if certain criteria are not met.

Another point some of my critics raised was that I was holding Don Imus to a different standard than the rappers and African American comedians who traffic in the same kind of language.

Guess what? I think their speech is hateful, too. I don't condone it. Don't allow it in my home. Don't use the words. Don't go to those concerts. Those companies that profit in the demeaning of women via musical lyrics, whether rap or rock, should be put on notice, as should the radio stations that play the music. Others who have used hateful language have recently been fired from prominent radio jobs. They have been held accountable. African-Americans who believe certain elements of rap music, music videos and popular entertainment need to be more respectful toward our own should speak out and repudiate that element. I know I have, and many others have as well.

Bravo NBC. You finally did the right thing.

Now if we could get rid of the likes of Bill O'Reilly, Nancy Grace and Rush Limbaugh, the world would be a happier place.

Bookmark/Search this post with:

| | | | | |