DON IMUS FIRED FROM CBS RADIO

Don Imus raised over $1.3 million for charity today on CBS Radio-owned WFAN in New York, then was fired by the company for the inappropriate remarks he made last week.

From The New York Times:

For four and a half hours this morning, he turned his radio program into a live fundraiser for three charities — two benefiting children with cancer, and the other for families that have lost babies to sudden infant death syndrome — an endeavor he has undertaken each of the last 18 years.

Among the guests were children and parents who had been the beneficiaries of his efforts — particularly the Imus Cattle Ranch for Kids with Cancer, a program that the host founded on his New Mexico ranch along with his wife, Deirdre.

“It was an honor to be at your son’s funeral,” he said to one woman, whose cancer-stricken son had been a guest at what is essentially a western-themed camp for sick children.

At several points, he lashed out at the “hypocrisy” of the media coverage of the fallout from his remarks, and “the lack of support from people like Harold Ford,” the former Tennessee congressman who is black and whom the talk show host had touted repeatedly throughout his recent, failed bid for a Senate seat.

He also expressed bitterness that MSNBC had “pulled the plug” on televising his program less than 12 hours before the fundraiser was to begin. “They got their pound of flesh and made their decision,” he said.

And yet, Mr. Imus also emphasized that, ultimately, he alone was to blame for his predicament.

"I said a stupid, idiotic thing that hurt these kids,” he said of the Rutgers players. “If I hadn’t have said it, we wouldn’t be here. So let’s stop whining about it.”

IMUS DROPPED BY MSNBC

Just two days after suspending Don Imus for two weeks for inappropriate remarks, NBC announced today that MSNBC will no longer simulcast the "Imus in the Morning" radio program. Earlier Wednesday American Express, which spent $1.2 million advertising on the show, pulled their ads. General Motors had already stopped advertising on the show for unrelated reasons, but did indicate that they would no longer consider advertising on an Imus program. At this point, Imus is still employed by WFAN, a CBS radio station in New York, where his program brings in 25% of all advertising dollars for the station.

The New York Times

IMUS REMARKS IMPACT BOTTOM LINE

Last Wednesday radio and television personality Don Imus made inappropriate remarks on his "Imus in the Morning" radio program broadcast on radio throughout the country and on television on MSNBC. By Friday Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson among others were calling on Mr. Imus to be fired from his broadcasting job. On Monday he was suspended for two weeks, but his employers reserve the right to take further action. Today at least three advertisers, including heavyweight Procter & Gamble, pulled their ads from his show.

From WSJ.com:

The advertisers' reaction suggests fallout over Mr. Imus's remarks could persist. Marketers aren't saying whether their pullouts are permanent, and they are likely to watch carefully to see if the fuss dies down. But the withdrawal of more advertisers could potentially undercut support for Mr. Imus returning to the air. Civil-rights groups such as the NAACP have called for him to be fired, while the Rev. Al Sharpton is calling for advertisers and guests to boycott the program.

Mr. Imus has long been known for his irreverent humor, but he has come under intense criticism since referring to the Rutgers team, which lost to the University of Tennessee in the NCAA championship last week, as "nappy-headed hos" during his show. Mr. Imus went onto Mr. Sharpton's radio program on Monday to apologize, but the controversy hasn't let up. Talkers, a trade publication, estimates Mr. Imus has a radio audience of about 2.25 million, placing him among the nation's top 25 radio personalities.