Imus Getting Fired is Hypocritical

Submitted by Cristina Gonzalez on Mon, 04/16/2007 - 1:50pm.

I think we might be the only media blog on the Internet that has yet to comment on Don Imus getting fired. Given the fact that yours truly will be working in talk radio in T-30 days, I figured I would take a stab at it because quite frankly, I am scared.

I agree that Imus’ comments were hurtful and disgusting, but firing Imus from his radio show is a step in the wrong direction. Talk shows always push the edge of provocative, but in this case Imus clearly went too far. He apologized and graveled at the feet of Jesse Jackson, what more could he do?

That’s beside the point. The point is that CBS firing Imus says that airwaves are no longer a public space for voices from all sides of the spectrum. Here is the quote showing the hypocrisy which upsets me: [Jesse] Jackson called the firing “a victory for public decency. No one should use the public airwaves to transmit racial or sexual degradation." (source: CBS News)

Clearly the airwaves are public enough to receive messages from rappers who use much more offensive language—why do the standards not apply to their form of media? Jackson himself uses the word “public airwaves.” Imus has the same rights on the “public” airwaves as any rapper. I don’t agree with any of the messages from Imus, rappers or anyone—but I support their right to say it. I just don’t understand the hypocrisy.

Here is a great article from Jason Whitlock of the Kansas City Star, which points to the real cultural issue surrounding this debate. Whitlock was also on Oprah to debate the issue.

This is just the beginning of regulating talk radio, a typically conservative media platform, which liberals can’t stand because of their inability to perform well in it. Who knows…maybe I’ll be out of a job before I even start one!

He could have tried "groveling" at the feet of Jesse Jackson, for instance. It might have been more helpful than "graveling."

So correcting spelling errors is the only thing you have to say? Quite a broad mind you have there.

OH SNAP.

Cristina,

Clearly this person has nothing else better to do and is afraid to engage you in actual intelligent discourse.

With that being said, it interesting to note is that a poll on MSNBC yesterday showed that a majority of Americans believed that firing Imus was the wrong course of action.

First of all, radio does censor music with explicit content. And while radio stations may choose to feature certain songs on a station, the artists don't work for the radio stations nor do they have any responsiblity to them. The stations make song selections by their own volition, hoping to maintain or improve their audience base with such artistic content. Don Imus on the other hand, is getting paid by his network and is representing the corporation with every word that comes out of his mouth. The corporation is responsible for him and has to look out for their own image in such circumstances.

I am so tired of hearing this over used tirade of why Imus should not have been fired. "Imus's comments were wrong, but CBS and MSNBC went too far in firing him. Why do we accept rappers using lewd and sexist remarks, but dismiss Don Imus for his comments?" Imus went simply too far, and in order to maintain their appearances and keep whatever advertisers they had, MSNBC and CBS had to fire Imus. I'm sorry, but as much as MSNBC and CBS are news organization, they are also money making companies. Imus tainted their images and left him without key sponsors so it seems quite logical that they would let him go. Rappers are accountable to their audiences and as long as, these people see no problem with the use of "ho", their negative language will continue. Imus is accountable to MSNBC and CBS and while they may have tolerated many other offensive comments by him, these particular comments went too far. MSNBC and CBS pulled the plug because they have the power to do so--no rapper references necessary.

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Imus Getting Fired is Hypocritical

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