MSNBC said Wednesday it will cancel the simulcast of the "Imus in the
Morning" radio program because of growing negative sentiment about radio talk
show host Don Imus'racial slur against the Rutgers women's basketball team.
"This decision comes as a result of an ongoing review process,
which initially included the announcement of a suspension. It also takes into
account many conversations with our own employees," NBC news said in a
statement.
Imus triggered set off the uproar on his April 4 show, when he referred to
the mostly black Rutgers women's basketball team as "nappy-headed hos." His
comments outraged civil rights and women's groups.
The decision does not affect ImusĄ¯nationally syndicated radio show, and the
ultimate decision on the fate of that program will rest with executives at CBS
Corp. In a statement, CBS reiterated Imus will be suspended without pay for two
weeks beginning on Monday, and that CBS Radio "will continue to speak with all
concerned parties and monitor the situation closely."
MSNBC's action came after a growing list of sponsors -- including American
Express Co., Sprint Nextel Corp., Staples Inc., Procter & Gamble Co., and
General Motors Corp. -- said they were pulling ads from ImusĄ¯show for the
indefinite future.
NBC News President Steve Capus said he made the decision after reading
thousands of e-mails and having countless discussions with NBC workers and the
public, but he denied the potential loss of advertising dollars had anything to
do with it.
"I take no joy in this. It's not a particularly happy moment, but it needed
to happen," he said. "I can't ignore the fact that there is a very long list of
inappropriate comments, of inappropriate banter, and it has to stop."
NBC's decision came at a time when ImusĄ¯program on MSNBC was doing better
competitively than it ever has been. For the first three months of the year, its
audience was nearly identical to CNN's, leading CNN to replace its morning news
team last week.
