And when do these CBS guys get Fired?

[stench]

General Manager - Chuck Bortnick; Operations Director - Mark Chernoff; Program Director - Eric Spitz; Senior VP Programming Greg Strassel. Didn't these managers buy into and nurture the whole Imus experience? Profit from it? What? None of these managers get the axe too? Not accountable?

As Reverend Al said, this is not about Imus. Like him or not, it is shameful he was thrown under the bus. A strong message to talent everywhere. Watch your back.

The bigger issue is that Reverend Al and Jesse will not be satiated until The government (FCC) regulates racist language and racist programming on public airwaves in the same fashion as indecency...of course this will never happen because of First Amendment issues.

Funny how 19 year old kids getting blown apart in IRAQ takes a back seat to this three ring circus.

 

[superhead]

The First Amendment does protect free speech not your right to have a talk show. These are public airwaves and you have a responsibility to hold yourself to a higher standard.

 

[klinker]

Where does it say that radio hosts are suppost to be held to a higher standard in the FCC rules and regulations. I want specific lines and wording on that. All I know Is finally done with regular radio and I've switched to Sirius. You'll be seeing alot of this over the next six months.

 

[superhead]

This has nothing to do with the FCC but the moral responsibilty of all of us to stop pointing fingures and take a long hard look at ourselves. Over the last week it has become obvious that many of my colleagues are racist.

It's wrong to make these remarks, wrong to profit from it. It's not comedy it's hate pure and simple.

"Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." Lincoln's Gettysburg Address on November 19, 1863.

It's shameful that we still cannot change the focus to what we have in common with each other but rather to continue breeding the negative perceptions.

Major League Baseball will be saluting the bravery of Jackie Robinson's breaking of the color barrier 60 years ago today. As much as we would like to think that race relations have improved since then it has become clear that while we don't hear about it openly it's bubbling just under the surface.

 

[MACK184]

This has always been my gripe when some jock gets it for pushing the envelope too far. The management of the station hires these people BECAUSE they are edgy. They push them to be controversial, they prod them to push the envelope. Because contoversy=bigger audience=higher ratings=higher revenue. BUT..when the jock finally falls over the edge, all the managers and handlers throw up their hands and pretend that they thought that had hired Mr. Rogers and got something else. Was Imus wrong? Yep! But there is a collective responsibility, and that never gets addressed. Michelle Malkin wrote in the New York Post several days ago and printed the entire lyrics of 2 currently popular songs in the NY market. The songs were filled with references to bitches & hos and were violent and degrading to women. She asked the right question..where is the sanctimonious Rev Al when it comes to that?

 

[feeball]

Michelle Malkin wrote in the New York Post several days ago and printed the entire lyrics of 2 currently popular songs in the NY market. The songs were filled with references to bitches & hos and were violent and degrading to women. She asked the right question..where is the sanctimonious Rev Al when it comes to that?

Since it has been long rumored for many years that Rev. Al Sharpton is "on the take" as it relates to the Urban and Hip-Hop industries, he is spending way too much tme waiting for caucasians to screw up. Just a reminder, I said it has been long rumored meaning there is no actual proof of Sharpton receiving huge sums of money from recording industry executives. In the eyes of the double-standard bearers, if we (meaning African Americans) do or say something wrong, it's not a big deal. But, if they (meaning any other ethnicity) do or say something wrong, we will cry and bitch and moan and protest and argue and complain and boycott and etc.etc. until we get what we want. Now that I have read what I just typed, there will be some dope who reads this and tries to bitch and moan and call this racist. Anything involving seclusion nowadays is considerd racist. The fact that I just acknowledged different groups of individuals is considered racist. And quite possibly whoever reads this and decides to waste five minutes out of their life to either type a reply or post something else in this thread would be considered a racist.

 

[titoisradio]

The First Amendment does protect free speech not your right to have a talk show. These are public airwaves and you have a responsibility to hold yourself to a higher standard.

You just contradicted yourself. If the airwaves are public meaning they are owned by the people, and if the government is responsible for allocating the peoples airwaves then first amendment protections DO apply under your argument.

First Amendment does not apply to CBS who holds the license (leased from the people) deciding who they want on THEIR airwaves.

Thus if there was govt action against Imus or WFAN then there would be a valid First Amendment argument, not CBS deciding to do with their employees, though contract law could come into play then.

 

[LKellerIII]

"Didn't these managers buy into and nurture the whole Imus experience? Profit from it? What? None of these managers get the axe too? Not accountable?"

Sorry, but radio personalities getting canned for overstepping the bound of good taste is not new. It's actually less common these days because the managers in charge WANT their air talent to push the envelope to get ratings, so they put up with more. One example in Top 40 DJ lore was at WABC in 1965. DJ Bob Dayton played the song "Happy Happy Birthday Baby" and dedicated it to the 20th anniversary of the Hiroshima atomic bomb explosion. The wife of an ABC manager was listening, and made sure Dayton was gone the next day.

In LA a few months after the Challenger disaster, Emperor Bob Hudson, a popular morning personality made a joke about the astronauts being high from snorting Tang. He was fired the next day, but was philosophical, stating that no one DJ is bigger than the station.

There was a recent racially charged incident on San Francisco Sports Talk station KNBR, where both the talk host and Program Director were fired. But most of the time, it's the air personality that takes the hit/

 

[XM RADIO]

Feeball, very well put!! I hope with the XM/Sirius merger, Imus gets hired, and he will be "Exempt from The reverend Jesse Hijackson and Al !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And the basketball team can get back to dribblin!!

 

[LKellerIII]

"...there is no actual proof of Sharpton receiving huge sums of money from recording industry executives."

I think that's probably B.S. I don't care for Sharpton, and I don't think he's particularly ethical, so I believe he probably WOULD take payoffs from the recording industry if they offered it, but I don't believe the recording industry would have any reason to give him "huge sums of money." Though he has some influence in the African American community, the idea that people would start shunning rap music because the Rev.Al was against it is truly laughable. The consumers of rap music - primarily young people - have no particular respect for him. Sharpton certainly has no pull with the FCC or the Bush Administration. He might gain some influence if the Democrats win the White House, but the Dems are generally shy about anything that smacks of censorship.

 

[TowerBuzz]

I say again that this is not at all about Sharpton, Jackson et al. Most of those screaming about Imus arent even really PRO IMUS, they're REALLY, REALLY ANTI SHARPTON. Whatever you think of Sharpton and Jackson etc, they are not the issue. They just protested what they thought was wrong, period. They have the right to do that and they were not even the first to jump on it, it was mostly bloggers etc and it just kept going. True Sharpton's involvement guarantees a certain amount of media coverage that the situation otherwise would not have gotten but that is fair, nobody makes the media chase Sharpton for quotes they do it because he's news especially in this area.

Stench has a point about management. Maybe some blame belongs to them. If you have an OM who was PD when Sid Rosenberg imploded too, who was it? the same guy that couldn't keep DLR in line, could not keep O and A and the Doghouse from getting into it on air at another station too. Management that can't control their talent, or turn a blind eye to certain goings on until the ad buys are in jeopardy, how are they right ones for the job?.

 

[feeball]

but the Dems are generally shy about anything that smacks of censorship.

Unless it's a Gore or a Lieberman. Wait Lieberman is now an independent, and I am the Easter Bunny.

 

[UncleBozzle]

It's not difficult to grasp at all. With all of the choices out there if people are offended by a certain host or format than just don't listen to it. There is truly something for everyone out there, as should be the case in this great country. I heard Rev. Sharpton talking about more diversity being presented on stations owned by CBS/Clear Channel etc but I wonder will we see more diversity on stations that are owned by african american companies? Might we see some white hosts on WBLS, or a mix of music that appeals to whites and blacks? Or is this all a oneway street?

 

[TowerBuzz]

It's not difficult to grasp at all. With all of the choices out there if people are offended by a certain host or format than just don't listen to it. There is truly something for everyone out there, as should be the case in this great country. I heard Rev. Sharpton talking about more diversity being presented on stations owned by CBS/Clear Channel etc but I wonder will we see more diversity on stations that are owned by african american companies? Might we see some white hosts on WBLS, or a mix of music that appeals to whites and blacks? Or is this all a oneway street?

Uncle you just want to bitch because you're a conservative guy who has a gripe against Sharpton when this issue has never been Sharpton.. More African american companies showing diversity? more white hosts on BLS? Im all for that BUT of the vast radio holdings how many do you even think are owned, operated, managed by african americans?. There are so few that your point is just absurd. Why do you think the few African American companies that exist came into being in the first place, practice certain hiring practices that you are attempting to question? because major (white) companies hire whites at a much more disportional rate than non whites. True there are a lot more non whites in the country but your attempt to question "does it only go one way"? is you just being pedantic. Ask any non whitee person you may know and they would probably tell you that it has been going one way for a very long time.

 

[housemusic]

Les Hollander, Region SVP for CBS Radio in NY was let go Friday. He was a victim of "downsizing", but one insider said that he had much to do with the demise of the NY and Chicago markets for the last 2 years. When asked what he will do next, he was quoted as saying, "let me ask joel and I will get back to you!" 8)

 

[Lando Griffin]

It's not difficult to grasp at all. With all of the choices out there if people are offended by a certain host or format than just don't listen to it. There is truly something for everyone out there, as should be the case in this great country. I heard Rev. Sharpton talking about more diversity being presented on stations owned by CBS/Clear Channel etc but I wonder will we see more diversity on stations that are owned by african american companies? Might we see some white hosts on WBLS, or a mix of music that appeals to whites and blacks? Or is this all a oneway street?

Uncle you just want to bitch because you're a conservative guy who has a gripe against Sharpton when this issue has never been Sharpton.. More African american companies showing diversity? more white hosts on BLS? Im all for that BUT of the vast radio holdings how many do you even think are owned, operated, managed by african americans?. There are so few that your point is just absurd. Why do you think the few African American companies that exist came into being in the first place, practice certain hiring practices that you are attempting to question? because major (white) companies hire whites at a much more disportional rate than non whites. True there are a lot more non whites in the country but your attempt to question "does it only go one way"? is you just being pedantic. Ask any non whitee person you may know and they would probably tell you that it has been going one way for a very long time.

You, sir, are incorrect. A major part of the issue IS Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. These two men condemn the free speech of others and walk around with a free pass on anything they say.
In addition, Jackson is able to strong-arm major companies into donating to his Mistress Fund (Known by many as the Rainbow-PUSH coalition) or face phony bad publicity (with help from the leftist media) and trumped-up discrimination charges. Most companies (Toyota, Budweiser, etc) seem to believe it's cheaper to just give him the money and walk away rather than spend all sorts of money on a very public fight while being labeled "racists." Jackson recently extorted about 500K from Michael Richards (this seems to have gone away). It is my belief that Imus would not succumb to this brand of extortion so he told "Hymietown" Jackson to kiss off.
Sharpton has made a career of riuning the lives of random white people (see Steven Pagones, Fashion Freddy plus eight dead people and the Rosenbaum family) he gets an assist as far as the innocent Duke Lacrosse players are concerned.
These men are phonies who hide behind the cloth or well-intentioned people to make money from the Oppression Industry. They don't want change in America, they want black and white people to contimue to be polarized or else they will lose the only way they know how to make their bean$.
Any apologists for these men are only endorsing their practices.

 

[del_griffith]

It's not difficult to grasp at all. With all of the choices out there if people are offended by a certain host or format than just don't listen to it. There is truly something for everyone out there, as should be the case in this great country. I heard Rev. Sharpton talking about more diversity being presented on stations owned by CBS/Clear Channel etc but I wonder will we see more diversity on stations that are owned by african american companies? Might we see some white hosts on WBLS, or a mix of music that appeals to whites and blacks? Or is this all a oneway street?

Uncle you just want to bitch because you're a conservative guy who has a gripe against Sharpton when this issue has never been Sharpton.. More African american companies showing diversity? more white hosts on BLS? Im all for that BUT of the vast radio holdings how many do you even think are owned, operated, managed by african americans?. There are so few that your point is just absurd. Why do you think the few African American companies that exist came into being in the first place, practice certain hiring practices that you are attempting to question? because major (white) companies hire whites at a much more disportional rate than non whites. True there are a lot more non whites in the country but your attempt to question "does it only go one way"? is you just being pedantic. Ask any non whitee person you may know and they would probably tell you that it has been going one way for a very long time.

You, sir, are incorrect. A major part of the issue IS Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. These two men condemn the free speech of others and walk around with a free pass on anything they say.
In addition, Jackson is able to strong-arm major companies into donating to his Mistress Fund (Known by many as the Rainbow-PUSH coalition) or face phony bad publicity (with help from the leftist media) and trumped-up discrimination charges. Most companies (Toyota, Budweiser, etc) seem to believe it's cheaper to just give him the money and walk away rather than spend all sorts of money on a very public fight while being labeled "racists." Jackson recently extorted about 500K from Michael Richards (this seems to have gone away). It is my belief that Imus would not succumb to this brand of extortion so he told "Hymietown" Jackson to kiss off.
Sharpton has made a career of riuning the lives of random white people (see Steven Pagones, Fashion Freddy plus eight dead people and the Rosenbaum family) he gets an assist as far as the innocent Duke Lacrosse players are concerned.
These men are phonies who hide behind the cloth or well-intentioned people to make money from the Oppression Industry. They don't want change in America, they want black and white people to contimue to be polarized or else they will lose the only way they know how to make their bean$.
Any apologists for these men are only endorsing their practices.

Jackson and Sharpton are not my idea of ideal spokesmen, but you said something that sort of surprised me. You said that Jackson gets help from the leftist media. Why in the world would the leftist media (CBS and NBC) go after themselves and the moneymaking Imus machine?

 

[dumber than a box of hair]

DJ Bob Dayton played the song "Happy Happy Birthday Baby" and dedicated it to the 20th anniversary of the Hiroshima atomic bomb explosion. The wife of an ABC manager was listening, and made sure Dayton was gone the next day.

WARNING: Anal-retentive correction follows...

The song was "Sixteen Candles," which begins: "Happy birthday, happy birthday baby, oh, I love you so..."

The "wife of an ABC manager" was Mrs. Leonard Goldenson, wife of the ABC chairman and president, and she was hosting a lecture by the "Hiroshima Maidens," a group of women who had survived the nuclear bombing and traveled the world preaching nuclear disarmament, when Dayton made his remark. He was fired before his show was over.

Talk about your bad timing...

 

[stench]

Guess nobody got fired in management or is it waay too early?

 

[nhradiochild]

It's not difficult to grasp at all. With all of the choices out there if people are offended by a certain host or format than just don't listen to it.

I think this statement no longer applies. It's not about what you want to listen to anymore, but what you don't want others listening to. And if we were all adults to begin with than I would call this censorship and chastise it. However, although it is still censorship, I think it is for a valid reason. For our children. It's become too difficult for a parent to monitor what their children are listening to at all hours of the day, when their kids are visiting others' kids and so forth. And while ordinarily I would find this a detestable practice of somehow influencing how others' kids listen to what they want, I have to be concerned with the possible hatred they could actually be learning from what their listening to. I find myself in a really awkward position as I was once a DJ and at one time a kid who professed the music didn't affect him negatively in any way. But that's perhaps because music was milder... or maybe it wasn't and maybe I was affected without my knowledge.

I guess, when I was growing up... gangsta rap hadn't occurred until I was nearly an adult anyway... 2 live crew was available when I was in Jr. High, but most songs were just sexually implicit, not explicit, and even that I don't have as much of a problem with as what appears to be tolerance for hatred across the board.

So yes, I believe there is a change in the way people wish for radio to be broadcast. Call it censorship, because it is, but it's done to protect our children from the world until they're ready for it.