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More on the Imus debate

So, Carter Crawford (RBR 4/13/2007) works for GCI Cable in Alaska. I'm not sure why a cable employee is responding in a radio publication [Editor's note: The comment appeared in both RBR and TVBR], but regardless, Crawford states "It has been years since I listened to New York Radio and since we can not get any satellite radio in Alaska I have never heard him"...

One wonders if Crawford has ever tuned to Channel 66 of GCI system?

But in some ways I am like Crawford. I might have heard Imus for a total of 10 minutes on MSNBC or listened to his syndicated show, I considered him adequate, but never a stellar talent. His ratings in the Top 40 wars at WNBC-AM and at during his banishment to WHK-AM in Cleveland seem to back that up. He certainly has outlasted his competition and became a New York fixture with ratings on WFAN. However, as we often see, many locals with talent and longevity, float to the top in ratings for familiarity in their hometown, but that does not translate to ratings in other markets. As such, I do respect what he has achieved in the Industry, as well as his charitable works. I would however, never consider hiring him outside of a News-Talk AM in New York. As thus I am not what one could call an Imus fan.

Concerning Steve Capus, NBC News President, and his comments on MSNBC, Mr.

Capus stated "I can't ignore the fact that there is a very long list of inappropriate comments, of inappropriate banter, and it has to stop - it needed to stop. There should not be a place for that."

Mr. Capus also noted that "I'm one of the people who considered himself an Imus fan - I listened to him every morning and I think very highly of him, but I needed to make this call and I believe it was the right call."

Mr. Capus also notes that this was not about the advertisers' revenue - and he did not even know how much advertising revenue had been lost.

Your observation saw through this, but let's take Mr. Capus at his word for a second and ask how many discussions did Mr. Capus have with Don Imus, outside of the last 7 days, concerning all these problems from the "long list of inappropriate banter"?

And what was Imus's response?

If Capus had not spoken with Imus, as he "listened to him every morning" and "there is (sip) a very long list of inappropriate banter that needed to stop", why was this not discussed between MSNBC, Capus and Imus before this past week? Isn't this a management failure?

If MSNBC wants to fire Imus, that is their right and decision. But for NBC to play holier than thou and not be honest about what they did and why they did it, in my opinion, makes Capus worse than Imus - covering up a mistake with a lie - and trying to spin it to get goodwill and brownie points for it.

Let us all ask how can we expect honesty from NBC News if we cannot get it from their News President?

At least Imus had the decency to come clean and truthfully admit what happened.

Maybe the wrong person was fired - especially if someone knew the problem existed and he took no effort to correct it until forced to do so.

CBS, are you listening? Obviously not.

Now, let's see - will CBS demand all rap record that use the N Word or make unflattering characteristics associated with racial insults be banned from all CBS owned stations. CBS needs to cancel its contract with Chris Rock for Everyone Hates Chris on CW and cancel the show. CBS needs to drop its relationship with Dave Chappelle on Showtime.

What do you want to bet they won't?

Randy Kabrich
Radio consultant






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