Imus in the Morning is an
AmericanRadio is one of the major mass media of the United States.-History:The beginning of regular commercially licensed sound broadcasting in the United States in 1920 ended the print monopoly over the media and opened the doors to the more immediate and pervasive electronic media...
radio showTalk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
hosted by
Don ImusJohn Donald "Don" Imus, Jr. is an American radio host, humorist, philanthropist and writer. His nationally-syndicated talk show, Imus in the Morning, is broadcast throughout the United States by Citadel Media and relayed on television by the Fox Business Network.-Personal life:Imus was born in...
on Cumulus Media Networks (formerly Citadel Media and ABC Radio Networks), and simulcast for television on
Fox Business NetworkFox Business Network is an American cable news and satellite news television channel that began broadcasting on October 15, 2007. It is owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation...
.
The show originated locally on
WNBC radioWNBC was a radio station that operated in New York City from 1922 to 1988. For most of its history, it was the flagship station of the NBC Radio Network...
in
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in December 1971. In October 1988 the show moved to
WFANWFAN , also known as "Sports Radio 66" or "The FAN", is a radio station in New York City. The station broadcasts on a clear channel and is owned by CBS Radio...
when that radio station took over WNBC's dial position following an ownership change. It was later syndicated to 60 other stations across the country by
Westwood OneWestwood One was an American radio network and was based in New York City. At one time, it was managed by CBS Radio, the radio arm of CBS Corporation, and Viacom and was later purchased by the private equity firm The Gores Group...
, a division of
CBS RadioCBS Radio, Inc., formerly known as Infinity Broadcasting Corporation, is one of the largest owners and operators of radio stations in the United States, third behind main rival Clear Channel Communications and Cumulus Media. CBS Radio owns around 130 radio stations across the country...
, airing weekdays from 5:30 to 10 am
Eastern timeThe Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
. Beginning September 3, 1996, the 6 to 9 am portion was simulcast on the
cable televisionCable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
networkA television network is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, whereby a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay TV providers. Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small...
MSNBCMSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
.
The show had been broadcast almost every weekday morning for 25 years on radio and 11 years on MSNBC until it was canceled on April 12, 2007 due to controversial comments made on the April 4 broadcast. The remark resulted in the program's cancellation the following week (see
Cancellation).
The
Imus in the Morning program returned to the morning drive on New York radio station
WABCWABC , known as "NewsTalkRadio 77 WABC" is a radio station in New York City. Owned by the broadcasting division of Cumulus Media, the station broadcasts on a clear channel and is the flagship station of Cumulus Media Networks...
on December 3, 2007. WABC is the flagship station of ABC Radio Networks (now Cumulus Media Networks), which syndicates the show nationally. From 2007 to August 2009, the show was simulcast on television nationwide on
RFD-TVRFD-TV, or Rural Free Delivery TV, is a United States satellite and cable television channel devoted to rural issues, concerns, and interests. The channel's name is a reference to Rural Free Delivery, the name for the United States Postal Service's system of delivering mail directly to rural patrons...
and rebroadcast each evening on RFD HD in
high-definitionHigh-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
. After Imus and RFD reached a mutual agreement to prematurely terminate the five-year deal,
Fox Business NetworkFox Business Network is an American cable news and satellite news television channel that began broadcasting on October 15, 2007. It is owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation...
began simulcasting the program on October 5, 2009.
History
Following a successful run as an on-air personality in
ClevelandCleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, Don Imus was hired by WNBC to host
Imus in the Morning in late 1971. Imus is credited with introducing New York, and the larger Top 40 radio community, to the shock jock style of hosting. His initial run in New York ended in August 1977, when NBC management ordered a purge of WNBC's on-air staff in order to revive sagging ratings. Imus returned to Cleveland, but NBC brought him back to New York only two years later. On September 3, 1979, Imus started off his first program back on WNBC with his old character/voice/bit, "The Reverend Billy Sol Hargus". The show regularly parodied songs and voices, satirizing national and local events and persons.
After WNBC was sold to
Emmis CommunicationsEmmis Communications is a media conglomerate based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The company owns radio stations and magazines in the United States, Hungary, Slovakia and Bulgaria.-History:...
in 1988, a frequency shift on New York's AM radio dial saw WFAN, Emmis's sports-talk station, move to WNBC's 660 AM dial position. WNBC signed off in October 1988, and WFAN decided to retain Imus, replacing its original morning drive-time show hosted by
Greg GumbelGreg Gumbel is an American television sportscaster. He is best known for his various assignments on the CBS network...
.
Initially limited to the broadcast range of WFAN in the
New York metropolitan areaThe New York metropolitan area, also known as Greater New York, or the Tri-State area, is the region that composes of New York City and the surrounding region...
, the show's radio audience and influence expanded considerably once
Westwood OneWestwood One was an American radio network and was based in New York City. At one time, it was managed by CBS Radio, the radio arm of CBS Corporation, and Viacom and was later purchased by the private equity firm The Gores Group...
began syndicating it in 1993.
During the WNBC years,
Imus in the Morning was conducted out of NBC's radio studios at 30 Rockefeller Plaza. The program then moved to the
Kaufman Astoria StudiosThe Kaufman Astoria Studios is an historic movie studio located in the Astoria section of the New York City borough of Queens.-History:It was originally built by Famous Players-Lasky in 1920 to provide the company with a facility close to the Broadway theater district. Many features and short...
in
Astoria, QueensAstoria is a neighborhood in the northwestern corner of the borough of Queens in New York City. Located in Community Board 1, Astoria is bounded by the East River and is adjacent to three other Queens neighborhoods: Long Island City, Sunnyside , and Woodside...
, WFAN's longtime studio home, but in 2005 the program moved to a dedicated
Imus in the Morning set at MSNBC's studios in
Secaucus, New JerseySecaucus is a town in Hudson County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 16,264. Located within the New Jersey Meadowlands, it is the most suburban of the county's municipalities, though large parts of the town are dedicated to light manufacturing, retail, and...
, although certain cast members remained at the WFAN studios using a
split-screen formatSplit screen is a display technique in computer graphics that consists of dividing graphics and/or text into non-movable adjacent parts, typically two or four rectangular areas. This is done in order to allow the simultaneous presentation of related graphical and textual information on a computer...
. When at the
Imus RanchThe Imus Ranch is a working cattle ranch of nearly 4,000 acres located in Ribera, New Mexico, southeastof Santa Fe. It was founded in 1999 by long-time radio personality Don Imus and his wife Deirdre as a charitable organization that seeks to ensure the continuity of the lives of children who are...
, Don Imus would broadcast the show from
Ribera, New MexicoRibera is a small unincorporated community in San Miguel County, New Mexico, United States. Located in the northern part of the state, it is next to Villanueva State Park at the foot of Rowe Mesa and along the Pecos River, 50 mi...
, while the rest of the cast remained in New York and New Jersey.
For the first 15 months of Imus' simulcast on RFD, the show originated from a custom set created for RFD located in the Cablevision
RainbowAMC Networks is an entertainment company in the United States that owns the national cable channels AMC, IFC, WE tv, and Sundance Channel; the regional News 12 Networks, the art house movie theater IFC Center in New York, New York, and the film company IFC Films.The company was originally launched...
studios (home to the
Fuse TVFuse is an American national television network dedicated exclusively to music. It features original series and specials, exclusive interviews, live concerts and video blocks....
studios) in
midtown ManhattanMidtown Manhattan, or simply Midtown, is an area of Manhattan, New York City home to world-famous commercial zones such as Rockefeller Center, Broadway, and Times Square...
's
Penn PlazaPennsylvania Plaza is the office, entertainment and hotel complex occupying and near the site of Pennsylvania Station, between 31st and 34th Streets and Seventh and Eighth Avenues in New York....
. In April 2009, the show moved to the multipurpose WABC radio studios; Imus cited the high cost of the Cablevision studios as being the reason for the move.
In September 2009, the show moved to Fox Business Network's television studios in
Rockefeller CenterRockefeller Center is a complex of 19 commercial buildings covering between 48th and 51st streets in New York City, United States. Built by the Rockefeller family, it is located in the center of Midtown Manhattan, spanning the area between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue. It was declared a National...
, where Fox Business began simulcasting the program on October 5, 2009.
The final half-hour of the program consists mainly of replayed interviews and comedy bits played earlier in the program.
Influence and demographics
Originally considered a
shock jockShock jock is a slang term used to describe a type of any radio broadcaster who attracts attention using humor that a significant portion of the listening audience may find offensive. The term is usually used pejoratively to describe provocative or irreverent broadcasters whose mannerisms,...
, Imus turned his show more towards
politicsPolitics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
and
newsNews is the communication of selected information on current events which is presented by print, broadcast, Internet, or word of mouth to a third party or mass audience.- Etymology :...
and gained public influence as a result. During the 1990s,
Imus in the Morning became increasingly important as a useful, non-traditional platform for politicians to express their views and gain exposure. Former U.S. Sen.
Al D'AmatoAlfonse Marcello "Al" D'Amato is an American lawyer and former New York politician. A Republican, he served as United States Senator from New York from 1981 to 1999.-Early life and family:...
(R-N.Y.) was one of the first officeholders to ingratiate himself with "The I-man", as Imus was frequently called by cast and guests. The show's many guests included prominent
politicianA politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
s such as
Barack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
,
Joe BidenJoseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr. is the 47th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President Barack Obama...
,
Mitt RomneyWillard Mitt Romney is an American businessman and politician. He was the 70th Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 and is a candidate for the 2012 Republican Party presidential nomination.The son of George W...
,
John McCainJohn Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
,
John KerryJohn Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
,
Vice President Dick CheneyRichard Bruce "Dick" Cheney served as the 46th Vice President of the United States , under George W. Bush....
, J.D. Hayworth and
Harold Ford, Jr.Harold Eugene Ford, Jr. is an American politician and was the last chairman of the now-defunct Democratic Leadership Council . He was a Democratic Party member of the United States House of Representatives from , centered in Memphis, from 1997 to 2007...
, as well as reporters and
columnistA columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
s from
NewsweekNewsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
,
NBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
,
MSNBCMSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
,
CNNCable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
, Fox News and other media outlets. Among the cream of the press who regularly appeared on the show were
Tom BrokawThomas John "Tom" Brokaw is an American television journalist and author best known as the anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News from 1982 to 2004. He is the author of The Greatest Generation and other books and the recipient of numerous awards and honors...
,
Tim RussertTimothy John "Tim" Russert was an American television journalist and lawyer who appeared for more than 16 years as the longest-serving moderator of NBC's Meet the Press. He was a senior vice president at NBC News, Washington bureau chief and also hosted the eponymous CNBC/MSNBC weekend interview...
,
Dan RatherDaniel Irvin "Dan" Rather, Jr. is an American journalist and the former news anchor for the CBS Evening News. He is now managing editor and anchor of the television news magazine Dan Rather Reports on the cable channel HDNet. Rather was anchor of the CBS Evening News for 24 years, from March 9,...
,
Brian WilliamsBrian Douglas Williams is the anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News, the evening news program of the NBC television network, a position he assumed in 2004...
,
Andrea MitchellAndrea Mitchell is an American television journalist, anchor, reporter, and commentator for NBC News based in Washington, D.C.. She is the NBC News Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent, and has recently reported on the 2008 Race for the White House for NBC News broadcasts, including NBC Nightly...
,
Cokie RobertsMary Martha Corinne Morrison Claiborne Roberts , best known as Cokie Roberts, is an American Emmy Award-winning journalist and bestselling author. She is a contributing senior news analyst for National Public Radio as well as a regular roundtable analyst for the current This Week with Christiane...
,
Sam DonaldsonSamuel Andrew "Sam" Donaldson, Jr. is a reporter and news anchor, serving with ABC News from 1967 to the present, best known as the network's White House Correspondent and as a panelist and later co-anchor of the network's Sunday Program "This Week."-Early life and career:Donaldson was born in El...
,
Howard FinemanHoward Fineman is an American journalist who is senior politics editor at the Huffington Post. Prior to his move to Huffington Post in October 2010, he was Newsweek’s Chief Political Correspondent, Senior Editor and Deputy Washington Bureau Chief. An award-winning writer, Fineman also is an NBC...
,
Mike BarnicleMichael "Mike" Barnicle is an award-winning American print and broadcast journalist as well as a social and political commentator. He is a frequent contributor and occasional guest host on MSNBC's Morning Joe and Hardball with Chris Matthews and is frequently seen on NBC's Today Show with...
,
Frank RichFrank Rich is an American essayist and op-ed columnist who wrote for The New York Times from 1980, when he was appointed its chief theatre critic, until 2011...
,
Jonathan AlterJonathan Alter is an American journalist and author who was a columnist and senior editor for Newsweek magazine from 1983 until 2011. He is currently a lead columnist for Bloomberg View, a new commentary website. He is also a contributing correspondent to NBC News, where since 1996 he has appeared...
and
Jeff GreenfieldJeff Greenfield is an American television journalist and author.-Biography:He was born in New York City to parents Benjamin and Helen. He grew up in Manhattan and graduated from the Bronx High School of Science in 1960. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in...
.
In 1996 as MSNBC was being launched, the original plan for weekday morning programming was to rerun the previous night's prime-time shows. However, NBC Executive Producer of Special Events and Breaking News
David BohrmanDavid Bohrman is a television and new media executive, working in network television news, cable news, new media, internet, convergence and consulting. Bohrman created almost a dozen new TV news programs at ABC News, NBC News , CNN, and TechTV....
suggested to NBC president Andy Lack that putting the newsmaking Imus program on the new cable channel was the right thing to do. Bohrman contacted Imus, and over the course of several visits and business conversations a deal was struck so that the radio program would be simulcast on MSNBC. Cameras were installed in the WFAN radio studio, and remotely controlled from MSNBC headquarters in New Jersey. One of the unique features of the first few years of the program was that the television version's commercials and the radio commercials happened at different times, which allowed TV viewers a voyeuristic view of Imus and his team getting ready for the next segments. The program was a huge success on cable news for quite a while. Bohrman (who Imus referred to as "Moosebutt") produced the first few dozen programs, then hired Terry Irving to become the day-to-day Executive Producer of the television version of the program.
In 1997, Imus was named as one of
TimeTime is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine's "25 most influential people in America"; he was also on the cover of
NewsweekNewsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
in 1999.
In 2005,
Imus in the Morning was carried by about 90 radio stations across the United States, although at the time of its 2007 CBS Radio/MSNBC cancellation it was carried by 61 stations.
ArbitronArbitron is a consumer research company in the United States that collects listener data on radio audiences. It was founded as American Research Bureau by Jim Seiler in 1949 and became national by merging with L.A. based Coffin, Cooper and Clay in the early 1950s...
analysis put the program among the most listened to radio talk shows in the United States, with about 1.6 million radio listeners per week.
In an April 26, 2005 article, David Kiley wrote in
Business Week magazine that
Imus in the Morning commanded higher advertising rates compared to competing talk shows with larger audiences, because the Imus show was less politically partisan and its demographics were "affluent, educated and influential men". Kiley also quoted former
CBS NewsCBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. The current chairman is Jeff Fager who is also the executive producer of 60 Minutes, while the current president of CBS News is David Rhodes. CBS News' flagship program is the CBS Evening News, hosted by the network's main...
anchor and
Face the NationFace the Nation with Bob Schieffer is an American Sunday-morning political interview show which premiered on the CBS television network on November 7, 1954. It is one of the longest-running news programs in the history of television...
moderator
Bob SchiefferBob Lloyd Schieffer is an American television journalist who has been with CBS News since 1969, serving 23 years as anchor on the Saturday edition of CBS Evening News from 1973 to 1996; chief Washington correspondent since 1982, moderator of the Sunday public affairs show Face the Nation since...
as saying, "I don’t know anyone in Washington who doesn’t listen to Imus or watch him on TV. I get more feedback off my spots on Imus than from my own shows." (This included the former
Howard SternHoward Allan Stern is an American radio personality, television host, author, and actor best known for his radio show, which was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2005. He gained wide recognition in the 1990s where he was labeled a "shock jock" for his outspoken and sometimes controversial style...
terrestrial radio broadcast. In comparison, Stern attracted more than 8.25 million listeners on half as many stations and
Rush LimbaughRush Hudson Limbaugh III is an American radio talk show host, conservative political commentator, and an opinion leader in American conservatism. He hosts The Rush Limbaugh Show which is aired throughout the U.S. on Premiere Radio Networks and is the highest-rated talk-radio program in the United...
attracts 13.5 million listeners).
At the time of its 2007 MSNBC cancellation,
Imus in the Morning averaged 361,000 viewers in the first quarter of 2007 and was up 39 percent over the previous year, ranking third among cable morning news programs in the
Nielsen ratingsNielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
, compared to 769,000 viewers of
Fox and Friends on
Fox News ChannelFox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
and 372,000 viewers of
CNNCable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
's
American MorningAmerican Morning is the morning television show on CNN. It premiered in 2001.-About the show:American Morning is hosted by Ashleigh Banfield, Zoraida Sambolin & Soledad O'Brien. Others who appear regularly are Rob Marciano with the weather, Sunny Hostin on legal news, and CNN senior medical...
. The program was reported to generate $20 million in annual revenue for WFAN, representing approximately 25 percent of the New York anchor station's revenue. Total revenue, including affiliate advertising and MSNBC, was said to be $50 million. MSNBC is said to have paid CBS $4 million annually in simulcast fees and to have averaged $500,000 per year in production expenses.
Imus generally selects country and western songs as
bumper musicBumper music, or a bump, is a term used in the radio broadcasting industry to refer to short clips of signature or theme music used to buffer transitions between programming elements. Bumper music is commonly employed when a syndicated program takes a break for local station identification or...
, often playing them at substantial length, and he often promotes artists he likes such as
Delbert McClintonDelbert McClinton is an American blues rock and electric blues singer-songwriter, guitarist, harmonica player, and pianist....
,
Lucinda WilliamsLucinda Williams is an American rock, folk, blues and country music singer and songwriter. She recorded her first albums in 1978 and 1980 in a traditional country and blues style and received very little attention from radio, the media, or the public. In 1988, she released her self-titled album,...
,
Levon HelmMark Lavon "Levon" Helm , is an American rock multi-instrumentalist and actor who achieved fame as the drummer and frequent lead and backing vocalist for The Band....
,
Little Sammy DavisLittle Sammy Davis is an American blues musician based in New York's Hudson Valley. Although his musical career began in the 1940s, he was not widely known until the mid-1990s when he began working in radio, singing, playing live on tour, and recording studio albums.-Early life and career:Born in...
, and
The FlatlandersThe Flatlanders are a country band with considerable country rock influence from Lubbock, Texas founded by singers/songwriters/guitarists Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Joe Ely, and Butch Hancock....
. Rock music, blues, oldies, rock and the occasional jazz piece is also used as bumper music. Imus is known for playing bumper music at a length that is unusual for talk radio.
Cast members
Imus in the Morning has a regular cast of members who supply news and
comedyComedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
, and act as
foilsIn fiction, a foil is a character who contrasts with another character in order to highlight particular qualities of another character....
to Imus. Present cast members include:
- Connell McShane
Connell McShane is an anchor and correspondent on the Fox Business Network, which he joined when the network was launched in October 2007. He anchors the 11amET hour of Fox Business and contributes to Imus in the Morning...
is the program's newsman. McShane, an employee of Fox Business NetworkFox Business Network is an American cable news and satellite news television channel that began broadcasting on October 15, 2007. It is owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation...
, took over the post May 9, 2011. He had previously rotated as the business reporter.
- Diane Macedo
Diane Macedo is a news editor for FoxNews.com and an on-air reporter for the Fox Business Network. She is also the lead singer for a musical ensemble called Paradise Alley....
and Dagen McDowellDagen McDowell is an anchor on the Fox Business Network and a business correspondent for the Fox News Channel. She is also a business contributor on the Imus In The Morning radio show.-Education and career:...
rotate as business reporters, both being provided by Fox Business Network. McDowell and McShane rotated business reports prior to May 2011. McDowell is distinguished by her thick southern accent.
- Bernard McGuirk
* Bulleted list itemBernard J. McGuirk is the executive producer of the Imus in the Morning radio program. He was born and raised in the South Bronx, New York, where he also worked in his younger years as a taxicab driver...
, his producer, is the show's antagonistAn antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
, whom Imus has sometimes referred to as a "bald-headed stooge"; he also performs character voices (such as New OrleansNew Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
Mayor Ray NaginClarence Ray Nagin, Jr. is a former mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Nagin gained international note in 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the New Orleans area....
, former New York Catholic Archbishops Cardinals Edward Egan and John Joseph O'Connor, and poet Maya AngelouMaya Angelou is an American author and poet who has been called "America's most visible black female autobiographer" by scholar Joanne M. Braxton. She is best known for her series of six autobiographical volumes, which focus on her childhood and early adult experiences. The first and most highly...
). McGuirk was the only other member of the cast to lose his job in the Rutgers controversy and was initially off air for the first few weeks of the revival before returning. He currently has an on-air role.
- Tony Powell, an African-American comedian, originally gave sports reports, but has since become a general contributor and celebrity impersonator, usually impersonating black celebrities such as Malcolm X
Malcolm X , born Malcolm Little and also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz , was an African American Muslim minister and human rights activist. To his admirers he was a courageous advocate for the rights of African Americans, a man who indicted white America in the harshest terms for its...
. He was one of two African-Americans added to the staff when the show returned on WABC and RFD; Texas native Karith Foster was the other, though Foster was eventually dismissed from the show in 2009 just prior to the move to Fox Business Network.
- Rob Bartlett
Robert Bartlett is a comedian, actor and writer who gained widespread fame as a comedian on the radio and television show Imus in the Morning. His most famous characters include: The Godfather, Dr...
impersonates a cast of celebrities (Bill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, The GodfatherThe Godfather is a 1972 American epic crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, based on the 1969 novel by Mario Puzo. With a screenplay by Puzo, Coppola and an uncredited Robert Towne, the film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard...
, Dr. PhilPhillip Calvin McGraw best known as Dr. Phil, is an American television personality, author, former psychologist, and the host of the television show Dr. Phil, which debuted in 2002...
, Brian WilsonBrian Douglas Wilson is an American musician, best known as the leader and chief songwriter of the group The Beach Boys. Within the band, Wilson played bass and keyboards, also providing part-time lead vocals and, more often, backing vocals, harmonizing in falsetto with the group...
, Hulk HoganTerrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
, Rush LimbaughRush Hudson Limbaugh III is an American radio talk show host, conservative political commentator, and an opinion leader in American conservatism. He hosts The Rush Limbaugh Show which is aired throughout the U.S. on Premiere Radio Networks and is the highest-rated talk-radio program in the United...
, Scott MuniScott Muni was an American disc jockey, who worked at the heyday of the AM Top 40 format and then was a pioneer of FM progressive rock radio.-Biography:...
, Omar MinayaOmar Teodoro Antonio Minaya y Sánchez is a former baseball executive who served as General Manager for the Montreal Expos and New York Mets.-Early life:...
, Alberto GonzalesAlberto R. Gonzales was the 80th Attorney General of the United States. Gonzales was appointed to the post in February 2005 by President George W. Bush. Gonzales was the first Hispanic Attorney General in U.S. history and the highest-ranking Hispanic government official ever...
, Vicente FoxVicente Fox Quesada is a Mexican former politician who served as President of Mexico from 1 December 2000 to 30 November 2006 and currently serves as co-President of the Centrist Democrat International, an international organization of Christian democratic political parties.Fox was elected...
, Al GoreAlbert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
, Blind Mississippi White Boy Pig Feets Dupris, Liza MinnelliLiza May Minnelli is an American actress and singer. She is the daughter of singer and actress Judy Garland and film director Vincente Minnelli....
, Carl PaladinoCarl Pasquale Paladino is an American businessman and political activist from Buffalo, New York. Paladino is the founder and chairman of Ellicott Development Company, a real estate development company he founded in 1973. He was the 2010 Republican nominee for the New York gubernatorial election,...
, and many others)
- Warner Wolf
Warner William Wolf is an American television and radio sports broadcaster, perhaps best known as a local news sports anchor in Washington, D.C., New York City and his catchphrase "Let's go to the videotape!"....
serves as the sportscaster. He had also served as sports reporter circa 2001 for the WFAN incarnation of the program; he reunited with Imus after several weeks on WABC, where Wolf had worked as sports reporter for the previous morning show of CurtisCurtis Sliwa is an American anti-crime activist, founder and CEO of the Guardian Angels, and radio talk show host and media personality.-Guardian Angels:...
and KubyRonald L. Kuby is a criminal defense and civil rights lawyer, radio talk show host and TV commentator. He has hosted radio programs on WABC Radio in New York and Air America Radio.-Beginnings:...
before Imus had arrived.
- Lou Rufino serves as the program engineer; he has a considerable on-air role, but does not appear on-air as often as the other cast members.
- Bo Dietl is a private investigator and another regular correspondent.
- Larry Gatlin
Larry Wayne Gatlin is an American country music singer/songwriter. He is perhaps best known for teaming up with his brothers Steve and Rudy in the late 1970s, becoming one of country music's most successful acts of the 1970s and 1980s. Gatlin has had a total of 33 Top 40 singles...
, country music star who sat in as the guest host for vacationing Imus during the summer 2010.
Part of the appeal of his show is the overt display of
office politicsWorkplace politics, sometimes referred to as Office politics is "the use of one's individual or assigned power within an employing organization for the purpose of obtaining advantages beyond one's legitimate authority...
: cast members are frequently the object of Imus' sarcasm, largely because of their outspoken points of view. The idea of including production staff as an on-air cast of characters was the idea of
Fred ImusFrederic Moore Imus was an American radio talk show host and the younger brother of radio talk show host Don Imus. He hosted Trailer Park Bash, a weekly country music program launched on May 6, 2006, on Saturdays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. ET on Sirius XM Radio's Outlaw Country channel. His sidekick...
, Don's younger brother, who briefly served as the show's producer and was a regular guest on the show until his death in August 2011.
From the 1970s until his retirement on May 6, 2011,
Charles McCordCharles McCord was a news anchor and on-air radio personality in the New York metropolitan area. He was most notable for being the right-hand man of Don Imus during the long run of Imus in the Morning for over three decades.McCord began his radio career at KICK in Springfield, Missouri in 1963...
served as the program's newsman. In character, he usually acted as either the straight man or, occasionally, as an Imus
sycophantSycophancy means:# Obsequious flattery; servility.# The character or characteristic of a sycophant.Alternative phrases are often used such as:-Etymology:...
or
antagonistAn antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
. McCord affected a neutral, reasoned tone and thus usually stayed out of Imus' line of fire, compared to the antics of the other cast members. The show has also had a series of cast members with shorter tenures on the program. Previous sports reporters have included
Chris CarlinChris Carlin is an American television and radio personality. Along with on-air partner Bob Ojeda, co-hosts pre- and post-game telecasts for New York Mets games on local New York television station SNY...
(best known for "the fat boy lock of the week!,")
Patrick McEnroePatrick John McEnroe is a former professional tennis player and the former captain of the United States Davis Cup team.Born in Manhasset, New York, he is the younger brother of John McEnroe...
(who auditioned to replace Imus on WFAN),
Don CriquiDon Criqui is an American sportscaster, currently employed as a play-by-play announcer for CBS Sports. Criqui's duties include occasional television coverage of National Football League games, women's and men's college basketball, occasional college football and radio play-by-play of ISP Sports'...
,
Mike BreenMichael "Mike" Breen is a play-by-play commentator for the NBA on ABC and the lead commentator for New York Knicks games on the MSG network...
(valued for his
deadpanDeadpan is a form of comic delivery in which humor is presented without a change in emotion or body language, usually speaking in a casual, monotone, solemn, blunt, disgusted or matter-of-fact voice and expressing an unflappably calm, archly insincere or artificially grave demeanor...
delivery of false sports news, and ridiculed after his head injuries during the 2008
NBA FinalsThe NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association . The series was named the NBA World Championship Series until 1986....
), and
Christopher "Mad Dog" RussoChristopher Michael Russo , known as the "Mad Dog," is an American sports radio personality who is best known as the former co-host of the widely popular Mike and the Mad Dog sports radio show with Mike Francesa, which was broadcast on WFAN in New York City and simulcast on the YES Network...
.
Sid RosenbergSidney Arthur Rosenberg is an American radio personality currently heard weekday mornings on 1010 WINS in New York City, and afternoons on WQAM in Miami, Florida....
is a semi-regular correspondent to the program, usually on sports-related topics, reporting via phone from his home in Florida. He has returned to a regular position on the show after being removed from his own show on
WAXYWAXY is a radio station licensed in South Miami, Florida broadcasting on 790 kHz with a sports talk format. The station is owned by Lincoln Financial Media, which was previously known as Jefferson-Pilot Communications...
in early 2009. Rosenberg first joined the show as a sports reporter after Wolf's departure, but was fired in May 2005 for comments made regarding
Kylie MinogueKylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
's battle against
breast cancerBreast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
. He made sporadic appearances as a substitute between those times.
Other previous reporters included
Janice DeanJanice Dean is a Canadian weather personality on the Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network. She also substitutes for Fox News Live headline anchors when needed. She is known for her nickname, "Janice Dean, the Weather Machine," coined by evening Fox News Channel anchor Shepard Smith...
, Christy Musumeci, and Tracy Burgess, who departed for
Fox News ChannelFox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
,
MSNBCMSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
, and
WFANWFAN , also known as "Sports Radio 66" or "The FAN", is a radio station in New York City. The station broadcasts on a clear channel and is owned by CBS Radio...
respectively.
Karith FosterKarith Foster is an American comedienne and a TalkBackTV show host on . She was also a former contributor on the Imus in the Morning radio and television program. She left the show in August 2009 when her contract was not renewed....
, a Texas-raised black woman hired in the wake of the Rutgers controversy, was a comedian and general contributor, but left the show in August 2009 after her contract was not renewed.
Larry KenneyLarry Kenney is an American radio personality and voice actor.In 1963, Kenney began his radio career at the age of 15 as a disc jockey at WIRL in Peoria. After WIRL, he worked at WOWO, Ft...
, an impersonator who (along with Bartlett) served as a celebrity impersonator (some of the voices Kenney impersonated
Richard NixonRichard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
,
George PattonGeorge Smith Patton, Jr. was a United States Army officer best known for his leadership while commanding corps and armies as a general during World War II. He was also well known for his eccentricity and controversial outspokenness.Patton was commissioned in the U.S. Army after his graduation from...
,
Ted KennedyEdward Moore "Ted" Kennedy was a United States Senator from Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic Party. Serving almost 47 years, he was the second most senior member of the Senate when he died and is the fourth-longest-serving senator in United States history...
,
Andy Rooney,
Jack NicholsonJohn Joseph "Jack" Nicholson is an American actor, film director, producer and writer. He is renowned for his often dark portrayals of neurotic characters. Nicholson has been nominated for an Academy Award twelve times, and has won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice: for One Flew Over the...
, and
Jerry FalwellJerry Lamon Falwell, Sr. was an evangelical fundamentalist Southern Baptist pastor, televangelist, and a conservative commentator from the United States. He was the founding pastor of the Thomas Road Baptist Church, a megachurch in Lynchburg, Virginia...
), but was bumped from the program when it returned on WABC and RFD in favor of Foster and Powell.
Alexis GlickAlexis Glick is an American television personality who was an anchor of Money for Breakfast and The Opening Bell on Fox Business Network , as well as the channel's Vice President of Business News...
briefly served as a business reporter for the show shortly after it debuted on Fox Business, but left the show and the network after two months. For years, Larry "Ratso" Sloman contributed humorous New York Rangers reports but after he collaborated with Howard Stern on "Private Parts" he was persona non grata on the show and became a whipping boy for Imus especially when Imus' guest was Kinky Friedman, who is a close friend of Ratso.
Imus had regular guests on the program to discuss upcoming sporting events. Typically, these guests appeared only during the season of their respective sport. Such guests include
Jim NantzJames William Nantz, III is an American sportscaster, known primarily for his work with CBS Sports television.-Early life:...
and
Phil SimmsPhillip Martin "Phil" Simms is a former American football quarterback, and currently a television sportscaster for the CBS network. After a standout career at Morehead State University, Simms was drafted in the first round by the New York Giants of the National Football League with the number...
(of
CBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
) and
Terry BradshawTerry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League . He played 14 seasons. He is a football analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday...
(of
FoxFox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
) for
footballThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, and
Darrell WaltripDarrell Lee Waltrip is a 3-time NASCAR Cup Series champion , 3-time runner-up , winner of the 1989 Daytona 500 and 5-time winner of the prestigeous Coca-Cola 600 ,...
(of Fox) for
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
. During an interview with
Boomer EsiasonNorman Julius "Boomer" Esiason is a former American football quarterback and current network color commentator. He played for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, and Arizona Cardinals before working as an analyst for ABC and HBO...
, after ridiculing him, Imus chided Esiason with a trademark phrase "get off my phone," insisting he hang up. Esiason shot back with "no, you get off
my phone."
Controversies
Imus offended President
Bill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
with remarks in front of the Clintons during a 1996 Radio and Television Correspondents Association dinner speech.
On October 19, 1998,
Newsday reported that Imus called Washington
Post media writer
Howard KurtzHoward "Howie" Alan Kurtz is an American journalist and author with a special focus on the media. He is host of CNN's Reliable Sources program, and Washington bureau chief for The Daily Beast. He is the former media writer for The Washington Post. He has written five books about the media...
"that boner-nosed ... beanie-wearing little Jew boy".
Imus has had a long-standing rivalry with
Howard SternHoward Allan Stern is an American radio personality, television host, author, and actor best known for his radio show, which was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2005. He gained wide recognition in the 1990s where he was labeled a "shock jock" for his outspoken and sometimes controversial style...
, dating back to their days at WNBC. It most recently boiled to the surface in 2003, when Stern called Imus while both were on the air to demand an apology for a comedy skit that Imus had aired. After exchanging insults, Imus cut Stern off. In late 2005, Imus commented that he wished Stern would do well at Sirius satellite radio, as Imus held Sirius stock.
When the program was simulcast on MSNBC, Imus frequently ridiculed NBC/MSNBC personalities, staff, programs, and policies. During election coverage in 2004, NBC set up an outdoor interactive visitors attraction,
Democracy Plaza at
Rockefeller CenterRockefeller Center is a complex of 19 commercial buildings covering between 48th and 51st streets in New York City, United States. Built by the Rockefeller family, it is located in the center of Midtown Manhattan, spanning the area between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue. It was declared a National...
. Imus referred to it as "Hypocrisy Plaza."
On the December 15, 2004,
Imus in the Morning show, Don Imus referred to the publishers
Simon & SchusterSimon & Schuster, Inc., a division of CBS Corporation, is a publisher founded in New York City in 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. It is one of the four largest English-language publishers, alongside Random House, Penguin and HarperCollins...
as "thieving Jews" and later in the same show gave a mock apology, calling the phrase "thieving Jews", “redundant”.
Beginning in February 2005, MSNBC featured
Amy RobachAmy Joanne Robach is a national correspondent for NBC's Today, as well as the co-anchor of their Saturday edition.-Biography:...
, and then-afternoon regular
Contessa BrewerContessa Brewer is an American host for the MSNBC weekend program Caught on Camera.-Biography:Brewer was born in in Parsonsfield, Maine, and graduated from Sacopee Valley High School in Hiram, Maine in 1992. She graduated magna cum laude from Syracuse University's Newhouse School of Public...
as news readers on
Imus in the Morning. Brewer held the position for over two months and was the target of Imus's constant ridicule, which was initially dismissed as typical show fodder. On April 29, 2005, the
New York PostThe New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
published a statement attributed to Brewer calling Imus a "cantankerous old fool." He responded on-air by calling her "fat" and "painfully stupid," and hurled countless personal insults. Brewer left
Imus in the Morning immediately.
On November 30, 2006, on
Imus in the Morning, Imus referred to the Jewish management at CBS as “money-grubbing bastards”.
Sid RosenbergSidney Arthur Rosenberg is an American radio personality currently heard weekday mornings on 1010 WINS in New York City, and afternoons on WQAM in Miami, Florida....
, who provided sports updates on the Imus show, got into trouble when he suggested on air that tennis stars
SerenaSerena Jameka Williams is an American professional tennis player and a former world no. 1. The Women's Tennis Association has ranked her world no. 1 in singles on five separate occasions. She became the world no. 1 for the first time on July 8, 2002 and regained this ranking for the fifth time on...
and
Venus WilliamsVenus Ebony Starr Williams is an American professional tennis player who is a former World No. 1 and is ranked World No. 101 as of 10 October 2011 in singles and World No. 20 in doubles as of 2011. She has been ranked World No. 1 in singles by the Women's Tennis Association on three separate...
were animals better suited to pose for
National Geographic than
Playboy. Rosenberg also stated that Palestinians mourning the death of
Yasser ArafatMohammed Yasser Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf Arafat al-Qudwa al-Husseini , popularly known as Yasser Arafat or by his kunya Abu Ammar , was a Palestinian leader and a Laureate of the Nobel Prize. He was Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization , President of the Palestinian National Authority...
were "stinking animals" upon whom the Israelis "ought to drop the bomb right there, kill 'em all right now..." He was fired from the Don Imus show after making crude remarks about Australian singer
Kylie MinogueKylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
's breast cancer diagnosis.
Chris CarlinChris Carlin is an American television and radio personality. Along with on-air partner Bob Ojeda, co-hosts pre- and post-game telecasts for New York Mets games on local New York television station SNY...
replaced Rosenberg, although Rosenberg continued to call into the Imus program up until its cancellation on WFAN/MSNBC. He has appeared on the WABC/RFD incarnation on different occasions, notably providing reports from
Super Bowl XLIIISuper Bowl XLIII was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Arizona Cardinals to decide the National Football League champion for the 2008 season. The game was played on February 1, 2009,...
.
Rutgers women's basketball remarks
On the
Imus in the Morning broadcast of April 4, 2007, at 6:14 a.m.
easternThe Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
substitute sportscaster Sid Rosenberg of
WAXYWAXY is a radio station licensed in South Miami, Florida broadcasting on 790 kHz with a sports talk format. The station is owned by Lincoln Financial Media, which was previously known as Jefferson-Pilot Communications...
reported on
Rutgers UniversityRutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
's 59-46 loss the previous evening to the
University of TennesseeThe University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
, in the final game of the
NCAA Women's Division I Basketball ChampionshipThe NCAA Women's Division I Championship is an annual college basketball tournament for women. Held each April, the Women's Championship was inaugurated in the 1981–82 season...
. As MSNBC rolled
tapeA videotape is a recording of images and sounds on to magnetic tape as opposed to film stock or random access digital media. Videotapes are also used for storing scientific or medical data, such as the data produced by an electrocardiogram...
of the game footage, Imus said in a
voiceoverVoiceOver is a screen reader built into Apple Inc.'s Mac OS X, iOS and iPod operating systems. By using VoiceOver, the user can access their Macintosh or iOS device based on spoken descriptions and, in the case of the Mac, the keyboard. The feature is designed to increase accessibility for blind...
, "They're some rough girls from Rutgers. They got tattoos."
Bernard McGuirk* Bulleted list itemBernard J. McGuirk is the executive producer of the Imus in the Morning radio program. He was born and raised in the South Bronx, New York, where he also worked in his younger years as a taxicab driver...
then interjected, "yeah, hardcore hos." Imus then added, "
nappy-headedAfro-textured hair is a term used to refer to the natural texture of Black African hair that has not been altered by hot combs, flat irons, or chemicals ....
hos".
McGuirk then compared the game to "the jigaboos versus the wannabes," alluding to the
Spike LeeShelton Jackson "Spike" Lee is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, has produced over 35 films since 1983....
film
School DazeSchool Daze is a 1988 American musical-drama film, written and directed by Spike Lee, and starring Laurence Fishburne, Giancarlo Esposito, and Tisha Campbell-Martin...
.
The following day, Bryan Monroe, the president of the
National Association of Black JournalistsThe National Association of Black Journalists is an organization of African American journalists, students, and media professionals. Founded in 1975 in Washington, D.C...
, described Imus's comments as "beyond offensive" and called for his immediate firing. MSNBC responded later that day with a statement disassociating itself from Imus's remarks. On the April 6
Imus in the Morning show, Imus expressed regret over his remarks, contending that it was said in jest by "a good man who did a bad thing".
On Saturday, April 7, the Rev. Al Sharpton, described by the
New York Times as "among the leaders of the movement to force Don Imus off the air", told an angry audience in Harlem, New York that Imus should be "taken off the airwaves" for the racially disparaging remark.
Protest demonstrations by "
Rainbow/PUSHRainbow/PUSH is a non-profit organization formed as a merger of two non-profit organizations — Operation PUSH and the National Rainbow Coalition — founded by Jesse Jackson. The organizations pursue social justice, civil rights and political activism.In December 1971, Jackson resigned from...
" in Chicago, Illinois, in front of NBC's owned-and-operated Chicago station were led by Rev. Jesse Jackson on April 9 as 50 demonstrators held signs reading "No apologies, no forgiveness" and chanting "Imus must go".
Also on April 9, presidential candidate
Barack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
termed Imus's comments, "Divisive, hurtful, and offensive to Americans of all backgrounds", saying "With a public platform comes a trust. As far as I'm concerned, he violated that trust".
Clarence PageClarence Page is an American journalist, syndicated columnist, and senior member of The Chicago Tribune editorial board.-Early years:...
, who had occasionally been a guest on
Imus in the Morning, wrote that Imus broke a promise made to him six years previously to eschew racially offensive remarks.
Amidst the gathering protests, Imus delivered a second, lengthier apology at the beginning of the
Imus in the Morning program on Monday, April 9 and offered to meet with the Rutgers team to apologize personally. Imus again stated that he "is a good person who made a very bad mistake", citing his charitable works. Later that day, CBS Radio and
NBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
(which owns MSNBC through its
NBC NewsNBC News is the news division of American television network NBC. It first started broadcasting in February 21, 1940. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is...
division) announced a two-week suspension of Don Imus' program on radio and television starting Monday, April 16. The initial delay in the start of the suspension was to allow the WFAN Radiothon, which was to begin on April 12, to still be broadcast on MSNBC. NBC News President Steve Capus released a prepared statement explaining the network's action:
“Beginning Monday, April 16, MSNBC will suspend simulcasting the syndicated Imus in the Morning radio program for two weeks. This comes after careful consideration in the days since his racist, abhorrent comments were made. Don Imus has expressed profound regret and embarrassment and has made a commitment to listen to all of those who have raised legitimate expressions of outrage. In addition, his dedication – in his words – to change the discourse on his program moving forward, has confirmed for us that this action is appropriate. Our future relationship with Imus is contingent on his ability to live up to his word.”
MSNBC cancellation
On Wednesday, April 11, 2007, NBC News announced that MSNBC would no longer simulcast
Imus in the Morning, effective immediately.
Several advertisers of
Imus in the Morning announced their withdrawal from sponsorship, including
General MotorsGeneral Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
(Imus' biggest advertiser) Staples Inc.,
Sprint NextelSprint Nextel Corporation is an American telecommunications company based in Overland Park, Kansas. The company owns and operates Sprint, the third largest wireless telecommunications network in the United States, with 53.4 million customers, behind Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility...
,
American ExpressAmerican Express Company or AmEx, is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Three World Financial Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Founded in 1850, it is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is best...
, and
Procter & GambleProcter & Gamble is a Fortune 500 American multinational corporation headquartered in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio and manufactures a wide range of consumer goods....
.
Capus also revealed that in staff meetings, NBC's African-American news staff and on-air personalities opposed Imus' return to MSNBC, with
Al RokerAlbert Lincoln "Al" Roker, Jr. is an American television meteorologist as well as an actor and book author. He is best known as being the weather anchor on NBC's Today. On Monday, July 20, 2009, he began co-hosting his new morning show, Wake Up with Al, on The Weather Channel, which airs weekdays...
of the
Today show expressing particularly strong opposition both internally and on the
Today show's website. Capus denied, however, that the loss of ad revenue was a determining factor in his network's decision to drop Imus. He was quoted by the New York
Times as saying that "The reputation of the news division means more to me than advertising dollars. Because if you lose your reputation, you lose everything." The absence and silence from Imus' frequent NBC guests
Brian WilliamsBrian Douglas Williams is the anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News, the evening news program of the NBC television network, a position he assumed in 2004...
,
Andrea MitchellAndrea Mitchell is an American television journalist, anchor, reporter, and commentator for NBC News based in Washington, D.C.. She is the NBC News Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent, and has recently reported on the 2008 Race for the White House for NBC News broadcasts, including NBC Nightly...
,
David GregoryDavid Michael Gregory is an American television journalist, and moderator of NBC News' Sunday morning talk show Meet the Press.-Early life:...
,
Chris MatthewsChristopher John "Chris" Matthews is an American news anchor and political commentator, known for his nightly hour-long talk show, Hardball with Chris Matthews, which is televised on the American cable television channel MSNBC...
and close 'friend'
Tim RussertTimothy John "Tim" Russert was an American television journalist and lawyer who appeared for more than 16 years as the longest-serving moderator of NBC's Meet the Press. He was a senior vice president at NBC News, Washington bureau chief and also hosted the eponymous CNBC/MSNBC weekend interview...
was obvious and an indication of NBC's future action.
MSNBC's timing of Imus' cancellation was criticized on WFAN, as
Imus in the Morning had been scheduled to kick off the 18th Annual WFAN Radiothon, a large annual fundraising event, the next morning. The Radiothon aired April 12 on radio only.
Asked for his reaction, Sharpton told
The New York Times that "we have been halfway successful so far" and that he was planning to organize a demonstration in front of CBS’s
ManhattanManhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
corporate headquarters. He said, "This has never been about Don Imus. I have no idea whether he is a good man or not. This is about the use of public airwaves for bigoted, racist speech."
CBS Radio cancellation
On Thursday morning, April 12, 2007,
Jesse JacksonJesse Louis Jackson, Sr. is an African-American civil rights activist and Baptist minister. He was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and served as shadow senator for the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1997. He was the founder of both entities that merged to...
and
Al SharptonAlfred Charles "Al" Sharpton, Jr. is an American Baptist minister, civil rights activist, and television/radio talk show host. In 2004, he was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. presidential election...
met with CBS President and CEO Les Moonves to demand that Imus be fired. That afternoon, Moonves issued a statement announcing that CBS Radio had cancelled
Imus in the Morning, effective immediately:.
Following the announcement, Jackson called the removal "a victory for public decency. No one should use the public airwaves to transmit racial or sexual degradation."
Sharpton said of Imus, "He says he wants to be forgiven. I hope he continues in that process. But we cannot afford a precedent established that the airways can commercialize and mainstream sexism and racism."
The final day of the
WFANWFAN , also known as "Sports Radio 66" or "The FAN", is a radio station in New York City. The station broadcasts on a clear channel and is owned by CBS Radio...
Radiothon, April 13, was co-hosted by
Deirdre ImusDeirdre Coleman Imus is the founder and president of the Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center, part of Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey, United States...
and
Charles McCordCharles McCord was a news anchor and on-air radio personality in the New York metropolitan area. He was most notable for being the right-hand man of Don Imus during the long run of Imus in the Morning for over three decades.McCord began his radio career at KICK in Springfield, Missouri in 1963...
during the hours when
Imus in the Morning formerly aired.
Reaction to the cancellation
Don and Deirdre Imus met with the Rutgers team on the evening of April 12 at the
New Jersey Governor's MansionDrumthwacket is the official residence of the governor of New Jersey. The mansion is located at 354 Stockton Street in Princeton, New Jersey, close to the state capital of Trenton...
, according to a report broadcast by
CNNCable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
, which characterized the meeting as "emotional".
C. Vivian StringerCharlaine Vivian Stringer is a prominent African American basketball coach, with one of the best records in the history of women's basketball...
, coach of the Rutgers team, said the next day that she and her team "still find his statements to be unacceptable," but that they accepted Imus's apology.
Civil rights and women's groups such as the
National Organization for WomenThe National Organization for Women is the largest feminist organization in the United States. It was founded in 1966 and has a membership of 500,000 contributing members. The organization consists of 550 chapters in all 50 U.S...
praised CBS and MSNBC for their action, saying that there is no place on the public airwaves for racial and anti-female slurs.
NewsweekNewsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
magazine in its April 23, 2007 cover story said that for too long its own reporters coveted an invitation to appear on
Imus in the Morning:
Others, however, criticized the cancellation of
Imus in the Morning as a "
double standardA double standard is the unjust application of different sets of principles for similar situations. The concept implies that a single set of principles encompassing all situations is the desirable ideal. The term has been used in print since at least 1895...
", arguing that Imus was merely echoing the
misogynyMisogyny is the hatred or dislike of women or girls. Philogyny, meaning fondness, love or admiration towards women, is the antonym of misogyny. The term misandry is the term for men that is parallel to misogyny...
common to rap music lyrics heard on
recordingsThe Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
,
MTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, and
BETBlack Entertainment Television is an American, Viacom-owned cable network based in Washington, D.C.. Currently viewed in more than 90 million homes worldwide, it is the most prominent television network targeting young Black-American audiences. The network was launched on January 25, 1980, by its...
. This idea itself, however, has been countered, as some think it laughable that "pundits and politicians have apparently decided on a consensus culprit to cleanse the national soul: hip-hop" .
In reaction to the Imus show and its cancellation, there were calls for an end to offensive language in the rap music genre.
"Bo" DietlRichard Alfredo "Bo" Dietl is a former New York City Police Department detective and a media personality known for contributing on the Fox News Network and the Don Imus Show...
, a regular guest on
Imus in the Morning denounced Moonves on
Fox News ChannelFox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
for CBS' cancellation of Imus while producing rap music with anti-female lyrics, saying, "Mr. Les Moonves, you care about the quality, why don't you care about your CBS records with all the garbage my 17-year-old daughter listens to and they use this word 'ho' back and forth and they degrade women all the time. If I thought that Don Imus was a racist in any part, shape or form, I wouldn't be here today."
Settlement
Before his show was canceled, Imus and CBS had signed a contract extension for about $10 million per year. Before Imus could explore another broadcasting job it was necessary for Imus and CBS to reach a settlement on the contract.
On May 4, 2007,
Martin GarbusMartin Garbus is an American attorney. He has tried cases throughout the country involving constitutional, criminal, copyright, and intellectual property law. He has appeared before the United States Supreme Court as well as trial and appellate courts throughout the United States...
, a lawyer for Imus, claimed that the broadcasters of the program could have edited Imus's comments, given that the program was subject to tape delay. The lawyer also indicated that Imus would sue CBS Radio for $120 million in unpaid salary and damages. CBS Radio replied that it would vigorously defend against the suit.
During a June 29, 2007 broadcast, comments were made by WFAN host
Mike FrancesaMichael Patrick "Mike" Francesa, Jr. is an American radio talk show host and television commentator. He is primarily known in his former role co-hosting the popular Mike and the Mad Dog show on WFAN in New York City...
and McCord which seemed to indicate that Imus would be returning to the air in the near future, possibly rejoining WFAN. The comments were made during a 20th anniversary celebration of WFAN, as part of a broadcast meant to honor Imus's contribution to the station. McCord noted that the broadcast seemed to reflect on Imus through a
rear-view mirrorA rear-view mirror is a mirror in automobiles and other vehicles, designed to allow the driver to see rearward through the vehicle's backlight ....
. Then he quipped, "Be warned: Objects in the mirror may be closer than they appear." Francesa then cryptically added that by, "this September, I hope the team will once again be complete." Technically, both comments were accurate: McCord's "warning" could be seen as a prediction that he and Imus would reunite, which would indeed happen on a rival station, and Francesa's comment was true on the basis that
Boomer EsiasonNorman Julius "Boomer" Esiason is a former American football quarterback and current network color commentator. He played for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, and Arizona Cardinals before working as an analyst for ABC and HBO...
and
Craig CartonCraig Harris Carton is an American radio personality who currently co-hosts the Boomer and Carton in the Morning radio program.-Biography:...
took over the morning position permanently in September 2007.
On August 14, 2007, it became clear that Imus would not return to WFAN when it was announced that Imus and CBS agreed to a settlement.
Broadcast return
Although speculated since his dismissal, the return to morning radio for Imus was officially announced by New York talk-radio station
WABCWABC , known as "NewsTalkRadio 77 WABC" is a radio station in New York City. Owned by the broadcasting division of Cumulus Media, the station broadcasts on a clear channel and is the flagship station of Cumulus Media Networks...
on November 1, 2007. The show's first broadcast aired on December 3. The financial package between Imus and WABC is a 5-year deal worth up to $40 million.
Newsman Charles McCord, producer Bernard McGuirk, and engineer Lou Rufino are part of the new show, along with most of television production crew that worked the MSNBC broadcast; the first guests were historian
Doris Kearns GoodwinDoris Kearns Goodwin is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American biographer and historian, and an oft-seen political commentator. She is the author of biographies of several U.S...
, Senator
John McCainJohn Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
, Senator
Christopher DoddChristopher John "Chris" Dodd is an American lawyer, lobbyist, and Democratic Party politician who served as a United States Senator from Connecticut for a thirty-year period ending with the 111th United States Congress....
, Democratic Party strategist
James CarvilleChester James Carville, Jr. is an American political consultant, commentator, educator, actor, attorney, media personality, and prominent liberal pundit. Carville gained national attention for his work as the lead strategist of the successful presidential campaign of then-Arkansas governor Bill...
, and Imus regular Bo Dietl.
A significant rollout of
Imus in the Morning took place in March 2008 following mass layoffs at
Citadel BroadcastingCitadel Broadcasting Corporation was a Las Vegas, Nevada-based broadcast holding company. Citadel owned 243 radio stations across the United States and was the third-largest radio station owner in the country...
. Imus was packaged with
The True Oldies ChannelThe True Oldies Channel is a syndicated radio programming stream begun in the spring of 2004, hosted by American radio personality Scott Shannon...
to replace select underperforming Citadel stations. In August, Imus claimed his show was heard on more stations than it was at the time of his 2007 firing.
As of late 2009 the show remains one of the ten most listened to morning shows in New York City.
RFD-TV
Imus was originally in talks with "big-market" TV suitors
Fox Business NetworkFox Business Network is an American cable news and satellite news television channel that began broadcasting on October 15, 2007. It is owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation...
,
Fox News ChannelFox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
, and others to simulcast the show on national television. On November 13, it was announced that a 5-year deal was reached to simulcast
Imus in the Morning on
RFD-TVRFD-TV, or Rural Free Delivery TV, is a United States satellite and cable television channel devoted to rural issues, concerns, and interests. The channel's name is a reference to Rural Free Delivery, the name for the United States Postal Service's system of delivering mail directly to rural patrons...
, which is available on both
DISH NetworkDish Network Corporation is the second largest pay TV provider in the United States, providing direct broadcast satellite service—including satellite television, audio programming, and interactive television services—to 14.337 million commercial and residential customers in the United States. Dish...
and
DirecTVDirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
but only (as of November 2007) on a limited number of cable providers. The number of systems carrying RFD was anticipated to increase because of the Imus deal. The show was broadcasted from 6-9am eastern time on RFD-TV and from 6-9pm in
high-definitionHigh-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
on RFD HD. In addition, the RFD press release announcing the deal stated:
"[RFD] is developing plans to offer the Imus video programming through new technologies including VOD, streaming, and pod casts, as well as, seek worldwide distribution of the RFD-TV production to obtain the highest possible audience.".
However, during the program's tenure on RFD, none of the above "new technologies" (VOD, streaming, nor a podcast) ever materialized. (These would eventually arrive in 2011, long after Imus left the network.)
Fox Business
The final show on RFD TV aired August 28, 2009. Although the contract between Imus and RFD was originally for five years, both parties decided to mutually end the simulcast prematurely, amid reports of the program's inevitable move to Fox Business. Shortly thereafter, Imus inked a new television deal with
Fox Business NetworkFox Business Network is an American cable news and satellite news television channel that began broadcasting on October 15, 2007. It is owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation...
(FBN), a channel that was already a significant sponsor of the show.
The show debuted on FBN on October 5, 2009. The
Imus in the Morning program physically moved from ABC Radio studios to Fox Business studios as part of the deal, and is simulcasted live on FBN from 6am to 9am ET. On January 18, 2010,
Imus in the Morning was extended by 20 minutes on Fox Business Network, from 6am to 9:20am ET, after the abrupt cancellation of
The Opening Bell on Fox BusinessThe Opening Bell on Fox Business is an American business news program airing on the Fox Business Network at 9:00am Eastern Time and was hosted by Alexis Glick until December 23, 2009...
. Thus, virtually the entire show is now simulcast on television.
Station listing
| Calls |
Frequency |
Branding |
Format |
Market |
Timeslot |
Group owner |
| Television |
FBNFox Business Network is an American cable news and satellite news television channel that began broadcasting on October 15, 2007. It is owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation...
|
Cable/Satellite |
Fox Business |
Business, News |
United States |
Live 6A - 9.20A ET |
News Corp. |
| Radio |
WABCWABC , known as "NewsTalkRadio 77 WABC" is a radio station in New York City. Owned by the broadcasting division of Cumulus Media, the station broadcasts on a clear channel and is the flagship station of Cumulus Media Networks...
flagship station |
770 kHz |
NewsTalk Radio 77 |
News/Talk |
New York, NY |
Live 6A-10A |
Cumulus Media Cumulus Media, Inc. is the second largest Owner and Operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States, behind Clear Channel Communications, operating 570 stations in 150 markets as of September 16, 2011. The company also owns Cumulus Media Networks...
|
KABCKABC is a Los Angeles radio station, and a West Coast flagship station for the Cumulus Media company. A pioneer of the talk radio format, the station went "all-talk" in 1960 and was one of the first stations to do so...
|
790 kHz |
TalkRadio 790 KABC |
Talk |
Los Angeles, CA |
Live 3A-5A |
Cumulus Media |
| WCFO WCFO, known on air as "News/Talk 1160", is a news and talk radio station, licensed to East Point, Georgia, serving the Atlanta, Georgia radio market. Programming on the station includes both nationally syndicated and locally produced news, information, and talk programs...
|
1160 MHz |
News/Talk 1160 |
News/Talk |
Atlanta, GA |
Live 6A-10A |
JW Broadcasting |
| KFNX KFNX 1100 is a news/talk radio station licensed to Cave Creek, Arizona and broadcasting out of Phoenix, Arizona. It features paid health and financial programs. KFNX also carries syndicated talkers Don Imus, Laura Ingraham, Dr...
|
1110 kHz |
Newstalk Radio |
News Talk Information |
Phoenix, AZ |
3A-6A |
Clear Channel CommunicationsClear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
|
| WTAN WTAN is a radio station broadcasting a mixed talk radio / adult standards format. Licensed to Clearwater, Florida, USA, it serves the Tampa Bay area. The station is currently owned by Radio World Inc...
|
1340 kHz |
TanTalk 1340 |
News Talk Information |
Tampa, FL |
Live 6A-9A/Tape 11A-Noon |
Radio World Inc. |
| WDCF WDCF is a radio station broadcasting a talk radio / adult standards format. Licensed to Dade City, Florida, USA, the station is currently owned by Radio World, Inc....
|
1350 kHz |
Dade City Talk |
News Talk Information |
Dade City, FL |
Live 6A-10A |
Radio World Inc. |
WELEWELE is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format.Licensed to Ormond Beach, Florida, USA, the station serves the Daytona Beach area. The station is currently owned by Wings Communications, Incorporated and features programing from Westwood One, ESPN Radio and CNN Radio....
|
1380 kHz |
Goliath Radio |
News Talk Info |
Ormond Beach, FL |
Live 6A-10A |
Goliath Radio |
| WPRV |
790 kHz |
True Oldies 790 |
Oldies |
Providence, RI |
Live 6A-9A |
Cumulus Media |
WTARWTAR is a comedy formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Norfolk, Virginia, serving Hampton Roads. WTAR is owned and operated by Sinclair Telecable, Inc.-History:...
|
850 kHz |
AM850 WTAR |
Sports/Talk |
Norfolk, VA |
Live 6A-9A |
Sinclair Broadcast GroupThe Sinclair Broadcast Group is an American telecommunications company that operates the largest number of local television stations in the United States. Headquartered in Hunt Valley, Maryland, it owns a total of 57 stations across the country in 35 primarily small and medium markets, many of...
|
| WNRS WNRS is a radio station broadcasting a sports/talk format. Licensed to Herkimer, New York, USA, the station serves the Utica area. The station is currently owned by Arjuna Broadcasting Corp. and features programing from Citadel Media, Fox Sports Radio and Bloomberg Radio.-History:The station went...
|
1420 kHz |
ESPN Radio |
Sports |
Utica, NY |
Live 6A-9A |
Arjuna Broadcasting Corp. |
WHDQ
|
106.1 MHz |
Q106 |
Classic Rock |
Claremont, NH |
Live 6A-10A |
Nassau Broadcasting, Corp. |
WEMJWEMJ is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Laconia, New Hampshire, USA, the station is currently owned by Nassau Broadcasting Partners and licensed to Nassau Broadcasting III, LLC. WEMJ features programming from CBS Radio, Westwood One and ABC Radio.-External...
|
1490 kHz |
News/Talk 1490 |
News/Talk |
Laconia, NH |
Live 6A-10A |
Nassau Broadcasting, Corp. |
| WJDY WJDY is a radio station broadcasting a sports talk format. Licensed to Salisbury, Maryland, USA, the station is currently owned by Clear Channel Communications. WJDY is identified on-air as Fox Sports Radio 1470 and features Dan Patrick, Jim Rome, Tony Bruno and J.T...
|
1470 kHz |
NEWS/TALK 1470 WJDY |
News Talk Information |
Salisbury, MD |
Live 6A-10A |
Clear Channel Communications |
| WQTK |
92.7 MHz |
The North Country's News and Talk Authority |
News Talk Information |
Ogdensburg, NY |
Live 6A-10A |
Community Broadcasters, L.L.C. |
| WARK WARK is a radio station located in Hagerstown, Maryland, in the United States. It features a news/talk format with popular personalities like Dennis Miller and Bill O'Reilly. WARK is owned by Nassau Broadcasting....
|
1490 kHz |
1490 WARK |
News Talk Information |
Hagerstown, MD |
Live 6A-10A |
Nassau Broadcasting |
| WVPO WVPO is a radio station simulcasting a Talk/Personality format originating from WPLY. Licensed to Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, USA, the station serves the Stroudsburg area. The station is currently owned by Nassau Broadcasting Ii, LLC and features programing from CNN Radio, Premiere Radio Networks...
|
840 kHz |
The Poconos' Oldies Station |
Talk/Sports |
Stroudsburg, PA |
Live 6A - 9A |
Nassau Broadcasting |
| WPLY WPLY is a radio station licensed to serve Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, USA. The station is owned by Nassau Broadcasting II, LLC, but is currently off the air pending FCC investigation.WPLY broadcasts a news/talk radio format...
|
960 kHz |
| KTBL KTBL is a radio station licensed to the village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, covering the Albuquerque metropolitan area...
|
1050 kHz |
KTBL-AM 1050 |
News Talk |
Albuquerque, NM |
6A-10A |
Cumulus Media |
| KWTO KWTO refers to two radio stations in Springfield, Missouri, USA. On AM, KWTO can be found at 560 kHz, where it airs a news-talk format. On FM, KWTO operates at 98.7 MHz and carries a sports talk format....
|
98.7 MHz |
The Jock |
Sports |
Springfield, MO |
Live 5A - 9A |
Meyer Communications |
WSPO
|
1390 kHz, 99.3 MHz |
Charleston's Sports Leader |
Sports |
Charleston, SC |
Live 6A - 9A |
Apex Broadcasting |
| WNBU |
94.1 MHz |
Greatest Hits of the 60's and 70's All Day Long |
Oldies |
New Bern, NC |
Live 6A- 9A |
Innes Bank Media |
| WELI WELI is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to New Haven, Connecticut, USA, it serves the New Haven and Bridgeport areas...
|
960 kHz |
New Haven's News/Talk |
News/Talk |
New Haven, CT |
Live 6A- 9A |
Clear Channel Communications |
| WBSS |
1490 kHz |
WBSS 1490 |
News/Talk |
Atlantic City, NJ |
Live 6A- 10A |
Access 1 NJ |
| KJDL -Programming:KJDL, or Rebel Radio 1420, is a Classic Country Radio station, licensed to Lubbock, Texas. The station features a simulcast of its sister station True Country 105.3's morning show, syndicated satellite classic country program throughout the day and an afternoon drive show with Larry...
|
1420 kHz |
Newsradio 1420 |
News/Talk |
Lubbock, TX |
6A- 9A |
Walker Broadcasting & Comm. |
| WZAN WZAN is a radio station broadcasting talk radio format. Licensed to Portland, Maine, USA, it serves southern Maine. The station is currently owned by Saga Communications.- History :...
|
970 kHz |
Maine's Talk Radio |
News/Talk |
Portland, ME |
Live 6A - 10A |
Saga Communications |
KSROKSRO is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Santa Rosa, California, USA, the station serves the Santa Rosa area. The station is currently owned by Maverick Media of Santa Rosa License LLC and features programing from CNN Radio, Premiere Radio Networks and...
|
1350 kHz |
News/Talk 1350 KSRO |
News/Talk |
Santa Rosa, CA |
9A- Noon |
Maverick Media LLC |
| KCAA KCAA is a commercial radio station located in Loma Linda, California, broadcasting to the Riverside-San Bernardino, California, area on 1050 AM with studios located in the Carousel Mall in San Bernardino, CA. KCAA airs news, talk, music and brokered programming.KCAA's most popular program was Imus...
|
1050 kHz |
1050 KCAA |
News/Talk |
Loma Linda, CA |
7A-9A |
Broadcast Management Services |
| WWSC WWSC is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Glens Falls, New York, USA, the station serves the Saratoga area...
|
1450 kHz |
The Tri-County's Heritage Station |
News/Talk |
Glens Falls, NY |
6A-9A |
Regional Radio Group, LLC |
| KXIO |
106.9 MHz |
KIX 106 |
News/Sports |
Little Rock, AR |
5A-9A |
|
WSVUWSVU is a radio station broadcasting a Adult Standards format. Licensed to North Palm Beach, Florida, USA, the station serves the West Palm Beach area. The station is currently owned by North Palm Beach Broadcasting, Inc. and features programing from CBS Radio and Dial Global.The station is...
|
960 kHz |
Seaview AM 960 |
Adult Standards/MOR |
West Palm Beach, FL |
6A-10A |
North Palm Beach Broadcasting, Inc. |
| KTMS KTMS is a right-wing news/talk formatted radio station based in Santa Barbara, California, and is owned by Rincon Broadcasting. It airs talk shows such as Dennis Miller, Rush Limbaugh, and Sean Hannity.-History:...
|
990 kHz |
News Talk AM 990 |
News/Talk |
Santa Barbara, CA |
3-7A |
Rincon Broadcasting |
| WBEC WBEC is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA. The station is currently owned by Vox Communications Group LLC and features programing from ABC Radio, Fox News Radio and Westwood One....
|
1420 kHz |
AM 1420 Newstalk Sports |
News/Talk/Sports |
Pittsfield, MA |
6A-9A |
Vox Radio Group |
| WQSO WQSO is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk format. Licensed to Rochester, New Hampshire, USA, the station serves the Rochester-Portsmouth area. The station is currently owned by Clear Channel Communications. The biggest local programming is the station's morning show, the New Hampshire...
|
96.7 MHz |
The Wave |
Classic Hits |
Portsmouth, NH |
6A-9A |
Clear Channel Communications |
| WGFT WGFT is a radio station broadcasting a Talk/Personality format. Licensed to Campbell, Ohio, USA, the station serves the Youngstown-Warren area...
|
1330 kHz |
Y-Town's Talk Station |
Talk |
Youngstown, OH |
6A-9A |
Stop 26 Riverbend Licences, LLC |
| WMEL WMEL is a radio station broadcasting a talk radio format. Licensed to Cocoa Beach, Florida, USA, the station serves the Melbourne area. The station is currently owned by Rama Communications and leased by John Harper.-External links:...
|
1300 kHz |
Space Coast Source for News & Talk |
Talk |
Melbourne, FL |
6A-9A |
Twin Towers Broadcasting |
| WEAV WEAV is an English-language American radio station in Plattsburgh, New York, with studios in Colchester, Vermont. The station broadcasts a talk format....
|
960 kHz |
The Zone |
Talk |
Plattsburgh, NY |
6A-9A |
Vox Communications |
| KNFO KNFO is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Basalt, Colorado, USA, it serves the Aspen area. The station is currently owned by NRC Broadcasting Mountain Group. This News/Talk/Sports format covers every demographic segment you would like to reach, with...
|
106.1 MHz |
Sports Talk in Aspen |
Sports |
Aspen, CO |
4A-7A |
NRC Broadcasting |
| KVEN KVEN is a sports radio station licensed to Ventura, California. It is owned by Cumulus Media.Its broadcasting power is a constant 1 kW to be heard in nearby Santa Barbara. On a clear day, KVEN's signal can be heard as far south as Los Angeles, and well north of Santa Barbara all the way to Salinas...
|
1450 kHz |
The Boomer |
Oldies |
Ventura, CA |
3A-7A |
Cumulus Media |
KCSFKCSF 'Sports Animal 1300' is a radio station serving the Colorado Springs area with a sports format. It broadcasts on AM frequency 1300 kHz and is under ownership of Cumulus Media....
|
1300 kHz |
The Sports Animal 1300 |
Sports |
Colorado Springs, CO |
5A-9A |
Cumulus Media |
| KEXO KEXO is a radio station serving Grand Junction, Colorado and vicinity with a conservative-leaning talk format during the day and a Regional Mexican format at night...
|
1230 kHz |
Newstalk Radio |
News Talk Information |
Grand Junction, CO |
6A-10A |
Cumulus Media |
| WLEE WLEE is a News/Talk formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Richmond, Virginia, serving Metro Richmond. WLEE is owned and operated by Davidson Media Group....
|
990 kHz |
News Talk 990 |
News Talk |
Richmond, VA |
6A-9A |
Radio Richmond |
| WSPZ WSPZ — branded SportsTalk 570 — is a sports radio station licensed to Bethesda, Maryland and serving the Washington metro area. It has a daytime power of 5,000 watts....
|
690 kHz |
The Sports Animal |
Sports |
Birmingham, AL |
6A-9A |
Cumulus Media |
KJLLKJLL is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format and is known as The Jolt. Licensed to South Tucson, Arizona, USA, the station serves the Tucson area. The station is currently owned by Hudson Communications, Inc and features programing from Air America Radio, AP Radio, CBS...
|
1330 kHz |
The Jolt |
News Talk Information |
Tucson, AZ |
3A-6A |
Hudson Communications |
| WHEN |
620 kHz |
Sportsradio 620 |
Sports |
Syracuse, NY |
6A-10A |
Clear Channel Communications |
| KAPE KAPE is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Cape Girardeau, Missouri, USA. The station is currently owned by Withers Broadcasting Company of Missouri, LLC and features programing from Fox Sports Radio, Fox News Radio and Salem Communications.-History:The...
|
1550 kHz |
Kape Radio 1550 |
News/Talk/Sports |
Cape Girardeau, MO |
5A-9A |
Withers Broadcasting |
| WTCS |
1490 kHz |
News/Talk 1490 WTCS |
News Talk Information |
Fairmont, WV |
Live 6A-10A |
Fantasia Broadcasting |
Note: all times local
Quotations
- "Quack quack" -- sound effect played whenever Imus said the time.
- "SHUT UP!
Sister Mary Elephant is a comedy skit by Cheech and Chong. The recording was released as a single in 1973 and climbed to #24 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1974...
" -- sound effect used to cut short a sound bite from an unscrupulous politician.
- "That'llllll be fine" -- said in response to provocative descriptions by other cast members.
- "I luv yar Fred ...Who do you like in the car race?" -- Imus speaking to brother Fred via phone.
- "Aw man it don't get much better than that" --used to describe musical acts either played on tape or performing in studio.
- "Haaave muy-see" --similar to the previous quote.
- "My man Richard Santouli started this (Net Jets Inc.) over there on Wall Street doodling when he should have been doing work."
- "Dick Cheney is still a war criminal, Hillary Clinton is still Satan, and I'm back on the radio" - December 3, 2007 inaugural broadcast on ABC Radio
- "No more cows, baby... no more cows." - Responding to news of him leaving RFD-TV
External links