MSNBC drops Imus simulcast
NBC has slam dunked the Imus radio program, announcing early Wednesday night that it will no longer simulcast the program.
This follows a long and brutal day for Don Imus and CBS Radio, of advertiser defections and more protests and – perhaps most damning of all – the call for Imus' resignation by CBS board member, Bruce Gordon, the former head of the NAACP.
Among the key advertising defectors are Aetna and Geico, which both announced they will no longer be associated with "Imus in the Morning."
Procter & Gamble – one of the nation's leading advertisers – dumped the show Wednesday morning.
According to the statement released by NBC, "effective immediately, MSNBC will no longer simulcast the "Imus in the Morning" radio program.
"This decision comes as a result of an ongoing review process, which initially included the announcement of a suspension. It also takes into account many conversations with our own employees.
"What matters to us most is that the men and women of NBC Universal have confidence in the values we have set for this company. This is the only decision that makes that possible. Once again, we apologize to the women of the Rutgers basketball team and to our viewers. We deeply regret the pain this incident has caused."
Suffice to say, MSNBC's decision could have an impact on CBS's decision whether to keep "Imus in the Morning" on radio.
The MSNBC venue has been a longstanding success for both NBC and CBS, with each outlet effectively reinforcing the other.
Indeed, "Imus" has been one of the few islands of stability for MSNBC over the last decade – roiled by constant program changes during most of those years and only recently entering a period of relative stability.
