Don Imus Should Keep Talking
It has been said that people who listen to radio commentary shows are more educated and better informed than the general population. Being that the demographic is made up of, in large part, white males over the age of 50 I can see how the numbers crunch out in that direction. However, with that acknowledgment I think it is also fair to characterize the population of talk radio listeners in another way: Self indulgent bullies. They seem to cheer and respond to those they feel have the “courage” that they lack to ridicule others. They reward their heroes with big ratings numbers and large advertising contracts.
Don Imus, Rush Limbaugh and Howard Stern aren't the only ones making lots of money by simply spouting unqualified insults and rancor on the airwaves. These men were hired to get attention and provide a platform for big companies to sell stuff. As long as no one is complaining, these broadcast companies and the advertisers that do business with them could care less about what these shock jocks say. There is no better way to soften a persons mind to the suggestive power of advertising than to tell him that he is great and everyone else is so, so stupid. Imus's talent was for making others feel lousy and his audience feel good. This was his gift and the gift of all successful shock jocks. The money is made from the misery of anyone that is not them. CBS broadcasting company, Staples Inc., Proctor and Gamble, none of these companies seemed to mind that the system worked this way. After all, for them it worked pretty well. None of these companies cared who Imus insulted and slandered during his radio show until someone finally said: Enough.
The infamous line that cost Imus his job was not the worst thing he had ever said on the air. After hearing the full text of the comment I was underwhelmed in its offensiveness. Ridiculing others has been elevated to such a staple of social commentary and entertainment in general that I hardly notice it anymore. Was Imus really guilty of flagrant racism or was he just running out of creative ways to belittle people in general? I really can't be sure anymore. It still mystifies me how in the din of course language and ridicules that pass regularly on the radio, that this one statement rose to become a topic of general outrage. The fact that the women of Rutgers University, of which the jab was intended handled themselves with dignity and intelligence certainly drew a stark contrast between Imus and civility.
However, it is for this contrast that Don Imus should be left on the air. CBS only fired Imus after advertisers started to pull out, not because they themselves were morally outraged. A two week vacation, I mean suspension, was the original penalty Imus faced for his actions. A conversation has been started and Imus, the man at the center, no longer has to participate. Having Imus fired lets him, CBS, and the sponsors of his show off the hook. Now Al Sharpton is getting death threats from Imus listeners. Without his radio show, Imus has no venue to right what he has done wrong and heal those that he has hurt. If Imus was the voice of the racist then racist have lost a voice in the conversation. Is that a good thing? If they are unable to feel heard in the public forum they will start, as they already have, to turn to violent ways of expressing themselves. Better to let Imus annoy us with his chatter than push the ideas he represents off the table of discourse. Wouldn't it be better to leave him on the air where he could be reasoned with, challenged and ultimately ignored.
Don Imus leading a conversation on the radio about how we should all get along and be nice to each other would be very dull radio listening. However, CBS and the Imus sponsors have a responsibility to fund just such a conversation that they instigated for their own profit. Imus was an employee serving at the request of a corporate machine hungry for his opinion. A sacrifice of market share would truly be an act of social conscience and responsibility. Firing Don Imus and ending sponsorship of his show are not acts of moral outrage, it's just good business.
Don Imus, Rush Limbaugh and Howard Stern aren't the only ones making lots of money by simply spouting unqualified insults and rancor on the airwaves. These men were hired to get attention and provide a platform for big companies to sell stuff. As long as no one is complaining, these broadcast companies and the advertisers that do business with them could care less about what these shock jocks say. There is no better way to soften a persons mind to the suggestive power of advertising than to tell him that he is great and everyone else is so, so stupid. Imus's talent was for making others feel lousy and his audience feel good. This was his gift and the gift of all successful shock jocks. The money is made from the misery of anyone that is not them. CBS broadcasting company, Staples Inc., Proctor and Gamble, none of these companies seemed to mind that the system worked this way. After all, for them it worked pretty well. None of these companies cared who Imus insulted and slandered during his radio show until someone finally said: Enough.
The infamous line that cost Imus his job was not the worst thing he had ever said on the air. After hearing the full text of the comment I was underwhelmed in its offensiveness. Ridiculing others has been elevated to such a staple of social commentary and entertainment in general that I hardly notice it anymore. Was Imus really guilty of flagrant racism or was he just running out of creative ways to belittle people in general? I really can't be sure anymore. It still mystifies me how in the din of course language and ridicules that pass regularly on the radio, that this one statement rose to become a topic of general outrage. The fact that the women of Rutgers University, of which the jab was intended handled themselves with dignity and intelligence certainly drew a stark contrast between Imus and civility.
However, it is for this contrast that Don Imus should be left on the air. CBS only fired Imus after advertisers started to pull out, not because they themselves were morally outraged. A two week vacation, I mean suspension, was the original penalty Imus faced for his actions. A conversation has been started and Imus, the man at the center, no longer has to participate. Having Imus fired lets him, CBS, and the sponsors of his show off the hook. Now Al Sharpton is getting death threats from Imus listeners. Without his radio show, Imus has no venue to right what he has done wrong and heal those that he has hurt. If Imus was the voice of the racist then racist have lost a voice in the conversation. Is that a good thing? If they are unable to feel heard in the public forum they will start, as they already have, to turn to violent ways of expressing themselves. Better to let Imus annoy us with his chatter than push the ideas he represents off the table of discourse. Wouldn't it be better to leave him on the air where he could be reasoned with, challenged and ultimately ignored.
Don Imus leading a conversation on the radio about how we should all get along and be nice to each other would be very dull radio listening. However, CBS and the Imus sponsors have a responsibility to fund just such a conversation that they instigated for their own profit. Imus was an employee serving at the request of a corporate machine hungry for his opinion. A sacrifice of market share would truly be an act of social conscience and responsibility. Firing Don Imus and ending sponsorship of his show are not acts of moral outrage, it's just good business.
posted by kamuizot at 4:25 PM
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