Is NBC trying to evade the real debate by focusing on what Imus said.

[Mass]

First, I think that what Imus said was totally offensive and I think he should be fired, not only for that, but for all the bigoted remarks he has made throughout the years.

However, I was wondering if there was a way to focus on what should be the real debate: diversity in the medias.

I was watching the Today Show this morning. After a dialogue between Sharpton and Imus (which repeated again the same thing), they had an interesting panel with Jessie Jackson, the CEO of Black Enterprise Television, the president of the Urban League, and James Carville. Jessie Jackson and the CEO of BET were actually trying to focus on the real issue: is what Imus said an accident, or is it the new NBC standard. One of the major point being that NBC does not have an Afro-American talk-show host either on MSNBC or CNBC.

I was wondering if this is not what people should be focusing upon, even more than Imus's particular case. Is Imus the exception or does it represent NBC standard.

[NYCGirl]

1. There should be many more, but MSNBC has Allison Stewart:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3080452/

I have no idea about MSNBC.

[valerief]

2. They dodge or skew ALL real news. Well, everyone but KO. So, of

course, they're using Imus as a diversion from Gonzo and subpoenas and the massive Iraqi protest and everything else that people should know about.

[stray cat]

3. Fox has diversity in color but not thought - is that ok?

[Norquist Nemesis]

4. I don't think diversity in the medias is the issue for this case

IMO, the debate should be focused on what is acceptable for those who have the unique opportunity of being paid to have a microphone that uses the airwaves. Should they not have a responsibility for the 'standard' they exhibit?

I'm certainly not proffering a watered down, wholesome Leave It To Beaver discourse. But is it acceptable for a radio/TV personality to keep raising the bar in this way? If I started calling co-workers names, joking or not, I'd be out. (period emphasized) Claiming 'everybody does it' is not going to get me anywhere.

FWIW, MSNBC putting on Tom DeLay to promote himself as a victim equivalent to a Holocaust Jew is just as bad, and DeLay should not be given the mic to spew such crap. (Personally, I think DeLay's attempting to get out of a trial completely by being able to claim he can't find an impartial jury anywhere in the U.S.)

[AlinPA]

5. Maybe Imus should transfer to Fox "News". The right-wing audience

should like him a lot now.

[cubs4life]

6. The Rutgers' coach appeared in a press conference this AM and

just floored me. What a wonderful, dignified human being. I can see why her team is so successful.

She mentioned that this whole controversy speaks to a much larger issue. It isn't just about black/white. It is about everyone and most importantly, it is about women.

I started to reflect on that fact and it is my sincere hope that this will open up some dialog about how women are treated by the media.

Look how Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton are absolutely brutalized by the RW slime media and the MSM in general. They drag them through the mud and degrade them.

The only reason they don't demonize Ann Coulter? Because she acts like one of them and engages in the same kind of name calling.

Yes, the racist overtones are very evident in Imus' remarks, but the fact that he feels he has the absolute right to judge these young women (Ho's?!!!) is a symptom of a much larger problem.