Here comes Imus…

Picture courtesy of MSNBC

Coming to a morning radio broadcast near you soon could be the evil wit and forever cranky voice of one Don Imus formerly of CBS Radio and WFAN of New York. Then again he could just be retiring with a hefty bonus package to leave CBS Radio alone. Since I can’t picture the later then I would speculate that he just might be on the air waves soon.

Over at the Boston Herald they have the latest and greatest on the broadcasting future of Don Imus…

Settlement nearing in Imus, CBS talks
By Associated Press
Friday, July 27, 2007 - Updated: 05:28 PM EST

NEW YORK - The legal struggle between Don Imus and CBS Radio is nearing a settlement that would preempt the dismissed DJ’s threatened $120 million breach of contract suit against his former employer, a person familiar with the case said Friday.

While neither Imus’ attorney nor CBS Radio would comment on any aspect of the case, the person _ speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity _ said the two sides were in the process of reaching an agreement.

It was unclear if a deal would return Imus to the airwaves, where he starred for 40 years before his April firing after directing a sexist, racial insult at the Rutgers women’s basketball team.

The possible settlement, first reported Friday in the New York Post, was the latest indication that the Hall of Fame broadcaster’s dramatic broadcasting demise could be reversed. The Rev. Al Sharpton, who spearheaded the "Fire Imus" movement, said last week that he would not oppose the 67-year-old DJ’s return to radio. - Boston Herald

Just for giggles and based on this story in the Herald I would bet money on Imus returning to the radio in a heartbeat. If he were to retire and give up the shock jock status it would go against every bone in his body. I honestly can not picture him walking away from it if there is a way for him to reclaim his microphone and head set.

If Imus was going to retire he would have unleashed the $140 million dollar lawsuit on CBS and left it at that. He didn’t and he could have within days of his being fired. That my friends is what a great lawyer like Martin Garbus does in the background to keep his client and CBS Radio out of court.

Papamoka

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Don Imus on Satellite Radio?

Picture Courtesy of Herald Tribune

Having been expelled from the school of public broadcasting by CBS Radio and MSNBC I would not be surprised to see the I-Man land on his feet in outer space… on satellite radio that is. When you think about it, his nine to ten million listeners may or may not already have satellite radio and if they want to hear the grumpy old son of a biscuit eater then they are going to have to sign up for whoever catches the Imus gold mine radio machine.

Some folks don’t see either of the two players in the satellite radio market wanting him? I would have to disagree with The Post Chronicle that has this piece on the future of Don Imus…


Don Imus To Sirius Or XM Satellite Radio? Not So Fast Cowboy
By Mitch Marconi
Apr 13, 2007

Don Imus Update - Don Imus, The I-Man as he is affectionately known, was fired by CBS yesterday which was inevitable. The other Imus Inevitability, (at least in the eyes of some) is where he will end up. Is it going to be Sirius or will it be XM. One might make an argument for either satellite radio entity. I'm going to argue that it will be neither.

Snip

XM has I-Faves Opie & Anthony and probably has the most money to spend, although I'm no financial analyst. Sirius on the other hand has Mel Karmazin, a former I-Boss, who knows Imus about as good as anybody in the industry. Plus Imus has often spoke fondly of Sirius. – The Post Chronicle

Having listened to the Imus in the Morning Show for over twenty years now I can not for the life of me see him just fading away. Granted he is probably a very wealthy man but his on air personality was never about the money. No, wait a second it was, but I honestly can’t see him calling his career ended. For that matter I don’t think for a minute that his wife Deirdre will put up with his sorry ass moping around the ranch in New Mexico or the apartment in New York City. Feeling sorry for himself is not a part of Don Imus reformed ______ (insert addiction here) personality. It just isn’t!



That got me to thinking that people like Don Imus are not stupid when it comes time to signing contracts with his employers. Then it hit me!

How many lawyers does Don Imus know? You can’t count them all if you wanted to do so even with a calculator. I’m thinking grumpy old bastard and any lawyers involved with his business contracts with CBS Radio and it gives me a very warm fuzzy feeling. This is the same guy that went after a major New York Newspaper for even thinking that any of his charity work at the Imus Ranch in New Mexico was even remotely questionable.

I came across this piece in the Herald Tribune from Southwest Florida…

What's next for Don Imus? Obscurity? Satellite radio?
The talk-show host's career could rise from the ashes, as it has in the past.

BY LARRY MCSHANE
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK -- Back on the radio? Or off to retirement?Answers about the future were hard to come by Friday, when 66-year-old radio legend Don Imus remained silent on his first day of unemployment after nearly 40 years -- a change from his repeated apologies and media appearances of the last week. The biggest question was whether he would try rehabilitating his image or simply slip into obscurity.

Both options held certain appeals for the I-Man, who was fired for a racist and sexist remark about the Rutgers women's basketball team and took just eight days to morph from "Imus In the Morning" into "Jimmy the Greek" Snyder. The Greek never landed another job after his 1988 firing as a CBS football analyst for racially tinged remarks.

Before either happens, Imus will sit down with officials from CBS Radio to work out the financial details surrounding his abrupt dismissal. Imus recently negotiated a new five-year CBS contract that reportedly paid him $10 million a year. (Imus had no contract with cable network MSNBC -- a unit of NBC Universal, owned by General Electric Co. -- which simulcast his show in a licensing deal with CBS.)"

I see many people in suits with briefcases haggling over Imus' contracts," said Tom Taylor, editor of the trade publication Inside Radio. "I see a lot of that. There's a lot of money on the table in this thing and a lot of issues."Once they're settled, Imus presumably could try to restart his career on radio -- either satellite or terrestrial -- or perhaps on television. – Herald Tribune

Don Imus may be down and out for now but he isn’t done for. At least as a long time fan I hope he is not. Was he stupid with his comments about the Rutgers Girls Basketball Team? Absolutely! Was he forgiven by the team as a person with a huge heart and someone that knows the difference between right and wrong? Yes he was!

Papamoka

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