Don Imus

On April 4, 2007, Imus referred on air to the Rutgers University women’s basketball team—many of whose members are Black—as “nappy-headed hos,” NPR and The New York Times reported. After advertiser defections and civil-rights pressure, MSNBC canceled its simulcast and CBS Radio fired him and canceled the program on April 12, 2007. Those are documented on-air remarks and employer firings, not a criminal conviction.

• On-air remark
  April 4, 2007: on-air “nappy-headed hos” remark about Rutgers playersNPR reported that Imus was joking with a producer on air when he called the Rutgers women’s basketball team, many of whose members are Black, “nappy-headed hos.” The New York Times dated the remark April 4, 2007, the day after Rutgers competed in the NCAA championship game. Those are contemporaneous press accounts of his on-air words. They are not a criminal verdict.Source: NPR ↗
• MSNBC cancellation
  April 11, 2007: MSNBC dropped the Imus simulcastThe New York Times reported on April 12, 2007, that NBC News had dropped Don Imus the day before, canceling his talk show on MSNBC a week after the racially disparaging remark about the Rutgers women’s team. NPR noted MSNBC decided to stop simulcasting after advertisers pulled support. That is an employer cancellation, not a court order.Source: The New York Times ↗
• CBS firing
  April 12, 2007: CBS Radio fired Imus and canceled the showNPR reported that CBS Radio fired Imus and said it would permanently cancel his morning radio show after the racist and sexist comments, following advertiser pullouts and meetings with Rev. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. The New York Times reported CBS canceled “Imus in the Morning” effective immediately. CBS/AP coverage recorded the same firing. That is an employer termination amid public and sponsor pressure.Source: NPR ↗
• Employer statement
  CBS/AP: Moonves cited harm of such language to young people of colorCBS News, citing CBS/AP, reported the firing after Imus called Rutgers players “nappy-headed hos,” with sponsors pulling ads and MSNBC dropping the simulcast. NPR quoted CBS President Les Moonves as deeply upset and specially concerned about the effect such language might have on young people of color. Those are employer and press accounts of the same week’s fallout.Source: CBS News ↗