Hos'd Down: MSNBC Drops Imus Show

The TV career of Don Imus has faded to black.
MSNBC announced late Tuesday that it has dumped the simulcast of the Imus in the Morning radio program. The NBC News-run cable news channel originally agreed to suspend host Don Imus for two weeks after the outcry over the racist remarks he made about the Rutgers University women's basketball team. But in a statement, NBC News decided to drop the show after "many conversations with our employees." Two high-profile African-American on-air personalities - Today Show weatherman Al Roker and correspondent Ron Allen - publicly called for stronger action against Imus.
What likely sunk Imus was the announcement by a growing number of advertisers - including Staples, American Express, General Motors and Procter & Gamble - that they were pulling their spots from the show. Organized protests and continued outcry over Imus' remarks received heavy news coverage even after his apology.
CBS Radio, which syndicates Imus on 70 stations throughout the country, said it is sticking with the two-week suspension for now and "will continue to speak with all concerned parties and monitor the situation closely." - Reporting by Stephen Battaglio