What I find interesting about Imus is this: No one listens to him

That's the most fascinating part of this story to me. Radio ratings are - for whatever reason - next to impossible to find on the Interwebs.

But I do know this: In 2005, Imus' show came in a strong 17th in New York's morning radio ratings.

Talkers' Magazine - for reasons I simply don't understand - rank him 14th among national radio hosts.

He gets crappy ratings on MSNBC but it costs them about $1.95 to produce that show so it makes money.

From what I can tell, in New York, he has somewhere between 200,000 and 300,000 listeners. I am fairly certain an Emergency Broadcast Warning station could get those listeners in NYC.

Liberals hate him. Conservatives hate him. Shock radio fans hate him. Sports radio fans hate him.

Here is my question: How does he have a job in the first place? It's one of the great mysteries of live to me.

in Iraq today?

I find the discussion about his remarks curious because I can't believe anyone actually heard them when they took place.

listen to someone who looks like Barbara Bush with a cowboy hat?...

:rofl:

I really don't care what Imus does, but when his racist crap is ignored and in a sense validated by people like Kerry, McCain, Leiberman and the many of the DC illuminati - well that bothers me.

He considers himself a political pundit ... and wasn't he one of LIEberman's biggest supporters?

This guy's overstayed his welcome and it's way past time for him to go.

supporter-I don't know if he votes in Connecticut or in New York-but he IS a Joe-mentum guy...to his credit he DID support John Kerry in '04

I don't get it either. He looks horrible -- like he did drugs all during the 70s and 80s -- and seems barely capable of moving his face, mouth or body parts. I can barely understand why he's on radio, but to put that dessicated mummy on TV is inexplicable, and it has to be one of the most boring, incomprehensible things on TV.

BTW, I have to say that at $1.95 to produce the show, it's quite a bargain -- less than a subway token. (kidding)

Also, btw, I think there is a nostalgia factor. He was a really popular pop music dj in the 60s and 70s, and maybe in the NY market, he's riding on nostalgia from advertisers and execs.

Great overall point though. They can fire him and make more money.

So...all these power players are putting him on the air for what reason?

Maybe I just don't understand the radio industry. I know that as soon as Johnny Carson's ratings got a little soft, everyone at NBC started trying to figure out a way to get him out. And people actually liked him.

Prior to becoming 'The FAN,' 660 AM was WNBC. Imus was The Franchise for that station for many years - or at least until Stern rolled into town and became bigger than Imus.

When WNBC became a sports talk station, Imus was the only show from WNBC that remained from the old format.

Who knows? Maybe he's got some kind of clause in his contract that distances him from any consequences from his actions or ratings. I can say without reservation that he hasn't been funny since he got straight - it was pretty hilarious in a really pathetic way to tune into the druggrd-up, drunk Imus and listen to him fall asleep on the air.

But having said all that, I agree with you. There's no reason grounded in radio economics for him to still have a job. IMHO, he should have retired years ago.

- as

That's how I felt about him until this weekend. Never knew who he was or cared either. I don't have cable so once again I guess I am missing out.

:evilgrin: