MSNBC to replace Imus
By on Apr 20th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
MSNBC to replace Imus
with conservative radio host (and regular substitute for Bill O’Reilly and Joe Scarborough) Michael Smerconish. (Via Atrios)
View Most Popular
Advertisement
What We're About
What We're Fighting For
What We're Fighting Against
Featured
Subscribe to the Progress Report
Topic CloudView topics sorted by popularity
Afghanistan
Bachmann
Beck
Boehner
Business
Civil Rights
Congress
Corporate Ethics
Dobbs
Economy
Education
Election
Energy
Environment
Ethics
Fox News
Gingrich
Global Warming
Health Care
Hoffman
Immigration
International Relations
Iraq
Justice
LGBT
Lieberman
Limbaugh
Media
Military
O'Reilly
Obama
Palin
Pelosi
Politics
Race
Radical Right
Religion
Sports
Steele
Stimulus
Tea Parties
Tea Party
Terrorism
Veterans
Women's Rights
Visit Our Affiliated Sites
Reports
In-depth studies on select topics
Got a hot tip?
Have a hot news tip? We'd love to hear from you. Use the form below to send us the latest.
ArchivesBlog Roll
Yawn.
April 20th, 2007 at 2:22 pmAnd I said from the get go that this is the real reason Imus was fired. He wasn’t right wing enough and called out the Bush administration many times.
April 20th, 2007 at 2:24 pmJust goes to show, be careful what you wish for.
I’d rather have a genuine progressive who awful gaffs every now and then to a neocon with preset talking points and no chance of diversion.
I guess it’s just always been hard for me to get on the anti-Glenn Beck/Imus train, because I see them as intellectually honest people, and I really value that. Yeah, they’re kinda racist, homophobic, and everything else. But they’re honest, and make a good-faith contribution to the public debate, rather than hiding behind of farcical impartiality or “no-spin zone”. They also enjoy honest debate with opposing viewpoints, unlike the others on the air who know better than to say what they’re thinking.
April 20th, 2007 at 2:26 pmThat’s gonna go over like a lead balloon.
April 20th, 2007 at 2:29 pmWow! That will be a ratings bombshell.
And Imus… progressive? No way. Sure, he criticized Bush and Cheney, but he was no progressive.
April 20th, 2007 at 2:30 pmImagine what Keith could have done with 3 hours in the morning.
April 20th, 2007 at 2:31 pmGood job, Media Matters!! You got the man who helped Bill Clinton will the Presidency in 1992 fired so that a brain-dead neocon could take his place. Well done!
April 20th, 2007 at 2:34 pmThe electorate is split approximately 50-50. Why are talk show hosts split 90-10? Something is terribly wrong in our society.
April 20th, 2007 at 2:34 pmNo Fuck— way . I don’t like his way of dealing with politics .
April 20th, 2007 at 2:34 pmNow they have someone who can be as racist as he wants and no one will say jack about it, because A$$Hats like limpballs and O’Liely and the like can get away with lies and distortions all the time and are never called out on their crap.
Hating the Repuke Mafia and their followers daily
April 20th, 2007 at 2:35 pmBOOOOOOOOO!!! to BSNBC!
April 20th, 2007 at 2:35 pmI kind of enjoyed the competition with the CNN morning show over the last few days…
what the ‘24 hour’ news channel cant fill it’s n=morning with a news show? too much time for the late night repeats and “DOCBLOCS”, but not enough time to give people a good, edgy morning news program???
Reason not to tune in. blaaaaaaaaaa!
April 20th, 2007 at 2:36 pmSee, progressive radio makes no money. No one likes to listen to hate that early in the morning.
April 20th, 2007 at 2:36 pmTelevsion is a business of TRENDS. When a network has a hit show the other networks are quick to copy. The trend of right-wing talk shows is DOWN. Therefore its highly suspicious that MSNBC would replace Imus with a right-wing clown.
The trend of independent/liberal fact-based news shows is UP. However, I admit, Keith Olberman is the only person in that category.
If MSNBC truly wanted ratings they’d go with the trend and air an independent/liberal fact-based personality. Stephanie Miller, Randi Rhodes or even the dull Bill Press would almost guarantee MSNBC higher ratings then the no-name they’ve hired.
April 20th, 2007 at 2:41 pmBarf.
April 20th, 2007 at 2:44 pmOh great. One bozo out the door, an even bigger one takes his place.
April 20th, 2007 at 2:46 pm5.
You’re right, I should’t have said he was progressive. I was confusing the term with intellectually honest, which was what my point was really about.
April 20th, 2007 at 2:49 pmexcellent, get someone that really knows how to bait the races and show xenophobia at it’s highest art form.
smerc has distinguished himself recently as defending hatred as an american value. he has also recently made very notable bigoted racist statements on air. perfect replacement. shows a lot of class
are they kidding?
April 20th, 2007 at 2:50 pmYawn.
Comment by Not Canadian — April 20, 2007 @ 2:22 pm
Is this the same nerdy guy that was on Maher’s show a couple weeks ago?
Double yawn.
April 20th, 2007 at 2:52 pmindependent/liberal fact-based personality.
Comment by Larry from C — April 20, 2007 @ 2:41 pm
Does not exist.
April 20th, 2007 at 2:54 pmindependent/liberal fact-based personality.
Comment by Larry from C — April 20, 2007 @ 2:41 pm
Does not exist.
Comment by Kevin — April 20, 2007 @ 2:54 pm
He said independent and *liberal* fact based personality, he wasn’t referring to you Kevin – the person that thinks they’re independent and fact based – but that lies to yourself almost more than you lie to everyone else! You’re an idi*t Kevin. A st*pid fact fearing idi*t!
April 20th, 2007 at 2:57 pmSee, progressive radio makes no money. No one likes to listen to hate that early in the morning. Comment by Kevin — April 20, 2007 @ 2:36 pm
The millions that listen to Limbaugh disprove your point – dum bass.
The reason progressives don’t listen to a one way media, is we aren’t as mentally r*t*rded as you are. We don’t have to be spoon fed what we should think. St*pid Jake*ss.
April 20th, 2007 at 2:58 pmoff topic, but/
Get busy ya’ll:
APRIL 28 NATIONWIDE IMPEACHMENT ACTIONS
April 20th, 2007 at 3:05 pmhttp://www.a28.org/
Frying pan…
…meet fire…
…GOOD!
…maybe we can get this Amerikkkan Civil War over with…
…sooner than we think…
April 20th, 2007 at 3:21 pmComment by ValiantVenusGrewFromUranus — April 20, 2007 @ 2:58 pm
Ever notice that you don’t have a point. You just name call and think that’s a good counterpoint. You’re a hater.
April 20th, 2007 at 3:31 pmNever heard him, but assuming he’s as awful as described, folks need to monitor him and get the outrageous out on YouTube and the MSM as soon as he does it. How long did Rushbo last when outside of his circle of dittoheads – 4 or 5 weeks? Same thing for this guy.
April 20th, 2007 at 3:31 pmEver notice that you don’t have a point. You just name call and think that’s a good counterpoint. You’re a hater.
Comment by Kevin
Ever notice your ‘points’ are pure garbage? What am I saying, of course you don’t! But we do.
April 20th, 2007 at 3:37 pmMore proof of the extreme lack of diversity in our media today.
April 20th, 2007 at 3:38 pmEver notice that you don’t have a point. You just name call and think that’s a good counterpoint. You’re a hater. Comment by Kevin — April 20, 2007 @ 3:31 pm
Nice self criticism on your part. Idi*t.
April 20th, 2007 at 3:41 pmWrong, the electorate is split 28-72. And that 28% is shrinking. More and more people won’t even admit they are republicans. Take our resident trolls who try and pretend they are independents.
April 20th, 2007 at 3:41 pm#27. Not true. You do have choices. Neo-Con, Extreme Neo-Con and Nazi Neo-Con.
April 20th, 2007 at 3:43 pmwhat does it mean when people say guys like Beck are “honest”
he’ll pass on ANY damned thing he hears about Obama/Hillary/Pelosi/Edwards. he says he’s ‘not really political’ and then barfs up the ‘talking point du jour’ that every other right winger in the vast media landscape is barfing up. honest? give me a break and a sixpack of beer!!
from the GET GO, Cnn has represented Beck as an ‘entertaining’ fun guy even as he calls Democrats traitors. honest my ass. he is an errand boy, sent by grocery clerks to collect the bill.
April 20th, 2007 at 4:06 pmSmerconish! What the hell is wrong with MSNBC? Have they lost their collective minds?
April 20th, 2007 at 4:21 pmThere are other choices in the field besides right wing nuts.
The electorate is split approximately 50-50. Why are talk show hosts split 90-10? Something is terribly wrong in our society.
Radio is all about money. Advertising. Maybe your 50% doesn’t have the financial demographics to support a radio show. Remember, the 2004 voting breakdown showed that Kerry supporters made under $33K, Bush supporters made over $33K.
April 20th, 2007 at 4:26 pmBlame Chris Matthews. He started having hte guy on his show, when Matthews’ brother was running for office in Philly. That was lovely. So ethical. And now this. Michael S is a third rate mind and he’s getting his own show.
Why didn’t MSNBC have a plan for post-Imus. I mean, he could have died at any moment. the guy used oxygen on air!
April 20th, 2007 at 4:27 pmReplacing one white guy who is regressive on race with another.
Shame on MSNBC!
April 20th, 2007 at 4:46 pmI think I put this on the wrong thread earlier.
April 20th, 2007 at 4:49 pmTry these:
letters@msnbc.com
viewerservices@msnbc.com
GeneralComments@feedback.msnbc.com
Here’s a good photo of Smerconish:
April 20th, 2007 at 4:57 pmTurtle ! Turtle!
http://z.about.com/d/movies/1/0/I/B/1/masterofdisguisearticle.jpg
I notice one of the differences between liberals and conservatives. You folks don’t like debate. Especially if it’s with someone you don’t agree with. If MSNBC had put someone from Air America in that slot (silly I know) you folks would love it. MSNBC would lose ratings and money but you would love it. You try and stop debates because they are hosted by Fox News. Why? They have hosted them before. And the candidates did very well because of them. If you don’t agree with someone you find a name to call them and consider that a point. You want to deport illegal immigrants that commit crime, you get called a raciest. You say that you agree with tax cuts (that have worked) and you must hate the middle class. You don’t agree with the minimum wedge hike, you hate poor people. You don’t give people a chance to state an opposing opinion. If some one does you start to shout them down.
You folks hate Fox News but every time they have a debate they always have a reprehensive from both sides. Most conservative will say the same thing after listening to some liberal speaker. “He has a right to say what ever he wants but I disagree with …..†You folks seem to think that you only have that right. And that’s wrong.
April 20th, 2007 at 5:00 pmHe’ll stick his foot in his mouth and be fired soon enough. Loudmouth blowhard.
April 20th, 2007 at 5:15 pmNo, Kevin, you are mistaken about Dems and about Fox.
Fox only claims to be fair and balanced – there is no such thing as even-handed debates on that network.
Watch it sometimes with an open mind.
We do not want a network to be all one-sided — au contraire, we dems DO like spirited debate — we even have them here, if you notice. We do not march in lockstep. We think. We are different.
We DO oppose the fact that there are so many right-wingers on the air but the only liberal I can think of is Keith Olbermann. Repugs always like to say Matthews, Scarborough, Blitzer, et al., are independent, but if you watch them, you will hear over and over again, that they favor Bush&Co.
We are only looking for fairness and balance. So far, we don’t have it. Even though the democratic party is gaining, the networks continue to do their corporate masters’ bidding.
April 20th, 2007 at 5:17 pmKevin: “If MSNBC had put someone from Air America in that slot (silly I know) you folks would love it. MSNBC would lose ratings and money but you would love it.”
Lose ratings? Which MSNBC show is rising the fastest in ratings? Keith Olberman’s ratings are up 76% in the last 6 months. You conservatives are very good at playing the victim, but really, where aside from Olberman are the liberal voices on television?
April 20th, 2007 at 5:30 pmYou are wrong my friend. Take a look at this site. Look for my post. Look at the response I get. 99% of the time it’s just name calling. Troll mostly. But I have been called a racist because I support the fair tax. I do watch Fox New. And CNN and NBC and ABC. (CBS not so much. Who can stand Katy?) I go to a lot of different sites and try to get a lot of information from different view points. And if you take an open minded look you will see that I’m right and that the liberals are haters. Sorry to burst the bubble.
April 20th, 2007 at 5:31 pmKevin: Marie’s answer to your unfounded and erroneous accusations about what “you folks” do shows that “we folks” can debate with “you folks” and do very well.
Kevin – 0 Marie – 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000
April 20th, 2007 at 5:31 pmComment by Marie #40
…Good lookin’ out Marie…
…old 4 eyes…
April 20th, 2007 at 5:31 pmThere shouldn’t even be a debate about FOX and its intentions. I keep pointing this out and trolls like Kevin always stare of into space as if they don’t notice — Rupert Murdock recently admitted to a British interviewer that he started FOX news to “press forward the republican agenda.”
That’s it. That ship has sailed. They’re not “fair and balanced.” They’re even worse than that. They’ve a propaganda arm of the republican party.
April 20th, 2007 at 5:33 pmKevin: “And if you take an open minded look you will see that I’m right and that the liberals are haters. Sorry to burst the bubble.”
Some golden oldies for you Kevin from our conservative troll community:
I would like to see the democruds registered voting rosters purged, and then these registered democruds could be rounded up and shipped somewhere else in the world.
Perhaps Wyoming or an eastern bloc CIA run gulag system would be the way to go. But then you would have to be fed and clothed.
Okay scratch that, how about rounding ALL registered democruds up and giving them a nice dose of aerial VX nerve gas or another chemical weapon of some kind.
I have visions of this, just as the little wee ones have visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads at Christmas time. It is coming, and it will be before the 2008 elections, so live this hollow victory up maggots, its likely the last crumb you will be tossed, courtesy of my President and King, George W Bush.
Comment by Democrud Maggot Farmer — February 16, 2007 @ 4:48 pm
Careful Bluedog or I’ll behead you and put the video tape on the internet for your family to see it. bwahahahaha!
Comment by Cynicon Implant — March 15, 2007 @ 2:03 pm
I don’t know about Exley, but my favorite part is the waterboarding. Making somebody think they are going to drown? I love that!
Comment by Cynicon Implant — March 15, 2007 @ 1:37 pm
I do! And I hope they pulled his fingernails out also!
April 20th, 2007 at 5:36 pmComment by michael — March 15, 2007 @ 4:38 pm
So how does the left feel about their mob mentality now?
April 20th, 2007 at 5:40 pmGerald, I’m sure “the left” is deeply troubled that the Clinton-hating, republican ass-kissing a-hole is off the air. I know I’d be happy to never again have to see that scowling poser with his ten-gallon hat and his tassled leather jacket sitting there as if he just got in from riding fence. Of course, I’m not “the left.” I’m just a liberal.
April 20th, 2007 at 5:50 pm5.
You’re right, I should’t have said he was progressive. I was confusing the term with intellectually honest, which was what my point was really about.
Comment by Nick — April 20, 2007 @ 2:49 pm
My bad. I didn’t realize you were a troll.
April 20th, 2007 at 6:10 pm#47 – Comment by Gerald Gibson Jr. — April 20, 2007 @ 5:40 pm
“So how does the left feel about their mob mentality now?”
I wouldn’t have a clue how “the left” (a derogatory label you like to throw around that does not apply to me) feels about their “their mob mentality” (ANOTHER derogatory label you like to throw around that does not apply to me).
So, I’ll tell you how I feel:
Imus being gone is no great loss to me. Replacing a racial and gender regressive like Imus with another racial and gender regressive like Michael Smerconish was not MY decision. That was an MSNBC decision that mirrors its decision to sponsor racial and gender regressives like Matthews, Tucker, Scarborough, williams, et.al.
I have developed a strategy for letting MSNBC know that I disapprove of its regressive decisions. I urge all progressives to let MSNBC know that they disapprove of its regressive decisions.
There are pundits who label themselves “conservatives” who are not racial and gender regressives. So once MSNBC has acheived a balance between progressives and conservatives who are not racial and gender regressives, I’ll give MSNBC the benefit of the doubt.
Until then, I will continue to exert pressure on MSNBC to be a fair broker of opinions.
April 20th, 2007 at 6:22 pmCaptain, when they cancelled Phil Donnehue’s program, he was the second-highest rated program on the network. The network executives admitted it was because they were uncomfortable with Donnehue’s anti-war position. Tucker’s ratings have been in the tank for years and they keep him on.
They walk a tightrope. On the one hand, they can see that more liberal views can be popular and lead to better ratings, but the overall picture hasn’t changed since 1994 – republican policies are better for media monopoly and corporate profits.
April 20th, 2007 at 6:49 pmComment by hterrya
Imus was not a great lose…. when I woke up some mornings and he was on I turned it off….
But that is besides the point…
I believe in American style freedom… I may seem harsh to you people on here… but I am even more so in real life… but the people that know me… that work with me daily will tell you I am rough… very rough around the edges… but I am not racists idiot either… I dont let my kids watch South Park but I like it myself because I HATE people getting into mob mode because the are “offended” … screw being offended… dont judge a book by its cover… Imus was NOT a rightwinger… he may wear a cowboy hatm but so what? What is wrong with cowboys? What is wrong with a gruff person if they are willing to support Kerry over Bush? Even if they personally dont like Kerry? If a foreign country were to attack America I would pick up a gun and fight right next to Rush Limbaugh (assuming he would fight) …
I love that people can be crude rude and loud mouthed in America… like Richard Pryor… like Rodney Dangerfield … George Carlin… Andrew Dice Clay…
April 20th, 2007 at 8:31 pmImus …. people like Sharpton are oppotunists that prey on people from the left that “get the vapors” over being “offended” OH MY!!!
Kevin, thank you for pointing out your devoid strawman rhetoric and limited dichotomous thinking that is prevelent in the right wing party. Run from A-Z, broad strokes and project all people alike. Works for simpletons doesn’t it? Watch Faux Noise much?
You spend quite a bit of time here yet you have long since given up defending the Failure in Chief. When did your last moral fiber die? Do brag about the record bankruptcy’s, Katrina, GOP indictments, restoring integrity to the office, borrowing 1.2 trillion from China in his first term, more than all other Presidents combines, the fact we have not spent one peny of the borrowed money for your Iraqnam, and do remind us where Osama bin Forgotten is.
Go ahead……..I will get my popcorn.
April 20th, 2007 at 8:33 pmSmerconish? WTF? Why not just hire Santorum? I like (d) MSNBC but if I see Smerconish on there just once it’s over for me. I will have to find out what Olberman is doing by visiting blogs.
April 20th, 2007 at 8:56 pmI hope they put that beady-eyed rat on TV simulcast, too. Nobody does the batshit-crazy stare like Mikey the Smerk. That guy is a major league douche. Ugh. I thought we were just unlucky to have him in Philly. I guess he spreads like a VD.
April 20th, 2007 at 9:08 pmChr!st, I’d rather see Pat Buchanon get that time slot. Michael Smerkonish is half ret@rded, plus the afore-mentioned crazy eyes.
April 20th, 2007 at 9:15 pmI wouldn’t take $10 to ride in an elevator with that disturbed asshat.
Yes, Michael, we get it. You think Christmas is about to be abolished, the conservative Christians are all but driven into the sea in the U.S., and you look intelligent with your head shaved like that.
Now, wipe that drool of your chin, and take your meds.
Comment by Blue Patriot
So true….so true…
April 20th, 2007 at 9:17 pm#51
But he’s still behind Paula Zahn and even Nancy Grace. Now that’s funny.
April 20th, 2007 at 9:28 pm#53
Also because people don’t like to listen to depressed angry people.
April 20th, 2007 at 9:31 pm#43 and #44 hyterrya and big papa
Thanks. Sometimes I just have to answer the trolls.
April 20th, 2007 at 10:59 pm#61 People also don’t like to listen to psychotic scum like you.
April 21st, 2007 at 12:55 amSmerconish:
This is an outrage!
April 21st, 2007 at 3:08 amWhy yet another right winger?
If they could talk him into doing, I would love to see John Dean do a show like this. He is on Keith Olbermann’s show quite a bit, and I always enjoy his opinions about issues and is very informative.
He is also a columnist at Findlaw.com.
April 21st, 2007 at 5:40 pm#63
How you figure I am psychotic? You don’t listen to half of what I say.
April 21st, 2007 at 7:11 pm