Imus and First Amendment Suit

[vicki2]

So Imus is now suing CBS and has hired a First Amendment lawyer. Will this end up being an important case or will it just go away without much of a controversy?

 

[mamab]

I don't know if it'll be a BIG case, but it does have the possibility. There's so much about the First Amendment. I mean, where does one person's freedom start and another one's end? It's a slippery slope.

 

[FourBear]

I'm thinking that it might be an important case in terms of media censorship, or something like that. I agree that it's a very slippery slope.

 

[tater03]

I think it might be of some importance. My question in all this is from what I am understanding his contract stated that they basically wanted him to be controversial. Well they sure got what they asked for.

 

[vicki2]

I read that too ...they kept sending him memos saying to ramp up the controversy yet when they got it, they bailed on him. The thing I don't understand is that there were no letters or memos warning him to belt up.
I think he may have a legal leg to stand on based on the fact that they didn't warn him.

 

[tater03]

That's what I am thinking. Funny how this doesn't come out until the trash this guy all over the place. Not to say that what he said wasn't bad but it seems to be that the station wanted this kind of stuff until this statement got so much airplay. I to feel that he might have a leg to stand on also.

 

[FourBear]

So, they basically bailed on him when their plan backfired. How corporate of them.

 

[framed]

I just don't see it. The first amendment prevents the government from censoring you. It does not prevent corporations from deciding they don't want to sponsor your opinions. (remember it reads " Congress shall make no law...") Theres nothing in there about companies or citizens being forced to tolerate (or worse, sponsor) speech that they don't approve of.

Think about it, if you ran your own business would you be required to tolerate the disrespecting speech of an employee? The answer should be, is, and has always been no. They're free to speak their mind by law, but not on your property, and not on your dime.

I think ultimately Imus will lose, but if he manages to come off as the victim of a plot to restrict free speech to his audience he'll be better off having played the martyr card. It does say something about how well his audience remembers their civics though.

 

[berlinlife06]

I think they wanted Imus to be another Howard Stern! The thing is that they were very different in any case. Howard had a huge history of complaint and fines from the FCC, and that only brought more ratings and of course more money. I don't see Imus doing as well as Howard on Satellite... But I guess they will settle this out of court and give him an undisclosed amount of money.

 

[mamab]

Of course, they'll settle out of court. They don't want their "good name" smeared by this whole fiasco. I just hope that Imus kept paper copies of the emails instructing him to ramp it up. Then, they won't stand a chance.

 

[vicki2]

I think 'framed' has some valid points but not completely. While CBS has the power to fire Imus, and did, they also not only allowed him a free mouth but encouraged it as long as the ratings were good. That's contractural. It will be interesting to see why he has hired the First Amendment expert ... and in what way the lawyer will say Imus was censored. I, for one, miss him as he's been replaced with the lamest bunch of idiots I ever knew existed!