Shamed broadcaster Don Imus is set to return to radio after being cancelled for making highly controversial remarks on the air earlier this year.
The long-running program Imus in the Morning was axed earlier this year by CBS Radio after the veteran presenter referred to players on the Rutgers University Women’s Basketball Team as “nappy-headed hos.”
But the show will re-air on Monday after being picked up by New York station WABC-AM, which has not announced the show’s format but insists at least one black person will be featured regularly, along with Imus’ longtime news anchor Charles McCord.
WABC-AM’s program director Phil Boyce says, “I don’t have any doubt on his future. He’ll obviously be wiser, smarter and a bit more careful. He’s learned from this. I’m not concerned that he’ll have a repeat.”
The program will also be broadcast on 24-hour network RFD-TV, which hopes the 67-year-old will help the channel increase its listeners from 30 million to 50 million homes over the next two years.
Patrick Gottsch, president of RFD-TV, says, “There is a real void in the morning with Don Imus not on the air. He’s apologized heavily for the comments. He knew he made a mistake. You learn, you move on and I think most folks already have forgiven him.”
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