Firing Imus, Unacceptable Attitudes, and Corporate Cowardice

I understand why so many people are upset at radio talk show host Don Imus. There is certainly genuine outrage and in some, I suspect, also a desire to pay back previous personal conflicts. I can also understand why a company employing him might decide to fire him. I even understand how CBS would plan on one course of action and then, in the face of advertising pressure, choose another. What I do not understand is how Les Moonves, the network's CEO, can state:

At the same time, we wanted to take the time necessary to listen to the many diverse voices that were raised on this issue. In so doing, we have been trying, as best as is possible in such a complex and emotional environment, to determine what is, indeed, the right thing to do. I believe that in taking this action, we are doing the right thing.

Nonsense. This is not an action based on principle or strong feeling. If the advertisers hadn't bolted, Imus would still be behind a microphone. Moonves and CBS management can claim they were "revulsed" by Imus's insensitive and boorish remarks. But making cutting and even nasty comments is not unusual for the former host. No matter what else was going on in his mind, no matter what in his background, upbringing, or inclination might have slipped, the network had always looked the other way in the past. It gave him permission and I would guess even egged him on so long as the green kept coming in.

Perhaps CBS thinks that it has executed proper damage control PR, but I'd argue that it hasn't. The best damage control comes from admitting that there was damage and reacting swiftly to what has gone wrong. But when days go, whether you call it "a period of thought, discussion, listening to you, and the pursuit of due process" or not, all you're doing is trying to play the odds. The company has only hurt itself far worse in the long run than if it had immediately fired Imus or even if it had let him stay. We all make choices and live with the consequences. Imus has paid for his. CBS has yet to, but it will.