Top Stories

NEW YORK (CBS/AP) ― A radio comeback for Don Imus seemed unthinkable at the height of the uproar caused by his sexist and racist comments on-air about the Rutgers women's basketball team.

The veteran talk show host was skewered by politicians and advocacy groups and flayed in the media for referring to the team as "nappy-headed hos" on his nationally syndicated CBS Radio program. He became the target of heated protests led by the Rev. Al Sharpton and was eventually fired.

But industry experts say broadcast executives can have a very short memory if it means boosting ratings—something Imus can still deliver. And, these days, any publicity is good publicity.

"We are in a society where celebrity is the most important part of fame. Whether it's for good or for bad—that doesn't seem to translate in corporate America's unending quest for ratings," said Michael Harrison, founder of the trade publication Talkers magazine. "He's more valuable now than before the controversy. ... He's in a position to sort of reinvent himself—to make himself more pertinent and even more interesting."

Imus reached a settlement Tuesday with CBS Radio that pre-empts his threatened $120 million breach-of-contract lawsuit against CBS, the company and Imus' attorney said in a statement Tuesday.

Terms of the settlement were not disclosed. Just before his dismissal, Imus had signed a five-year, $40 million contract with CBS.

The announcement essentially makes Imus a free agent, and broadcast industry experts say he will be back on the air soon enough.

"I've been comparing this to a divorce, now both parties are able to move on," said Tom Taylor of radio-info.com, a soundboard for news and information about the radio industry.

And, it's possible he will be a different broadcaster now.

"He's been on the air for decades and he's always been outrageous, and has sort of made fun of groups of people and individuals, but it's possible he's going to be a little wiser, maybe think twice before speaking," Taylor said.
Sharpton issued a statement Tuesday saying the settlement is a "a legal matter between a former employer and employee."

But he added that it is "also a testimony to the movement of people that raised their voices to fire Imus that CBS would rather pay him off than keep him on. ... To the rumors that Imus may resurface, wherever he resurfaces we at National Action Network and other groups will be watching and monitoring him."

Other critics weren't so forgiving.

Rutgers player Kia Vaughn sued Imus, CBS and others on Tuesday—claiming the offensive comments damaged her reputation. CBS Radio and CBS Corp. declined to comment, and a lawyer for Imus did not return a call about the suit.

Rutgers spokeswoman Stacey Brann said that basketball coach C. Vivian Stringer was on vacation and not available to comment.

"Based on Mr. Imus' long history of making incendiary racist and sexist remarks, I doubt that he has learned his lesson after only four months," said Angela Burt-Murray, editor-in-chief of Essence magazine. "It is quite unfortunate that he plans to return to work."

Where Imus might land next is still up in the air.

A person familiar with the situation said that Imus has had informal talks with several broadcasters, including WABC in New York, about a possible comeback. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the talks, and it is unclear how serious the discussions were—given the fact that Imus' CBS contract was still under dispute.

"I've had no conversation with Mr. Imus and no one at Citadel or ABC has had any negotiation with him," said Steve Borneman, general manager of WABC radio. WABC radio is owned by Citadel Broadcasting Corporation, which owns more than 140 radio stations as well as ABC Radio Networks.

The person familiar with the situation said the deal with CBS also calls for a "non-disparaging" agreement that forbids the parties from speaking negatively about each other.

One radio hire that did become clear Tuesday was the naming of Imus' replacement on WFAN, the CBS-owned New York radio station that was Imus' flagship.

Former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason will take over the morning time slot along with New Jersey radio personality Craig Carton, who has been known to push the boundaries of taste during his broadcast career. Carton and his co-host at times offended minorities and women, once nearly coming to blows with former Gov. Richard Codey in 2005 over comments about the politician's wife's widely publicized battle with postpartum depression.

Esiason has built a long broadcasting resume since retiring from football a decade ago, including stints on "Monday Night Football" and the CBS NFL pregame show.

Codey told the AP on Tuesday that he has put the episode involving his wife behind him and that he has since been a call-in guest to Carton's show to discuss sports.

Whatever Imus decides to do next, everyone is in agreement that he better be careful.

"All eyes will be on Imus, so he'll have to watch his back," Taylor said.

(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)