The Perfect Media Storm

I am watching the whole Don Imus racist remarks controversy with a keen interest. 

People who command our media airwaves are supposed to bear a responsibility to present imformation and entertainment within acceptable social standards (also known as FCC rules and regs.)  And while most on-air talent capably work within that realm, the Howard Sterns and Imus “shock jock” style of talk radio hosts have long been handsomely rewarded for their insulting, sarcastic, and often demeaning humor, based on the soaring listener ratings they have been able to garner.   

So as I watch Imus make his mea culpas, I wonder about the turn of events that have created this nasty incident…..the players who have come together to create this perfect  media storm….the ignorantly, inflamatory media talent, the blindly, ratings-hungry media execs and the increasingly callous listening audience.

Perhaps this Imus controversy is not quite as much about forgiveness of one individual and one nasty incident, as it is a wake-up call to all of us about the quality of media that we support as part of our everyday lives.