CNN host Lou Dobbs, whose outspoken views on US immigration have made him one of the most controversial figures on television, said on Wednesday he is leaving the 24-hour cable news network immediately because he wants a freer platform to state his opinion. Mr Dobbs announced his departure near the start of his nightly news and commentary show after nearly 30 years at CNN.
Mr Dobbs, whose ratings have been on the decline, said he had been released from his contract, effective immediately, and wanted “to contribute positively to the understanding of the great issues of our day … in the most honest and direct language possible.” A CNN source told Reuters that Mr Dobbs will be concentrating on his syndicated radio show, “The Lou Dobbs Show.” The source would not confirm a New York Times report that he had met with Roger Ailes, chairman and chief executive of the Fox News channel, the News Corp-owned rival to CNN, a unit of Time Warner Inc.
CNN had been under pressure from civil rights and Latino groups to drop Lou Dobbs from its lineup, accusing the host of aligning himself with anti-immigrant groups that critics say espouse hate messages. “It’s about time. He was doing CNN no good,” said Nativo Lopez, head of the California-based Mexican-American Political Association that promotes the interests of Mexican-Americans in the United States and is part of a campaign against Mr Dobbs. “His is not a debate based on science or reason, it’s based on prejudice, it’s based on racial overtones, it’s based on profiling and an obsessive fixation on immigrants from Mexico,” said Mr Lopez.
As a radio host, Mr Dobbs also drew criticism by appearing to stoke the so-called “birther” movement, whose adherents believe that President Barack Obama’s Hawaiian birth certificate was faked to hide a Kenyan birthplace, making the first black US president ineligible for office. Mr Dobbs said he was considering “a number of options and directions.” His contract was due to end in 2011.
“For the past six months it has become increasingly clear that strong winds of change have begun buffeting this country and affecting all of us,” Mr Dobbs said. “Some leaders in media, politics and business have been urging me to go beyond the role here at CNN and engage in constructive problem-solving,” said Dobbs, referring to himself as one of the last original CNN anchors.
Eric Burns, president of liberal advocacy group Media Matters for America, called Dobbs’ departure “a happy day for all those who care about this nation of immigrants and believe in the power of media to elevate the political discourse.”
Lou Dobbs, 64, started out at CNN as the network’s chief business and financial correspondent and host of its business news programme “Moneyline” in 1980. He left the network in 1999 after friction with CNN’s then-president Rick Kaplan to start his own dotcom venture. He returned two years later to become host and managing editor of a new general news broadcast, and for a time renewed his “Moneyline” show.
(Source: Reuters)
on Nov 12th, 2009 at 11:10
For Lou Dobbs there is always FoxNews to go to. Or perhaps next presidential candidate for the GOP?
on Nov 12th, 2009 at 16:58
The TV news channels in the US are somewhat similar to European press that often follows a well-defined party line. If you are out of step, then you are out on the street. FOX, CNN and MSNBC don’t seem to have much concern for presenting a balanced picture as they are seeking to attract their politically-defined audiences.
Definitely Lou Dobbs was out of step with CNN due to his views on immigration. Perhaps he’ll get a sweet offer from FOX. If not, there’s always RT
Years ago I used to watch his business broadcasts. He’s a good host. I didn’t realize he’s heard on radio too.