Roger Ailes addressed the FBN staff today in what was the last big pep rally before launch. He recalled Ted Turner saying he’d squash Murdoch like a bug 11 years ago when FNC was launched and we all know how that turned out. He told those assembled in the FBN newsroom which included executives, anchors, producers, directors, technical staff, and production people, to stay on offense on field and above all create good television. He emphasized teamwork and said, “Each of you is everyone else’s right arm” and told the staff they’ve done a “magnificent job thus far.”

via Radio Ink…

Last month it was announced that nationally syndicated radio host Dave Ramsey would be joining the Fox Business Network cable channel, and the debut of The Dave Ramsey Show has now been set for Monday, October 15, at 8 p.m. ET.

Like Ramsey’s radio program, the cable show will include viewer calls and e-mails about lifestyle and money matters, as well as “creative destruction of credit cards” and people celebrating their freedom from debt.

TVNewser notes that the FOX50 Index will debut on Monday when FBN launches…

This release notes that Daryn Kagan will be doing a special series next week in conjunction with “Breast Cancer Month”…

DarynKagan.com will mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month with a weeklong series beginning October 15 that will include exclusive DarynKagan.com stories featuring women who inspire others through their journeys with breast cancer.

Additionally, SHOP DARYN, Daryn’s online store that features numerous DarynKagan.com products, has launched at http://www.DarynKagan.com, and a portion of all proceeds will benefit several breast cancer organizations.

Daryn is dedicated to increasing awareness of breast cancer issues as her mother, Phyllis, is a breast cancer survivor, and an early detection success story. Since 2003, they have joined forces to discuss their experiences as a family dealing with a breast cancer diagnosis through several media outlets, including CNN and Self Magazine.
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The Atlanta Journal Constitution’s David Ho writes about FBN…

SNL Kagan. “What they want to do is try to broaden that market and get their brand more entrenched with consumers.”

Glick said FBN will still serve Wall Street, but she also would be happy to capture audiences “from ESPN viewers, some soap opera viewers, some CNBC viewers, some cable news viewers.”

CNBC is paying attention. While the veteran financial network has been flying high with strong ratings and ad revenues, it recently made graphics and programming changes, shuffling its lineup this past week in the hours after the market’s close.

The post-market period has traditionally been CNBC’s weak spot and is a target for FBN’s ambitions.

“I don’t think people make financial decisions between the hours of 9 and 4,” said Brian Jones, FBN’s vice president in charge of news gathering and operations.

“We want every eyeball. Why limit yourself to any particular group?”

Hardball today announced the winner of its Campaign Ad Challenge…

Note: The announcement was a forgery. I got had. Bad.

Cable News Daily Ratings for October 11, 2007

P2+ Total Day
FNC – 804,000 viewers
CNN – 470,000 viewers
MSNBC – 256,000 viewers
CNBC – 236,000 viewers
HLN – 224,000 viewers

P2+ Prime Time
FNC – 1,479,000 viewers
CNN – 651,000 viewers
MSNBC – 487,000 viewers
CNBC – 281,000 viewers
HLN – 484,000 viewers

25-54 Total Day
FNC – 233,000 viewers
CNN – 168,000 viewers
MSNBC – 83,000 viewers
CNBC – 66,000 viewers
HLN- 89,000 viewers

25-54 Prime Time
FNC – 370,000 viewers
CNN – 231,000 viewers
MSNBC – 164,000 viewers
CNBC – 121,000 viewers
HLN – 206,000 viewers

Morning programs P2+ (25-54)
FOX & Friends – 817,000 viewers (282,000)
American Morning- 436,000 viewers (195,000)
Morning Joe – 213,000 viewers (68,000)
Robin & Co. – 197,000 viewers (95,000)
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GretaWire blogs about Bret Baier’s one hour special on Vice President Dick Cheney airing this Saturday at 9pm ET…

I have many “favorites” at Fox News Channel….Bret Baier is one of them….not only is he a very nice guy (and a new father I might add…) but he is enormously good at his work. Saturday night he has a special airing at 9pm on Vice President Cheney. Whether you are pro Cheney, or anti Cheney, or somewhere in between, my guess is that you will really like this special ….Bret got unprecedented access to extraordinary sources for this special …I am going to watch. As for me? Well…the best I could do is the video with Bret:

The National Organization of Women issued a press release this week urging supporters to contact Citadel Broadcasting to oppose ongoing negotiations which could have Imus back on the radio as soon as December 1st.

The National Association of Black Journalists issued an incorrect press release on Tuesday and subsequent clarification this week (which is still not entirely accurate) stating that Imus was in talks with Citadel AND FNC to simulcast the radio program. As reported on ICN already, FNC was never in discussion with Imus about anything like this.

A FOX News Spokesperson addressed the NABJ’s error of including FOX News in the call to action with “You’d think a group representing journalists would have their facts straight.”

Several web outlets ran with NABJ’s original release this week, and all had to subsequently correct their stories because of the NABJ error.

Starting on Sunday Hannity’s America will kick off a six part series on Illegal Immigration called “The Price We Pay” that will continue to air throughout the week on Hannity & Colmes. The six part series breaks down as follows:

- Sunday, October 14th (Hannity’s America) - “Poisoning Our Youth” on drugs being sold to kids.
- Monday, October 15th (H&C) - “Gang Warfare” on gangs like MS-13 and the Mexican Mafia operating in the U.S.
- Tuesday, October 16th (H&C) - “Healthcare Emergency” on illegals using the U.S. healthcare system.
- Wednesday, October 17th (H&C) - “Criminals Among Us” on illegals who commit crimes in the U.S.
- Thursday, October 18th (H&C) - “The Smuggler’s Highway” on illegals crossing over through National Parks.
- Friday, October 19th (H&C) - “Stolen Lives” on identity theft.

ICN has obtained a current picture of FBN’s control room taken this morning and it looks nothing like the alarmist shots FishbowlNY posted yesterday, which ICN learned were taken back in August and really aren’t much improved over the one I posted a month ago. In fact, the control room has been up and running for weeks seeing as rehearsals have been ongoing.

The picture reveals more than just the control room though. I had to shrink down the original image to make it fit on the blog but here are two portions of the full size image I’ve highlighted…
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FishbowlDC sends out a Happy Birthday for FNC’s Chris Wallace…

Portfolio’s Jeff Bercovici dishes on some FBN details including the story that staffers are being told to not refer to the channel as “Fox Business Network” but “Fox Business”. That could make some sense since their logo doesn’t even use the word “network”.

Two sources who’ve been working with the start-up in recent days say they were specifically instructed to refer to it as “Fox Business,” not “Fox Business Network” or “FBN,” both on-air and off. In a recent run-through, David Asman, anchor of the 7 p.m. show, even brought proceedings to a halt so that the word “Network” could be removed from the teleprompter.

(By the way, Asman’s show is called America’s Scoreboard. News stories of the day are discussed in business terms, with each being awarded a “buy,” “sell” or “hold” rating. He follows Neil Cavuto, who in turn follows the 5 p.m. show, Happy Hour, which will air live from the Bull & Bear bar in Manhattan’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.)

ICN has been tipped off to a number of FBN items this week like timeslots, talent pairings, and program names but has held off on posting any of them because there’s always the very real possibility that the information could change before launch. Though I doubt the Cavuto and Asman shows will move.

Update: An FBN insider tells ICN Jeff Bercovici is “misinformed once again.”

“Fox Business Network is being referred to on air as such – there are no restrictions or limitations on that. Sounds like his sources aren’t even at the level that they know what they’re talking about.”

MediaNews Daily’s Joe Mandese writes about unexpected revelations at the Advertising Research Foundation’s “Nielsen Boardroom” meeting…

The disclosure was a stark reminder for many in the room that the billions of dollars in advertising buys negotiated during the 2007-08 upfront buying season were done so on the basis of unaccredited ratings data, and that those buys would also be posted with unaccredited data for a good chunk of the season. As vexing as that might seem for some, others apparently have no qualms. Early in the decision-making process that led to a consensus around C3 ratings as the new market currency, executives at Mediaedge:cia asserted that market currency data need not be accredited. Mediaedge:cia’s Lyle Schwartz reiterated that position during Thursday’s meeting. Independent of the meeting, Carat Senior Vice President-Director of Programming Shari Anne Brill Thursday afternoon issued a report officially endorsing C3 ratings as the new market currency. Carat’s endorsement followed a similar proclamation by Magna Global’s Steve Sternberg.

The endorsements are unprecedented, because this is the first time in the recent history of television advertising marketplace that Madison Avenue has bought and posted its broadcast and cable network TV time on the basis of unaccredited ratings.

FishbowlNY has them. Those have to be old. No way can they need that much construction still. They’ve been doing rehearsals this week and you need cameras in place for that. I don’t see cameras.

The Hollywood Reporter’s Paul J. Gough…

The fact that NBC News and MSNBC producers are working close to one another, providing a seamless transition, is one of his favorite parts of the project, Capus said.

“When you walk down the third floor (aisle), you see ‘Nightly News’ producers, then MSNBC producers,” he said. “That’s been a dream of mine, to have all of these talented news producers working together and thriving on the collective energy of this massive news organization.” Some already have started working from the space, though MSNBC and “NBC Nightly News” turn on the lights on Oct. 22.

Mutlichannel News’ Linda Moss…
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They’re coming in bunches now…

The Chicago Tribune’s Phil Rosenthal leads the way with an interview packed piece…

“Wall Street has become Main Street,” said Fox Business Network’s Neil Cavuto, who has been managing editor for business news on Fox News Channel and will appear on the new channel as well as be in charge of its news coverage decisions. “It’s ubiquitous in our culture and our discussions. People are invested through their pensions, through their 401(k)’s, union money. It is now something in which everyone seems to have a stake. … It has become sexy in and of itself, owing nothing to the tick-by-tick movements of the market. And TV was the last to realize … the drama of it all.”

The Charlotte Observer’s Mark Washburn…
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