All eyes on business…
TV Decoder’s Brian Stelter blogs about the focus on business news today and the networks that cover it…
The market turmoil will be viewed as the first serious test for Fox Business. One year ago Rupert Murdoch had pledged that the network would be “more business friendly than CNBC.” The channel was introduced amid a market downturn in October.
On Monday, while United States markets were closed for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and overseas markets posted losses, Fox Business presented live programming while CNBC aired repeats. Curiously, CNBC chose not to simulcast the live coverage from its Asian or European sister networks. “[We were] the only business network that was open for business today,” a Fox host pointedly remarked during the 5 p.m. show “Happy Hour.”
Despite being dark on Monday, CNBC says it has an advantage in its nearly 20 years of experience. “This is not the first time we’ve had a market selloff,” the CNBC anchor Melissa Francis said Tuesday morning. “We’ve been through this before, we’ll get you through it again.”
Brain STELTER is an idiot. YOU’RE quoting HIM?
Comment by William — January 22, 2008 @ 1:09 pm
The 20-year head start didn’t do much for CNN….
Comment by Laurel — January 22, 2008 @ 3:46 pm
To defend CNBC: CNBC had this day of tape planned, they couldn’t plan a market crisis. CNBC has hundreds of hours of pre-taped programming to choose from while FBN does not. Say in 20 years if this happens again will FBN still be live…or will they have already chosen to air tape?
Comment by Aaron — January 22, 2008 @ 4:35 pm
FBN won’t even be around in 20 years (well…someone had to say it!)
Comment by Anonymous — January 22, 2008 @ 4:43 pm
#3 and #4, good points! Honestly, it would seem like an advantage for CNBC, plus the point that most of the nation has the actual channel. Nonetheless, I’ll be skimming through my Tivo’d day of coverage from CNBC to see if anything really yells out at me,
Comment by Chris — January 22, 2008 @ 7:48 pm
CNBC had this day of tape planned, they couldn’t plan a market crisis.
Aaron: That’s a lame excuse. If major news breaks on a holiday or Sunday, the news networks send an SOS to their regular anchors; CNBC could have done the same.
Comment by Ira — January 22, 2008 @ 8:13 pm
It is a lame excuse Ira, but someone has to play Devil’s Advocate. Also, like I said…maybe this will happen to FBN in 20 years and they will get caught in a day of tape.
Comment by Aaron — January 22, 2008 @ 8:36 pm