NY Observer > Fox Business Network

Broke As A Peacock!

Felix Gillette — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 19:45:06 -0500

In recent months, bad news in the financial world has translated into big news for CNBC, and big news is good news for a 24-hour cable news network. With national interest in financial news at a fever pitch, the business news network has been posting its highest ratings in its 19-year history.

And now, owner GE is rewarding them with … budget cuts!

Bosses at CNBC, The Observer has learned, are now preparing to scale back budgets. Sources inside CNBC have heard that the figure could approach a 10 percent overall budget cut.

“We’re committed to having the best team in business news worldwide,” said CNBC spokesman Kevin Goldman. read more »

Move Over, Cody! Eric Bolling Joins FBN's Happy Hour as Co-Host

Felix Gillette — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:10:40 -0500

Executives at the Fox Business Network announced today that Eric Bolling will be joining Cody Willard and Rebecca Diamond as the co-host of Happy Hour—FBN's breezy, after work business-lite show, set in the Bull & Bear bar at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.

"Happy Hour is a dynamic show that takes the headlines and market reactions and turns them into useful and intelligent information," said Mr. Bolling in a press release. "I am excited to take on this new role as co-host." read more »

Fox Business Network Targets CNBC's Jim Cramer in Financial Crisis Ads

Felix Gillette — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 11:41:02 -0400

According to recent articles, the Fox Business Network (FBN) still lags far, far behind its competitors at CNBC in terms of the size of its audience.

But amid the current financial panic, FBN is hoping to win over some viewers by running a political-style attack-ad knocking the record of CNBC's Jim Cramer.

"Financially, these are crazy times," warns a scary voiceover in the ads. "The last thing you need is bad advice. The last thing you need is CNBC's Jim Cramer."

Report: Fox Business Network Averaging Just 8,000 Daytime Viewers; 20,000 Prime Time

Felix Gillette — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 09:32:55 -0400

On Saturday, The Washington Post's Howard Kurtz got his hands on a new set of Nielsen numbers for the Fox Business Network. How's Rupert Murdoch's fledgling cable business-news network doing?

According to Mr. Kurtz the numbers to date remain far behind competitor CNBC.

"Fox News executives knew it would be a long, uphill battle to challenge CNBC when they launched a new business channel last October -- and new ratings confirm that they are right," writes Mr. Kurtz.

WSJ's Walt Mossberg Joins Fox Business Network; The Inexorable Roll Continues?

John Koblin — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:22:42 -0400

Brian Stelter reports in The Times today that The Journal's personal tech columnist Walt Mossberg will join up with the Fox Business Network as a contributor.

But the whole deal is a tricky one. The Journal still has an agreement with CNBC that runs through 2012, and it's a contract that might prevent Journalists from appearing too regularly on FBN.

A 15-year contract that extends until 2012 between CNBC, the dominant business channel, and The Journal prevents many reporters from appearing on Fox Business programs. The News Corporation has not tried to unwind itself from the contract, at least not publicly. But the scope of the agreement is limited, and as the announcement about Mr. read more »

Murdoch on Fox: He's 'Very Friendly' with Hillary, and He Wants to Change Culture of the Journal

John Koblin — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 18:17:39 -0500

Rupert Murdoch was on Fox News' Your World with Neil Cavuto this afternoon and discussed how he had "no ill-will" against Hillary Clinton and how he planned to change the culture of the Wall Street Journal (in part, by moving their offices to Midtown). "I think, when you take over a company and you want to make changes, it is good to do everything you can to change the culture. And a physical move is a big and useful thing to do," said Mr. Murdoch. read more »

Murdoch Sizes up FBN

Felix Gillette — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 11:19:30 -0500

More from Rupert Murdoch's sitdown yesterday with Fox's Neal Cavuto: Mr. Murdoch also discussed how important The Journal would be to building up the recently launched Fox Business Network.

"Oh, I think they'll build each other, they'll help each other," he said. "You know, at the moment, there's a standing agreement with our competition, but that will run down or run out and we'll be able to put the two together more and more." read more »

At the FBN Launch Party—Fox Anchor: "We're Trying to Take Over the World"

Felix Gillette — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 08:47:50 -0400

On Wednesday night, a little after 7 pm, deep in the labyrinth that is the Metropolitan Museum of Art, past the line of photographers in the lobby, past the medieval statues of the Virgin Mary, past a mummy or two, and past a temporary installation that spelled out "Fox Business" in big block letters made, ostensibly, of green shrubbery, Regis Philbin gave Roger Ailes a hug.

"This guy is famous in Ohio," said Mr. Philbin, oddly.

NYTV moved in and shook hands.

Mr. Ailes asked good-naturedly if NYTV had written anything critical of Fox or Mr. Philbin, recently. Mr. Philbin fielded the question. "He writes something critical of me," said Mr. Philbin, "at least once a month." An exaggeration!

Everyone smiled.

We were there to celebrate the launch of Rupert Murdoch's latest media venture—the Fox Business Network...
read more »

CNBC's Fast Money Races West

Felix Gillette — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 13:50:34 -0400

Does San Jose, California qualify as Main Street, USA?

Well, in any case, it’s several thousand miles from Wall Street. And on Friday, CNBC's Fast Money with Dylan Ratigan will be broadcasting live from the Computer History Museum in San Jose, CNBC announced today. The cross-country brand extension, according to a CNBC press release, is part of a broader "cradle of innovation tour." No word yet on how the Fox Business Network, which had suggested it plans to position itself as Main Street to CNBC's Wall Street,might counter.

Although, the front lawn of, say, the Computer History Association of California, must look mighty tempting right about now.

For Fox Business, Big Government Is Enemy Number One

Felix Gillette — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 07:09:37 -0400

It soon became clear that riling up competitor CNBC was a minor, albeit festive indulgence in the Fox Business Network workday. "Big Government" is the common enemy here, and they'll talk about it all day long. read more »