Monday, October 15, 2007 at 11:32 am
The Naked Business Channel
While watching the first morning of Fox Business News today, I looked back at an essay I wrote a few years ago on Fox News, where I wrote that the channel's success owed as much as anything to its attitude and its aesthetics. "Traditional, detached TV news tells you the news is interesting," I wrote. "Fox News tells you the news rocks." Then I noticed the sentence I wrote just before that: "Fox News has done with general news what CNBC did with business news--treated it as ESPN treats sports, with conflict, a little jocularity, NFL-style graphics and rooting interests."
If the Fox News formula is going to work at FBN, in other words, then FBN will have to be even more like CNBC--more excited, effusive and rah-rah--than CNBC is. Is that possible? Judging at least by the first few hours, it's going to try its damnedest.
The first morning of FBN had the feeling of a party way too early in the morning. There was boisterousness: the channel leaned on ESPN-style duos of guys barking at each other about the oil market and the Chinese toy scandals. There was a naked guy: after ringing the opening bell at the NASDAQ this morning, FBN's Alexis Glick went to Times Square to interview The Naked Cowboy, who busks with his guitar wearing nothing but tighty-whiteys and a ten-gallon hat. And there was oversharing: anchor Peter Barnes' voice cracked as Glick rang the NASDAQ bell: "I didn't get choked up until just now," he said. "It's really real." Dude--pull it together. (CNBC, of course, airs the likes of Jim Cramer's Mad Money, but tends to wait until after business hours until it loosens its tie and pops a few blood vessels with Cramer.)
I should note that I'm not a business writer, and thus am not expertly qualified to judge the quality of FBN's information. (For that, visit my bizmeister colleague Justin Fox.) But I'm also not sure that that's the main point, either for TV business news in general, or FBN in particular. FBN has said it's aiming for an audience that's more mass than elite--small investors and the casual viewer. So there was a lot of talk about "the stocks that affect your life" and, regarding the oil market, "What does this mean for you at the pump and for the oil that comes into your house this winter."
The major early difference between CNBC and FBN is tone: FBN has imported Fox's News' earnest stare and 10%-above-normal volume, all calculated to tell you that, slow news day or big news day, something really important is right around the corner. Fox sells excitement--it doesn't really matter the kind--and that attitude carried right over to an interview with an official in the Chicago Mercantile pit, in which the reporter spent more time asking about the "excitement" of working at the market rather than, you know, the market itself.
That approach might work in the long run, and who knows?, it may even produce compelling business news. Glick's interview with The Naked Cowboy (Robert Burck) was a stunt, but it was actually an interesting little piece on how Burck--inspired by the works of Tony Robbins--has parlayed a good bod, a decent voice and the willingness to use them into a thriving merchandising-and-endorsements business.
Glick's optimistic moral for the home viewer: "What it tells you is that, no matter what you think at home, you can make a small business a reality." And The Naked Cowboy played off the segment with a song--indirectly about the American virtues of being shameless and putting on a show--that could well be the Fox theme song:
I'm the Naked Cowboy
And I'm keeping it real for you
I'm the Naked Cowboy
You gotta do what you gotta do
Preach it, brother Burck.
About Tuned In
James Poniewozik writes TIME magazine's Tuned In column, about pop culture and society. Tuned In, the blog version, is about the stuff we used to call "TV," whether it's in your living room, on your computer or -- once the networks figure out the technology and line up the advertisers -- in your dreams themselves. Read more
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Monday, October 15, 2007 at 11:51 am
Thank you FOX for even more Jerry Springer style news and the dumbing down of America.
Who will emerge as the business version of O'Reilly who will yell at a CEO what a pinhead he is for the way he runs his company?
Maybe a Hannity who will tell folks that they are on the "wrong side" of business instead of history.
Monday, October 15, 2007 at 12:54 pm
As long as FBN's coverage is accurate and thorough then they will indeed do to CNBC what FNN did to CNN. BUT, and this is a big but, I don't think they will be able to do that. You are dealing with people's money when you talk about stocks and market trends and the value of the dollar. That information cannot be editorialized without qualified quantitative analysis.
FBN is going to try to turn business news into a commodity, giving it glitz and glamor with little substance (true I haven't seen it for more than 10 minutes but I see no reason to expect it to try to do anything different than its news channel sibling). The information of business is anything but that - its numbers and trends and annual reports and UNBIASED reporting, something Rupert Murdock's news outlets are not.
FBN might be able to bring some new casual viewers to business news but the world of business is dry and dull to the man on the street. Perhaps they will concentrate on the sensational stories in business, of that I'm not sure but I do not see them taking many viewers away from CNBC. In fact they may drive new viewers to their competitor when the public begins to see what FBN lacks.
Monday, October 15, 2007 at 2:03 pm
The problem with Fox is that it's a propaganda arm of everything that is truly wrong with this country right now, starting with Bush and trickling down.
One day in history, we'll look back on their broadcasts (and some of their more celebrated anchors) as a shining example of history repeating itself, with a backward glance at pre-WWII Germany.
All of the news channels are dumbing it down way too much.
Monday, October 15, 2007 at 2:19 pm
So Rupert Murdock's news outlets are not UNBIASED? And MSNBC and CNN are?
Right now FNC is crushing both MSNBC and CNN in the ratings, week after week. I see no reason why Fox Business Network won't do the same.
Monday, October 15, 2007 at 2:29 pm
The problem with FNC is that it makes a big show about being unbiased while being aggressively biased, as evidenced by their coverage of the Peace Prize. CNN and MSNBC don't engage in this silly conceit.
FBN may work it really is oriented to main street, as the NY Times (I think) suggests, but right now it seems to be aimed at about the intelligence level of the typical local Fox news-actor or news-actress.
Monday, October 15, 2007 at 2:31 pm
great intro, jp. anyway, should we be trusting justin FOX for analysis of the FOX b. channel? he does resemble a younger neil cavuto...
Monday, October 15, 2007 at 2:46 pm
I wish I knew what FBN looks like... I can't get it on Time Warner cable!!!
Monday, October 15, 2007 at 2:49 pm
@Carol - Who advertises their network as "Fair and Balanced"? CNN, MSNBC or Fox? Therein lies the answer to your question. If you trademark that slogan, shouldn't you follow it?
Monday, October 15, 2007 at 3:04 pm
Well, it's obviously not a problem for the viewers because Fox is always #1 in the ratings. And Fox IS more fair and balanced than the other cable stations. I see more liberals on Fox than I see conservatives on either CNN or MSNBC. At least O'Reilly has guests on who disagree with him - that's the whole point of his show. Olbermann? His show is an echo chamber. Does this man ever book anyone who has a different point of view from his?
Monday, October 15, 2007 at 3:14 pm
Just what america needs, more FOX garbage on the airwaves.
Bunch of nascar, budwiser loving rednecks flocking to FBN to figure out if pork bellies are up or down.
Glorious.
If you listen real carefully you can actually hear america continue it's spiral downward.
Monday, October 15, 2007 at 3:55 pm
Nice elitism there Thomas...I'm thinking that the Fox News Channel will at least have SOMEONE besides an endless string of mindless stock market cheerleaders on, like CN-BS does all day long...
Monday, October 15, 2007 at 4:04 pm
Oh, and by the way Thomas, as long as you are castigating and sterotyping drinkers of a certain brand of beer, the least you could do is learn how to spell their beer correctly - that's Budweiser, with an "e" in the middle.
Monday, October 15, 2007 at 4:34 pm
@Carol - Yes, O'Reilly has people on that he disagrees with and proceeds to talk over them and call them pinheads. Same for Hannity. Why people allow themselves to come on a show for the purpose of listening to the host bloviate and use them for a punching bag is beyond me. What liberals do you see on Fox? Allen Colmes? He ends up agreeing with Hannity more than he ever disagrees. Ever watch Britt Humes's all-star panel on Special Report. Try playing spot the liberal and tell me how many times you win. How is all of that Fair and Balanced? If you are going to claim it, you open yourself up to scrutiny when you don't deliver. Fox is #1, but them so was Jerry Springer for a long time. It is easy to get viewers when yo stoop to the lowest common denominator in what and how you report. They just love Brittney reports.
Monday, October 15, 2007 at 4:54 pm
Yeah, Fox is the only cable channel that loves stories on Britney. Do you ever actually watch O'Reilly or Fox News? O'Reilly lets his guests have their say. He doesn't call anyone pinheads when they are guests on his show. I've never seen Alan Colmes end up agreeing with Hannity. Juan Williams is the liberal on Special Report.
Monday, October 15, 2007 at 5:15 pm
Keith and Carol, I think the problem with all news in this country is that there aren't enough truly differing opinions. Conservatives watch Fox because they agree with what's being said (or cynically they want to know what to think), and the same is true of liberals and CNN/MSNBC. I think FNN does have more liberals than CNN/MSNBC have conservatives, O'Reilly usually shouts down anyone who disagrees with him, which is better than Olbermann who never has anyone who disagrees with him at all. I don't blame the networks, I blame the viewers, as long as we voluntarily put ourselves into these stovepipe camps, FNN, CNN and MSNBC will keep giving us their own slant instead of both sides of the story.
Monday, October 15, 2007 at 5:21 pm
O'Reilly lets people speak, usually while pointing his finger at them and shouting them down.
But his finest moment has not yet come: a joint appearance with Ann Coulter at a televised prayer breakfast hosted by B'nai B'rith. They're going to explain (with a flip chart) how to become "pefected".
Monday, October 15, 2007 at 5:23 pm
I don't necessarily disagree with you, Charles. But I watch O'Reilly on a regular basis and he gives a platform to some really leftist people. And he doesn't shout them down. Yes, I know he has on occasion. But 99% of the time he lets them have their say.
Monday, October 15, 2007 at 5:26 pm
Carol, yes I watch O'Reilly almost nightly for the entertainment factor. I like Juan Williams, but to call him a "liberal" is a bit much. Moderate would be a better label. Same for Colmes.
I'll rest my case with what http://www.foxnews.com has on its front page this very minute.
A big picture of a Japaneses android from a Tiawan trade fair with a title of, "Which State Will Be First to Leagalize.....SEX WITH A ROBOT?" I kid you not. Here is the link. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,301736,00.html
They also have a Michael Jackson and OJ Simpson story on their front page.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,301711,00.html
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,301937,00.html
You can't make this kind of stuff up.
In my own effort to be fair and balanced, CNN's main story is OJ Simpson......but no sex with robots or Michael Jackson.
Monday, October 15, 2007 at 5:27 pm
OK James, it appears Robo-James is holding my last comment hostage in exchange for some 10W40 Valvoline motor oil. Could you check your filter please?
Monday, October 15, 2007 at 7:05 pm
I'm always amazed at liberals protesting Fox's right to free speech.
Very telling...
Monday, October 15, 2007 at 7:50 pm
I don't watch Fox because on the occasions when they do claim to be reporting facts, as opposed to what "they're saying," the statistics are sometimes wrong, and I don't have time to check against reliable sources.
FBN seems to be starting out by dumbing down business news, but that's not nearly as bad as that show, "America's Shiniest Objects." (Or was The Onion kidding about that?)
Monday, October 15, 2007 at 8:43 pm
Fox is dispicable. The way in which they present their stories does nothing to stimulate higher thought processes. They are incendiary, provocative and at times inappropriate.
For those of you who say: Good, lets liven up the news! I say this: the news is there to inform you about the very real, usually very sad world. It is not there for entertainment. It should not be something we have to make sexier in order to sell.
We should watch the news to stay informed, to be better citizens of the United States. Not to be awed by flashy graphics and cheap shots taken by Fox broadcasters.
Monday, October 15, 2007 at 9:34 pm
Its amazing when the people who claim to want free speech want to shut down Fox. FBN probably will force its competitors to adapt, just as FNC did. If it wasn't for Fox, Keith Olbermann or any of the other people with opinion shows, wouldn't even be on MSNBC or CNN.
Monday, October 15, 2007 at 10:06 pm
Alan makes a good point. Free speech is one of the best things this country has to offer and fox has graciously accepted that offer. if people were better educated then fox probably wouldn't wield so much power. poor ratings or criminal activity should be the only thing that shuts down fox. although i agree that fox is entirely full of shit and is probably hurting the nation
Monday, October 15, 2007 at 11:02 pm
"Fox is the # 1 news channel in the country" and many similar statements are based on what? Who and what is the targeted audience? Do you guys realize that according to Nielsen ratings, any show watched by approx 5-8 million people is a "hit" and becomes the "most watched series/show/" etc. Mere 5 million people in a country of 300 million and on a Planet of 6.5 Billion people. Who are these 5-10 million people? Middle America ? A show and or channels popularity should not be akin to its content. FOX NEWS breeds ignorance, just like CNN breeds absurdity.
All these news channels are channels of mass misinformation. Not a single talk show is constructive and or conclusive.. as they always have to cut to a commercial. The citizens of this country are ignorant about the rest of the Planet, whether it be related to the environment, cultures, terrorism and or geography and therin lies the peril. It is important to note that we should not compare how "good" [educated, economic stability and prosperity etc] United States is compared to a third world country, but rather, how good/bad United States is from what it was 10 years ago, maybe how informed it should be 10 years from now. A world power cannot let its citizens on a path of negligence and complacency. The news channels, such as FOX news are destroying the fabric of reasoning and channels such as CNN are destroying the fabric of "news" among the masses.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007 at 9:17 am
In 25 posts, I haven't read any calling for the shuttering of FOX News or FOX Business Channel. Does the First Amendment now mean everyone has to like what everyone else says?
Re your topic, James: it wouldn't surprise me to see FBC quickly climb the ratings ladder. If nothing else, FOX News has provided a cable-news haven for viewers vaguely dissatisfied (or totally fed up) with the "liberal media" perception that is typically cast about the rest of the network landscape. Brand loyalty will probably attract viewers who previously felt they had no good choices. Will that automatically make it a reliable source of business journalism? Only if you use "what the people want" as a yardstick.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007 at 10:17 pm
"Does the First Amendment now mean everyone has to like what everyone else says?"
Yes.
The First Amendment is what people want as long as there are no hard-core opposing viewpoints. But we all know that the First Amendment is the coolest thing ever. Things Americans say about the government would have these people killed in other countries. If I truly dislike something that somebody else says, I let them say it anyway. I can always punch or kick or headbutt the person if they irritate me too much.