March 31, 2005
Want Two 24-Hour Fox News Channels?
Rupert Murdoch, the CEO of News Corp., the parent company of Fox News, is trying to decide whether or not to launch a 24-hour cable business news channel. Rumor has it that if he decides to do so, the channel would debut sometime this fall.
While business news isn't particularly interesting to many of us, we thought it important to monitor Fox's weekday "premier business news" program, Your World w/Neil Cavuto, in an effort to show that Your World isn't a "business news" program at all. Your World airs weekdays at 4:00 p.m. ET and again at 1:00 a.m. ET and it spews forth the same right wing propaganda heard on other Fox News shows, under cover of being a "business news" show. When we learned that News Corp. was considering launching a business channel, we were alarmed because should that happen, Rupert Murdoch will have yet another means of delivering his radical, Republican message to the citizens of our country.
To give you an example of what "business news" means to Rupert Murdoch, News Corp. and Fox News, here is what took place today on Your World w/Neil Cavuto, "the most watched business news show on the planet," anchored by Neil Cavuto, who Fox News advertises as the "king of business news" (today Brenda Buttner was the substitute host):
--Reporter Julie Banderas in Pinellas Park, Florida on Schiavo.
--Reporter Greg Palkot in Rome on the Pope's condition.
--Rev. James Dobson, of Focus on the Family regarding Schiavo.
--Actor Pat Boone on "America's Joan of Arc," Terri Schiavo.
--David Corn of The Nation magazine and Cal Thomas of Fox News regarding Schiavo.
--Rev. Pat Robertson regarding Schiavo.
--Greg Palkot in Rome on the Pope.
--Mike Leavitt, Secretary of Health & Human Services on reforming Social Security.
--Julie Banderas in Florida on Schiavo.
--Schindler family press conference regarding Schiavo.
--Julie Banderas in Florida on Schiavo.
--Fox Legal Reporter Lis Wiehl on changing the laws regarding "disabled" people.
--Ralph Nader on changing the laws regarding "disabled" people and on his support for the Schindler family.
--Greg Palkot in Rome regarding the Pope.
--4:52 First ad break.
--Buttner on the Pope and Schiavo.
--Cliff Kincaid of Accuracy in the Media and Paul Levinson of the Fordham University Media Studies department on media coverage of Schiavo.
There wasn't one speck of business news. Literally. Nothing. The closing numbers on Wall Street weren't even mentioned.
Comment: If the shows on the new "business news" channel Rupert Murdoch envisions are anything like this "business news" show, we'll end up with two 24-hour cable networks spewing right wing propaganda instead of one.
Reported by Melanie at March 31, 2005 05:50 PM | TrackBackThis is absurd. There is simply not that much Pamela Anderson to go around.
Posted by: Rotwang at March 31, 2005 05:59 PM
"Comment: If the shows on the new "business news" channel Rupert Murdoch envisions are anything like this "business news" show, we'll end up with two 24-hour cable networks spewing right wing propaganda instead of one."
The only upside to this I can think of is lack of viewership if it's perceived to be a business show.
Posted by: KEG at March 31, 2005 06:04 PM
Business Channel!? Why doesn't he just call it 'GW - ALL THE TIME ON FAUX 2' 'Not getting enough GW on our regular Faux channel? Tune in to Faux 2 - The ALL GW, ALL THE TIME, BUSINESS CHANNEL!
Give me a break!
Scarlet, PbD
Posted by: Scarlet, PbD at March 31, 2005 06:09 PM
Given the way that the Bush mob are driving the dollar towards the brink I reckon its a bit optimistic of Murdoch that there'll be much business left by the end of the year in America, maybe its a test run for running on for the Chinese market, after all he didn't just buy a house there because he enjoys the night-life.
Posted by: mick Euro at March 31, 2005 06:48 PM
Melanie,
Sorry to go off topic for just a second, but I just had to wish Air America a Happy First Birthday!!!
The neoCONs said they wouldn't even get on air. Then they said they wouldn't make it but a coupld of months. Then they said they wouldn't make it a year.
Today, the neoCONs were proven wrong for once and for all. Today, they are 51 stations strong, and growing all the time.
http://www.airamericaradio.com/
Posted by: Charles at March 31, 2005 06:53 PM
Well, I think Rupert is still having a laugh at the expense of the USA. Just on principle he is likely getting back at the meddling USA for the destabilizing of the Whitlam government. And his new home in China will be a welcome refuge should any RWers catch on to how he is leading them around by the nose. Not much chance of that, however, as RWers seem too dense to make any connection, seeing as they believe USA has done only good in the world.
Good show Rupert, may your cable empire multiply until you have filled every waking hour of every RWer with an outstanding selection of shows and products promoting (wait for it R), "Total Tribal Titillation", or TTT (for now).
Posted by: Kent Brockman at March 31, 2005 06:56 PM
Has anyone seen a show called "The Insider." I accidentally was on the wrong channel and some blond bimbo nearly screams "why were Terri's parents banned from her bedside?" I thought, crap, this must be CBN since Faux is far more subtle. But then I noticed the Fox logo (for a local affiliate). Is this yet another Murdoch show? I can't find it on the net.
We've got Faux, CBN, and CNBC, and real journalists scared about doing their jobs, do we really need another Republichannel?
Posted by: RadMod at March 31, 2005 06:57 PM
I think it's a total joke that Faux may start a business channel when they can't even fill up their one hour 'so called business' channel with --Business!
Charles,
Yeh! I hadn't realized that they were on a whole year. I think HBO is running a special on them - either tonight or tomorrow, can't remember if it was the 30th or the 31st. It's supposed to be the story of Air America. Whoops, just looked it up on my on air TV Guide and it's on tonight at 8! That makes sense - on their one year anniversary.
It's called 'Left of the Dial' and it airs from 8 until 9:45.
Scarlet, PbD
Posted by: Scarlet, PbD at March 31, 2005 07:00 PM
he didn't just buy a house there because he enjoys the night-life.
____
I hope it's better now than it was in '86. You could get "real" scotch at the Sheraton...but the all-night action (hamburgers and a disco) were all at the Holiday Inn Lido.
On-topic: I can't imagine what makes him think a Fox business channel would succeed. 24-hour TV coverage is irrelevant to anyone who's actually involved in doing business.
Posted by: Rotwang at March 31, 2005 07:00 PM
Oops. Spoke to soon, they just came on and said "visit The Insider" at theinsideronline.com.
First thing you see:
"Global Reaction to the Tragedy"
the tragedy - give me a break
oops, john's on.
Posted by: RadMod at March 31, 2005 07:01 PM
"Total Tribal Titillation", or TTT (for now).
Posted by: Kent Brockman at March 31, 2005 06:56 PM
That's a good one Kent.
Describes Fox perfectly.
Posted by: anisha PbD at March 31, 2005 07:04 PM
LOL we all know how Faux does "business" shows!
Posted by: Jeff at March 31, 2005 07:16 PM
I wonder how a FOX 'Business' channel would report today's news?
Stocks Sag on Oil, End Down on Quarter
Reuters, March 31, 2005
U.S. stocks fell on Thursday, ending the first quarter with losses in all the major indexes, as oil prices surged and insurer American International Group Inc. dropped 3% after losing a prestigious credit rating.
For the first quarter, the Dow lost 2.6% and the S&P 500 finished down 2.6% -- making it the worst quarter for the S&P 500 in two years. The Nasdaq sank 8.1%, its largest percentage decline since the third quarter of 2002, when it dropped 19.9%...
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=630533
Posted by: -R at March 31, 2005 07:35 PM
And Wes still seems unaware of the MNW 1973 photo shoot I'm digitizing. That would be Faux business news.
Posted by: Kent Brockman at March 31, 2005 07:36 PM
I wonder how a FOX 'Business' channel would report today's news?
Stocks Sag on Oil, End Down on Quarter
Reuters, March 31, 2005
-------------------------------------------------
How 'bout:
"Opportunities abound for those injecting new life into the oil economy. Some say large silicone implants could work. Other opportunities seem rosy for that 'end down' market, where yet others state huge profits await anyone providing large scale buck-o-suction and butt tucks. As for me, this business reporter is headed off to the green room where a lady is riding high on the forward marketed mammalian sector - I think that's some kind of scheme where suspect dairy cows are gussied up as the neuvo-pet, I'm not sure."
The above is not humor - it's from a Faux memo for a segment they dropped due to the M Jackson ordeal. ;)
Posted by: Kent Brockman at March 31, 2005 07:57 PM
A 24-7 Faux Business News Network? So, their gonna dedicate every hour of everyday to selling the products of their Faux propaganda broadcasters. Faux QVC. Oh goodie. Selling products that improves their profits is the only business the Faux people care about.
Posted by: Rob S. at March 31, 2005 08:03 PM
[quote]
Sorry to go off topic for just a second, but I just had to wish Air America a Happy First Birthday!!!
[/quote]
Did anyone watch the HBO doc on it? Very interesting.
Posted by: Kim, Pb.D at March 31, 2005 09:51 PM
Another channel to lock.
Posted by: Erin at March 31, 2005 09:57 PM
I've been thinking about this for awhile, and I think a business channel would be extremely difficult for Fox to spin as aggressively as they do their regular channel.
For example, they would have to have a ticker on the screen. As a result, they would have to report on bad news.
I've been involved with finance for about 20 years. The financial press is interested in reporting the bottom line. A financial network's credibility with people is established when people make money off of the financial informatio provided by the organization. If there is a problem with the information source -- people start to lose money because they listen to a channel -- they will change the channel quickly.
Posted by: HS at March 31, 2005 10:29 PM
HS,
We could be missing something. Did Rupert say his proposed Business Channel was for Business People? It likely isn't you know, just some glitz and spin about Good Guys and Evil People. Good enuf for home fare.
Posted by: Kent Brockman at March 31, 2005 10:42 PM