Rupert Murdoch: CNBC's On-Air Talent Not 'All That Good'

Rupert Murdoch spoke last week with TheStreet.com. In the interview the media tycoon denied interest in the New York Times, dissed Twitter, and dug into CNBC.

Question: Are you annoyed you don't own CNBC?

Murdoch: No

Question: Why not?

Murdoch: Because we're going to enjoy the competition. We have to get wider distribution and that takes time. We are further ahead with Fox Business than we were at this stage with Fox News, and Fox News today is one of our very greatest and largest assets.

Question: Why don't you hire away all the CNBC on-air people?

Murdoch: We don't think they're all that good. There are some good ones, but that'll be up to [FNC/FBN chairman] Roger Ailes. We create or we discover previously undiscovered talent and make them into stars.

Comments

[01202009]

I want Rupert Murdoch to go back to Australia and run his criminal despotic regime from there. Meanwhile it's time to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine and get rid of Fox and Limbaugh, or at least make them responsible for what they say.

[Polarcap]

throw them into the gulags - burn their books - reedumacate them in labour camps - shut down their newspapers - sound familiar ? (1930s Germany?)

[Catfish1968]

Murdoch owns much of the media and runs his own propaganda machine. There is no comparison between what 012 wrote and what you wrote, 012 didn't suggest one thing close to what you wrote.

[Fremon]

AND, IS HE A MAN THAT CAN JUDGE TALENT? When you have Beck, Hannity, et al who are only commentators and extreme partisans, he is not able to judge analysis of news and those that use logic and intelligence. Who at Fox can match up with the intelligence and logic of Maddow and Olbermanns commentaries? CASE CLOSED!

[Polarcap]

the mascot (a fox) can match up

[cognitivereddawn]

There is no equal to CNBC. Although we may disagree with the politics of some of their republicans, CNBC is still without equal in the U.S.

[northstar11]

what time does your show air?/

[Dennis60]

Your right, they have no equals. They are so bad, no one will watch them.

[Polarcap]

LOL LOL

[mmhlaw]

Better than Fox out of Business Channel

[miriamfl]

The tr0lls won't watch them.

[Tickerage]

CNBC = FoxNews Light. I hate than channel worse than Fox because at least Fox is blatantly biased. A lot of people think CNBC is real news.

[Hawaii5-0]

Mr Murdock, they are supposed to be news REPORTERS, not stars. Here's a word you probably don't hear much at Fox OR MSNBC, journalistic integrity, or professionalism. I think that Jon Stewart pretty much exposed MSNBC as nothing more than shills paid to promote Wall St. Fox is not even close to being a news channel anymore.

The only high quality, hard hitting news comes from the Daily Show, imho.

[Pleneras]

Fox channel lineup is full of lying entertainers who fake the news and produce nothing but BS. They are the worst actors in media. CNBC may not pay as much Payola as Murdoch which is the only way to generate false ratings from Nielsen, beside forcing Comcast to remove MSNBC from the basic lineup. For that alone he should be investigated.

WSVN sues Nielsen ratings, alleging monopoly http://www.miamiherald.com/272/story/1026556.html

WSVN-Fox 7 is suing Nielsen Media Research, saying the ratings company is a monopoly and is costing the channel $1 million a month.

[ehaase]

I have a crush on Becky Quick - she is the Faye Dunaway of financial commentators. I can't stand Larry Kudlow and Dennis Kneale.

[e anthony58]

the only way FOX BIZ can be a player is if they DO hire away CNBC talent. Maria Bartiromo would be BIGGER if she was on FOX

[miriamfl]

You Betcha, she seemed to adore Palin that is why I can't stand to watch her anymore.

[Polarcap]

I didn't realize she was that smart - better watch her a bit

[Fremon]

Bartiromo is basically a show host. The Oprah of MSNBC business. Leesman is the true analyst of business information that puts it together and presents it logically to his viewers. Kudlow is a partisan republican economic hack, like Forbes and Laffer, and the guy with glasses who is alway on from WSJ. Mellisa is a Fox type cutie (not my type) who is a Kudlow "yes" girl. Battipaglia gives Kudlow a run for his money and presents an interesting opposite focus that is logical and knowledgeable.

[ReasonableBill]

I am also tired of the CNBC talent. The one guy - Larry Kudlow - is obnoxious.

[northstar11]

my eighth grade teacher used to say --empty vessels make the most noise------kudlow seems to shout a lot.

[diffrntdrummr]

I think Ruppert is right. I also think HIS on air talent(?) are even worse.

[CousinBuck]

I'm confused by Murdoch's comments. Most CNBC talent is true blue Republican: tax cuts for the rich and tinkle down economics. They were cheerleaders during the Bush years but seem to have a collective amnesia about the last 8 years. CNBC is very Fox like, just a bit more polished.

[RJII]

this aussie helped destroy american media over the past two decades.

[ejr1953]

For once in my life I must say I agree with Murdock. I don't find CNBC to be much of a reliable source for financial insight, they are more like cheerleaders for Wall Street. I've read several website which track their "investment advice" (specifically Kramer's buy & sell recommendations), and they seem to all point to lousy performance over the long run. Last October it was nauseating listening to CNBC "analysis" on the subject, nothing really thoughtful on that channel. Good thing I have access to Bloomberg!

[treetracker]

Took the words right out of my mouth. Probably the only thing Murdoch and I would ever agree on.

[nogimmicks]

"they are more like cheerleaders for Wall Street", - true, but every channel is. Fox, CNN or ABC are no different. The only reliable source of financial insight is Jesse Ventura, Ron Paul or Dennis Kusinich.

[Insider1]

Rupey at 16: "I asked Erin B out for a dog and movie, but she turned me down. I didn't like her anyway."

[Voyagers]

---M.ichael W.olff has some further ideas on the subject: He thinks the ratings surge F.ox has experienced over the last few months proves that viewers are coming to it for entertainment, not politics.----

Gee, ya think?

http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/06/26/with-fox-ruling-ratings-roost-cnn-looks-ahead

[ragtag]

I actually agree with that. Fox News is NOT a news channel, it's just a collection of ideologues grousing about the elite media (which, they're a part of - hypocrites!) and any other conservative issue not getting enough air time. Most men watch it mostly for the delivery babes and Rupey knows it. But, what would you expect? His empire was built on trash/gossip publications. What made anyone think that approach would change when they migrated to TV? Garbage in, garbage out.