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Business News Fun
BUSINESS NEWS = FUN?
Chris Murray, Host of Your Financial Editor, was invited to the Fox News headquarters in Manhattan to see firsthand the network's newest venture...
By Chris Murray
When you look up at the huge sky-scraper at 1211 Avenue of the Americas in mid-town Manhattan, it's rather intimidating. However, the mood inside is much different. The sets are decorated in vibrant colors, and the support people and on-air personalities for the brand new Fox Business Network are all smiles, which can be hard to see sometimes because of the brisk pace that live television creates.
On October 15th, News Corp., the huge media conglomerate owned by Ruppert Murdoch, launched its newest "baby", Fox Business Network. The network offers a variety of shows hosted by a wide range of anchors, from seasoned veterans lick Neil Cavuto and Liz Claman to newbees like Cody Willard. I had a chance to tour the studios of the new network and sat down with Cody to talk about his new show.
Cody is the co-host of Happy Hour, a daily program that airs at 5:00pm eastern time. Happy Hour is a perfect example of a more energized and unorthodox approach to conveying the day's business news. By the way, Happy Hour's Cody Willard and Jessica Gomez are not utilizing those brand new pristine sets; they have opted to mix things up in the Bull and Bear Bar which is located in the famous Waldorf Astoria Hotel.
"I can't imagine things going any better!" was Cody's response when asked how the launch of FBN was going. "The reception and the feedback about FBN have been outstanding!"
And why shouldn't it be? Wouldn't you like to see a host of a business show not just interview Tony Hawk, but take a spin on that famous skateboard? If you don't know who Tony Hawk is, just ask your children or grandchildren. There's a good chance they'll be wearing something from his line of clothing or other skateboarding paraphernalia. This is business - and it's FUN!
In a recent interview on my show, Your Financial Editor, Alexis Glick, Anchor and VP of Business News for FBN, backed up this idea of business being fun. "I think that one of the biggest differences you'll see on this channel versus some other channels...it's that we're
having a good time" she stated when asked about the new network. "We're going to talk about things that matter most to each one of us-we're going to talk about stories that can relate to you."
So, are CNBC, Bloomberg, and other business networks worried about the Fox Business Network? I think it's too early to tell, because the entire launch is not complete (many cable providers, like Comcast, have not yet made the programming available). My guess is, at least for Happy Hour, where Willard said his philosophy is to "bring the business news to successful business people on Main Street, not just Wall Street bankers"; maybe the other business news networks should be worried.