Roger Ailes has killed speculation about a new FOX Business Channel:
Hoping to reel in the rumors, Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes tells Flash! that he’s not even close—no programming plans, no staff, nada. "If it’s imminent," he says, "it’s imminent without me."
One hangup is that cable operators will likely agree to carry Fox Business only if Fox News offers a lower-cal sweetener.
But Ailes is firm: "We’re never going to bundle it. Why negotiate down the price of Fox News? I know what the value of Fox News is. We’re not prepared to lower that rate."
A second problem with a Fox Business Channel is that the favorite mode of operation of Fox "News" (routine lying) won't wash with business people who depend on accurate information in order to make good decisions.
That is why there is such a contrast between the excellent news coverage in the WSJ and their laughable editorial page. The Dow Jones corporation realizes that if they tried to peddle the kind of BS in their news sections that they do in their editorial pages, they'd be out of business in a week.
Posted by: Jeffrey Miller | June 06, 2006 at 08:30 PM
Jeffrey,
I see your points but I doubt that many view CBNC as a trusted source of business news (other than the content they have from Dow Jones). This is especially true since the network still suffers from being tagged "Bubblevision" after it largely served as a cheerleader during the dotcom bubble.
Also, TV is basically entertainment and entertainment trumps hard news reporting (apparently). Roger Ailes understands this, so I wouldn't bet against him if FOX ever launches a business channel. And I say this as someone who prefers Bloomberg TV, but I only want basic cable and the Bloomberg 24-hour channel isn't offered in my basic cable package.
Posted by: John | June 07, 2006 at 12:55 AM