Is CNBC forsaking journalistic standards in order to try to curry favor with Rupert Murdoch? Or is CNBC merely following orders from on high, from parent NBC-U and grandparent GE, as those bigger companies plot their next move--including possible moves in different corporate directions?
Those questions can't be answered just yet, but in the meantime, TV Week's ace Michele Greppi scores a a great catch.
It seems that CNBC's post-Maria cutie, Erin Burnett, snagged an interview with Rupert Murdoch. So far, so good.
But now the not-so-good stuff, as Greppi notes:
But there was no mention of the fact that CNBC will be confronted with its first direct competition for business news audiences from the Fox Business Network, which News Corp. plans to launch, or that MSNBC runs a distant third to Fox News Channel, or that News Corp. and NBCU are collaborating on a TV-and-movie distribution Web site, for that matter.
That's a lot to leave out, huh? Concludes Greppi:
Asked about the omission of even a casual caveat that Mr. Murdoch poses a new business threat to NBCU, a "Today" spokeswoman replied: "This was a piece about Murdoch the person, not an in-depth look at his specific businesses."
Oh.
One wonders what the point of the interview was. There's nothing wrong with asking tough questions, but Burnett, or her producers, chose not to.
The Cable Gamers wonders if Burnett didn't want to do anything to make Murdoch mad at her--maybe because she'll soon come to the Fox Business Channel, looking for a job? And maybe the same for CNBC management?
In any case, that's a misreading of Murdoch, who has a famously thick skin. And he certainly doesn't respect craven suck-ups. If Burnett, or anyone else at CNBC, is secretly anglng for a job with Fox, they should be forthright about it--that's what agents are for, not no-news interviews.
The other theory, of course, is that CNBC/NBC-U/GE have some grand plan of their own, involving a possible spinoff or sale of CNBC. It's widely understood that GE is in play, possible-break-up-wise. As reported here at TCG, on July 22 The New York Times broached that possibility, citing the work of Citigroup analyst Jeffrey T. Sprague. GE stock then was 40, which was down from a peak of 58 in 2000, during the Jack Welch glory decades.
But since then, under the sub-par leadership of GE chief Jeff Immelt and NBC flunky Jeff Zucker, GE stock has drifted down further in the last month, to less than 37, as of Thursday morning. At that low price, anything is possible for GE--including de-conglomeration. (Note to Bob Wright: You got out just in time!)
No wonder Burnett is seeking to not rock the boat: Maybe because she doesn't know who her next boss will be.
But in the meantime, CNBC viewers are deprived of good business journalism.
