New York Times Fawns Over Erin Burnett
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I've found Erin Burnett to be a delightful addition on CNBC -- she gets the full NYT rising star treatment in the Sunday Business section:
ONLY days into a new job at CNBC two and a half years ago, Erin Burnett was settling into orientation when the network decided to put her on camera.
Viewers and executives of the cable business channel took note, and within weeks, Ms. Burnett started her first big assignment, contributing to “Squawk on the Street,” a new morning program. Just weeks later she was a co-anchor of the program with Mark Haines, a veteran anchor who had been at CNBC since its founding in 1989.
A series of other high-profile assignments followed, including a 2 p.m. solo hour, appearances on NBC’s news programs and the expansion of her morning program to a second hour. Today, at 32, Ms. Burnett is the youngest person on television to anchor three hours of business news every weekday.
“She’s the ultimate growth stock,” said Jonathan Wald, CNBC’s senior vice president for business news.
Ms. Burnett’s meteoric rise is the most recent example of how television networks try to transform fresh-faced hosts into household names with all the perks — and hazards — that sudden celebrity entails. And Ms. Burnett’s “overnight success” isn’t an accident. Competing with the Internet and the fledgling Fox Business Network, CNBC has been trolling for new stars, and the network has meticulously managed and promoted Ms. Burnett’s ascent.
Because of the seismic changes roiling the media business and the huge number of choices that business news devotees now have when searching for information, anchors are no longer only news readers. Their bosses and handlers emphasize their personalities as much as their acumen in an effort to carve out niche followings...
“She is a work in progress,” Mr. Wald said. “She did not come to CNBC a fully formed business news star. And she’s evolving into a notable TV personality.”
Who are your most and least favorite CNBC (or other channel) anchors?
Discuss . . .
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Source:
Needing a Star, CNBC Made One
BRIAN STELTER
NYT, July 20, 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/20/business/media/20erin.html
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Saturday, July 19, 2008 | 08:18 PM | Permalink
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Comments
The CNBC news update with Margaret Brennan is the best. Short, sweet and to the point.
Posted by: Mike J | Jul 19, 2008 8:24:48 PM
That was a gimme and the reason you should do something more in depth on her.
Your readers are going to be big CNBC watchers and they were sure to have strong emotional attachments--pos and neg--to these people they see everyday. Your site is a great place for them to get that out on a continuing basis. I'll take issue with the one commentator who suggested the post was beneath the quality of TBP.
Stelter's story was lightweight so it didn't raise any of the interesting issues. Your folks latched on to one of the key facts in their visceral dislike for Dennis Kneale: TV is about emotion.
Wald put Kneale on to stir up some strong feelings and create conflict on a regular basis.
CNBC reduces complex financial events to a shoutfest, that's true. But also animates ideas with emotions and reveals character in diverse ways. Since we know that markets are often about psychology and events are determined by character, it's actually a legitimate addition to the information flow. It just shouldn't be the only information one bases a decision upon.
Posted by: Ben | Jul 19, 2008 8:35:29 PM
Dennis Neal (sp?) is without any doubt the single biggest moron on CNBC.
Posted by: Carl Erickson | Jul 19, 2008 8:37:13 PM
I always thought Ted David was a dick. I was glad when they let him go. Whatever happened to Amanda Grove- now she was worth watching.
Posted by: mark | Jul 19, 2008 8:40:05 PM
Dennis Kneale first, last, and forever. I admit I was initially skeptical of some of the comments I heard about him, sort of as one might have been of the rumors about Babe Ruth, before he came to town, or about the incendiary solos that Louis Armstrong was laying down out in Chicago, before he headed to New York for the first time. But then I happened on the young Mr. Kneale on Kudlow one night. And when he observed that Berkshire's stock was down because its CEO/Chariman, Warren Buffett, supported Obama, he took the discourse to an entirely new level. Even Jeff Matthews, a witty man who was on the show that night, is writing a book on Buffett, and does not make things up, was unable to muster a reply suitable to the analytical depth and outside the box brilliance that Mr. Kneale's comment revealed.
To paraphrase Bobby Jones speaking of Jack Nicklaus, Mr. Kneale plays a game with which I am unfamiliar.
I stand in awe.
Posted by: Scott Frew | Jul 19, 2008 8:50:38 PM
I always disliked Ted David too. He was mean to his guests. Dennis Neal is annoying. He has no opinions of his own on anything, rather he always takes the opposite position on everything and starts his squeaky blah, blah, blah.
My favorite was Ron Insana. Too bad he is no longer there full time. I also like Steve Liesman and Rick Santelli.
Posted by: Bodz | Jul 19, 2008 8:57:08 PM
Since you asked...
CNBC is the biggest farce ever foisted upon the American public. I guarantee you they spend more time thinking up stupid nicknames (El nesto grande...The Pharma Pharoah) than seriously studying economics. They make absoultely no bones about trying to find the "silver linings" and pumping the market. Their Nasdaq anchor called the Nasdaq's fall the other day "unfortunate." They have a show where the main character gives stock picks, flip flops every week and takes very little responsibility...he alleges to have an informed opinion of every single traded stock and blurts out his opinion to callers rapid fire. Kudlow's show has some good guests, but his favorite and most frequent guests are market shills. The Dow on good days is always at "fresh highs"...on bad days, it is always "well off its lows." The other day, they said the market was having an up day...problem was just the Dow was up, S&P was down. Instead of naming the worthless CNBC personalities, it is far easier to name the good ones...Santelli, Gasparino, Faber. Ratigan walks the floor to promote his Fast Money, where they all pump eachother's positions.
Now that it is common knowledge how unqualified Burnett is and how managed her career is I will be sure to watch her like a hawk.
Posted by: Steve Barry | Jul 19, 2008 9:05:43 PM
Not even close. Dennis Kneale is either trying to be an idiot on purpose, or he achieves that look quite naturally and quite successfully.
I really like Mark Haines's skepticism and wit. I like acerbic. Kudlow is smart, but his "if I repeat the same thing enough, people will think I'm correct" act gets tiresome. He is a windbag. I like the morning crew, Quick, Quintanilla, Faber and Kernen. Dylan Ratigan is very, very good at his job.
Did I mention Dennis Kneale. He is abysmal.
Posted by: Geoff | Jul 19, 2008 9:09:20 PM
I like Santelli and Mark Haines...both may not always agree with how I see the markets, but at least they are not afraid to say a guest is F.O.S. I have seen both act like a pit bull, something I find refreshing...
Bruce in Tennessee
Posted by: Bruce | Jul 19, 2008 9:13:14 PM
I would have to say in order of priority and including guest hosts:
Rick Santelli
Ron Insana/Doug Dachille (very underrated two)
Faber
Quintanilla
Erin/Mark/Maria
Doug Daschle
Gary Shilling
Stefan Abrams
V Farrell
The eternal optimists tha tin my opinion lose some credibility because its always BUY time, no matter what are usually Kudlow, Kneale, & Don Luskin.
Posted by: UrbanDigs | Jul 19, 2008 9:16:57 PM
oops, forgot Liesman up there with Insana/Dachille
Posted by: UrbanDigs | Jul 19, 2008 9:18:06 PM
Burnett is smart, photogenic, verbally facile and seems to do her homework, but announcing does not a news reporter make and the same could be said for a host of her compatriots, at CNBC and elsewhere; in print and online as well as screen too.
Offhand I can't think of a single one of them I would trust to tell me the truth if any of them assessed their career path required otherwise.
Don't confuse showbiz with life; anyone remember Jessica Savitch?
Posted by: RW | Jul 19, 2008 9:22:31 PM
Erin Burnett is no more than eye candy. Is it me, or is it funny that you see less and less of Maria Bartiromo these days? Where is Joey Ramone when you need him? As far least favorite CNBC personality. It is like most everyone else that has commented here. Dennis Kneale. The guy is an utter tool. I've heard on more than one occasion that he blamed the falling market on Barack Obama getting the nomination. Can one man be any more ignorant than Kneale? Even Kudlow, with all his faults, isn't as ignorant as Kneale.
Posted by: Joe Klein's conscience | Jul 19, 2008 9:23:12 PM
Dylan Rattigan is the best. He does a great job on Fast Money, which I consider to be CNBC's best show. He's hilarious and seems like a pretty genuine guy.
The most insightful CNBC employee is Rick Santelli. He makes great observations that are several steps ahead of what most CNBC personalities provide.
While I wouldn't consider him a CNBC personality, Art Cashin is on most mornings for a couple minutes. His comments are always worth making a mental note of, IMO.
Posted by: jason-charlotte, nc | Jul 19, 2008 9:23:42 PM
she is so hot
Posted by: scorpio | Jul 19, 2008 9:25:06 PM
Favorites:
- Rick Santelli
- Amanda Lang (BNN Canada)
- Maria Bartiromo
- Erin Burnett
Least Favorites:
- Dennis Kneale
- Steve Liesman
- Charlie Gasparino
- that bald guy on fast money. actually, both of them. actually, the entire cast of fast money. wait, are they even anchors? oh well they deserve a spot on my least favorites regardless.
Posted by: John | Jul 19, 2008 9:28:24 PM
I have ALWAYS found your posts to be intelligent and well written. The streak has been broken with this one. What would posess you to hold a popularity contest for a group of professional stock pumpers? Well,It is your blog site and you have every right to feature the subjects of your choosing."Delightful addition", great. "Sock puppet" for wall Street, most definitely.
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BR: Guilty as charged.
But its Saturday Night, so I thought it might be fun to lighten up the place for a while (eye candy and all that)>
Posted by: ecklebob | Jul 19, 2008 9:32:56 PM
Whether it is the format, the fact that hosts are sycophants or lack of intellectual inquisitiveness, most of the 'journalists' (loosely used) on CNBC lack critical analysis.
John Murphy and John Bollinger from FNN
Ron Ensana
Rick Santelli
Kathleen Hays
Posted by: bdg123 | Jul 19, 2008 9:34:06 PM
I don't really pay much attention to the anchors, as they seldom say anything of consequence. I hate to say this, because you appear on his show all of the time, but I think of Larry Kudlow as, perhaps the ultimate contrarian indicator. He just always seems to be 180 degrees off of where the market is going. Because of that, he's actually worth watching. I agree wholeheartedly with everyone else who thinks that Dennis Kneale is dead behind the eyes.
That said, I really like a lot of the analysts, especially you, Barry, even if I have to sit through Kudlow AND Laffer. I also appreciate Rick Santelli, Louise Yamana and Carter Worth.
Posted by: SteveInChicago | Jul 19, 2008 9:34:54 PM
Whether it is the format, the fact that hosts are sycophants or lack of intellectual inquisitiveness, most of the 'journalists' (loosely used) on CNBC lack critical analysis.
John Murphy and John Bollinger from FNN
Ron Ensana
Rick Santelli
Kathleen Hays
Posted by: bdg123 | Jul 19, 2008 9:35:06 PM
how about favorites from bloomberg?
tom keene
kathleen hayes
brian sullivan (while he was there)
bernard lo (bloomberg asia)
monica bertran
betty liu has her moments too
(btw, i can't stand erin; she's a loud, dumb, smart-ass. rick santelli is the only great talent CNBC has)
Posted by: m3 | Jul 19, 2008 9:38:09 PM
I guess this was a serious question?
What ever happened to just getting the facts & making up my own mind? What do I care about the newsreader?
As they say, "It's the news, stupid!"
Posted by: vfsv | Jul 19, 2008 9:44:44 PM
Rebecca Jarvis.
Posted by: steve | Jul 19, 2008 9:47:02 PM
I've thought of an idea for an ETF. I'd call it the Larry Kudlow Fade Achievers Index.
Take the opposite position of anything Larry sez and you'll make money.
The last few years it would have been long commodity stocks and futures, Brazil, Euros, etc. Short the Greatest Story Never Told(tm).
I've also concluded that Dennis Kneale must have compromising pictures of CNBC executives with farm animals.
Props to Santelli, he'll probably get shuttled off to the CNBC for grownups - CNBC Asia.
And Margaret Brennan wins the eye candy division. Although she obviously knows she's hot so she's probably a pain in the ass.
Posted by: Bhh | Jul 19, 2008 9:48:49 PM
In August of 2007 when it was about to hit the fan, Erin Burnett commented on Squawk Box that all sellers are Lemmings. That sellers are chicken little and have no idea that they are panicking at the wrong time. This is the great "value" and "insight" you get with CNBC.... I believe that CNBC actually detracts from the sum total of all knowledge on this planet. With all the innovative graphics and interactive TV gizmos, shouldn't we be able to see any given guru's record as he speaks? Sort of like a back of the baseball card stat of previous picks.....But that will never happen because nobdody will ever agree to come on under those terms...Because all the fancy fees these gurus charge, if full disclosure of their track record was ever posted, it would be obvious to all the world that the Emporers have no clothes.
Posted by: Steve | Jul 19, 2008 9:48:57 PM
