Note to Jeff Zucker: What About TheStreet.com?

Broadcasting and Cable reports that the incendiary CNBC analyst and ''Mad Money'' host Jim Cramer will join Donald and Ivanka Trump as a guest judge for an early episode of NBC's The Apprentice. Talk about synergy. Further, Ben Grossman argues that NBC should find further ways to utilize Cramer, who, the article quotes, seeks to ''destroy'' and ''mutilate'' Fox Business News. From Broadcastcable: ''To prove his point, Cramer drops the word 'turncoat' when referring to Liz Claman, who jumped ship from CNBC to Fox Business this month. I was actually a little scared to ask if he'd ever do the same thing. I've heard the stories from his trading days. ''Cramer calls himself a 'suck-up' to NBC and parent company General Electric. He claims GE shouldn't spin off the network -- a move many expect could happen after next year's Olympic Games.'' Cramer's interests and NBC Universal's interests are the exactly the same on the business news front. Curiously, The New York Times today chronicles TheStreet.com, Jim Cramer's other gig, which also has Fox Business News concerns. Thomas J. Clarke Jr., CEO of The Street.com, claims ''indifference'' to the challenge of Fox Business News. ''You're always concerned -- but big companies just can't do everything well.'' On Cramer's bombastic persona, Clarke tells Times reporter Maria Aspan, ''Jim's our promotional vehicle; he's associated with TheStreet.com.'' Jim Cramer -- who already has a cult-like following on Wall Street and in business schools -- is, according to the masthead, a co-founder of TheStreet.com as well as Director, Markets Commentator, and Advisor to the CEO. Also, Cramer is a dynamic persona -- not necessarily a ''babe'' -- that would be the perfect cheerleader and ''face'' for CNBC against Fox Business News. Cramer is already the high-energey public face of the 11-year old site and de facto point man against Ailes and Company. So why shouldn't NBC Universal consider acquiring TheStrett.com? The Times article ends with the intriguing proposition that mass media interest in the subprime mortgage crisis and the subsequent market volatility as well as well as the increased competition in business journalism from the rise of the Fox Business News might make TheStreet.com an attractive acquisition prospect. NBC Universal's Jeff Zucker, who is not shy about acquisitions to get at the eyeballs of attractive demographics, might take note of TheStreet.com as a perfect fit with CNBC.

Fishbowl

Note to Jeff Zucker: What About TheStreet.com?

RonM

About

Subscriptions

Events

Publications

WORK SMARTER - LEARN, GROW AND BE INSPIRED.

Subscribe today!

RonM