Justin Smith on Bloomberg TV: ‘We’re Sort of in the Top of the First Inning Here’

By Merrill Knox 

justin smith bloombergAs he prepares to wrap up an 100-day review of the company, Bloomberg Media Group CEO Justin Smith talks to AdAge about first months at his new job. He also talks about Bloomberg’s digital video production, which ended 2013 as the top site for global business video, and hints at possible changes to Bloomberg TV under Josh Tyrangiel’s leadership:

Ad Age: Does Bloomberg TV need to be more broadly accessible? Would we ever see it as more of a CNBC — or even a CNN — that reaches beyond business media?

Mr. Smith: The vast majority of the content we produce is for the global business community — their business interests, their financial interests, their work-related or professional-related interests. However, we are increasingly growing our media businesses and media platforms around the lifestyle side of this global business audience.

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Ad Age: Are we going to see the kind of splashy packaging Josh Tyrangiel brought to Businessweek reflected on Bloomberg TV?

Mr. Smith: Remember I’ve been here four months. Josh began taking on the TV responsibility, plus Businessweek, one month ago, beginning in January, so we’re sort of in the top of the first inning here. But the answer is yes. We’re looking to bring that kind of storytelling to the TV platform.

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