Alissa Krinsky
TVNewser Contributor
CNBC’s Dylan Ratigan anchors The Call, as well as the 3pm hour of Closing Bell. He also co-created and anchors Fast Money. Before joining CNBC, Ratigan was Global Managing Editor at Bloomberg News, where he hosted Morning Call on Bloomberg Television. Previously, Ratigan was a writer at Bloomberg News, and worked at ABC News and The Portsmouth (New Hampshire) Herald. He is a Union College graduate.
1. TVNewser: Overall, CNBC’s ratings — as well as those for Fast Money — are up year-over-year in total viewers because…
Ratigan: …CNBC has moved aggressively in its programming from early morning on to not only to deliver the news first and fast, but to explain why it matters and how to put it to use. This has happened at a time when we have a volatile economy, tangible fears of financial failure and the first Presidential election since 2000 where the economy is the lead issue. You put those powerful forces together with our aggressive steps toward analysis and utilization of the news you get higher ratings. Fast Money specifically benefits from all of those factors tremendously, not to mention our show’s amazing staff and my hair.
2. TVNewser: The advent of Fox Business News has meant…
Ratigan: It has meant a complete overhaul of my daily routine. I would tell you things like now I get up earlier and work harder, except that would be a lie because I no longer go to bed in the first place. I am now solely fueled by pure competitive desire to the point where I no longer have any other earthly needs. Honestly, [Fox News Chairman and CEO] Roger Ailes does not want to share an elevator with me right now.
3. TVNewser: How television business news has changed since I first got into it:
Ratigan: It’s gotten less boring, as the news itself becomes a commodity, you are defined by your ability to interpret and make it useful to as many people as possible. Smart, understandable, effective analysis without taking yourself too seriously is the hallmark of a successful show right now. Fast Money aspires to that every night. In reality we’re just using a well documented and successful sports format and effectively applying it to money. Of course, all this pales when compared to the dramatic game-changing innovation in 2006 of using red and green arrows to help connote up and down on the ticker bar.
4. TVNewser: What my first job, working at a parking garage, taught me about the business world:
Ratigan: A few things….
• Rich people drive really nice cars, really rich people don’t.
• Even the richest among us will try to finagle free parking if they can.
• Everyone steals change if its left in the ashtray.
• Arm wresting a Russian for lunch money tends to be a losing proposition.
• Be nice, be humble, and no matter the job, do the best you possibly can every day and take it from there.
5. TVNewser: My dream of succeeding Conan O’Brien (completely dashed by yesterday’s news)…
Ratigan: This hasn’t been announced yet, but it’s a go, though my viewership consists solely of my bathroom mirror and I host it in the nude.