Blogging from the FOBM (Future of Business Media) conference in Manhattan.
From the 18th floor ballroom of the Waldorf Astoria hotel, SVP and Anchor of Fox Business Network Neil Cavuto told business leaders the new channel is aiming high. “Someone said ‘you know Neil, you’re never gonna get American Idol ratings.’ But why can’t I aim for an American Idol size audience?,” asked Cavuto.
Cavuto, the headliner of a lunchtime Q&A session, told the crowd FBN is different for a reason. “We have concluded somehow that business news is dry and dull and arcane, then I started saying ‘why does that have to be the case?'”
Having been an integral part of the Fox News start-up 11 years ago, Cavuto found himself fielding questions about both channels. “Up until [FNC] came along if you liked a tax cut you were selfish, if you were a priest you were probably a pedophile, and if you liked to pray you were a freak. We gave another opportunity for folks to come on and state their respective positions.”
Many questions focused on the business battle with CNBC with one participant asking Cavuto how he values “a show like CNBC’s Mad Money with Jim Cramer,” Cavuto deadpanned, “We had an opportunity to consider a show about shouting…and we said ‘no.'”