Viewers continue to complain about the graphical changes CNBC introduced last month. Right before Christmas, CNBC asked members of its Exchange for feedback about the graphics and audio, but there’s no word on the results. In the meantime, the e-mails continue to flood the network’s inboxes. Here’s one of them:
“Someone needs to sit down the fool that changed your programming and graphics and ask him if he/she had your viewers in mind when these changes were made. Your new graphics are virtually unreadable. The bar at the top that replaced the bugs can’t be read. The charts containing the peacock in the background make the information distorted as does the angle of them. When the information is changed on the screen, the annoying loud sound drowns out the commentator. And, Squawk Box used to be a teriffic informative show. Now Mark Haines is lost in this silly format. When you have a good thing, don’t mess with it. You violated that precept with all these changes that are not for the better.”
Another long e-mail to CNBC, copied to TVNewser, is after the jump…
As a daily CNBC viewer since its inception and member of the demographic group that your major advertisers’ seek, I respectfully submit the following comments.
I have tried for two weeks to adapt to your new format and have given up. I have switched to Bloomberg (ugh) and will continue there until FOX Financial makes its debut or until you fix your problems. While I support progress, “change for change sake is not always progress.” Your executives might ask themselves, “What substantive content have our changes given our customers?”
The “noise effects” or whatever you call them are nothing but annoying.
The graphics are cute but the visual noise masks their utility and appears
to be designed by a graphics artist without human factors knowledge. This
approach maybe useful in the video game or the tabloid world, but is totally
out of place in a professional news environment. The attempt on the graphics
to portray visual perspective is amateurish at best.
The ticker with names and no volume data is nearly unreadable and has lost
most of its information content.
The upper tape is totally useless. Its placement and format makes it
unusable. Many of us have to frequently have the show on mute with captions
as we’re on the phone or doing other things. The tape is masked by the
captions.
The constant flashing of “frames” and captions are a distraction from, and
interferes with, the information content being presented. Good lord its like
being in a video arcade.
I have in the past found the constant droning on the same topic by your
presenters and guest to be boring (how many ways or times can you say the
same thing) but, the movement to social and general news seems to me to miss
the whole objective of the CNBC in the first place. The statement that it
affects business is a reach. If I wanted to watch it I can get most of that
garbage on general news channels or the internet. TV doesn’t need another
blathering social talk show.
I guess the move to pretty people, “feel good” sound bite news, uninformed
opinion, unchecked emotion, and rude hyperbole pervade our society and your
programs have to move with the flow. Unfortunately, excellence is usually a
counter trend. It’s a good thing that Einstein didn’t live in these times as
he was thoughtful with too much depth, was too soft spoken, and was not
handsome enough to be heard.
I extend my best to everyone in the New Year.
Regards – Art Schaefer
Pagosa Springs, CO