Outside Cable News

Via NBCUNI Media Village
U.S. OLYMPIC TRIALS FOR WOMEN’S MARATHON ON MSNBC THIS SUNDAY

>Ah, but what does this have to do with news? Oh right, I guess its sports news, eh?

Race to Serve as Premiere Episode of Olympic Trials Series

NEW YORK – April 24, 2008 - The U.S. Olympic Trials for women’s marathon, will air on MSNBC on Sunday from Noon-1 p.m. ET. The one-hour taped highlights show will be the premiere episode in a series highlighting a number of Olympic Trials events leading up to the Beijing Olympic Games in August. The Women’s Marathon is the first of 13 consecutive Sundays of Olympic Trials coverage on MSNBC. NBC will broadcast 10 hours in primetime focusing on the marquee sports of swimming, gymnastics and track & field. USA Network’s telecasts will focus on those marquee sports as well in primetime and late night. NBCOlympics.com also will offer Trials coverage with full details to be announced soon.

>Read the rest at NBCUNI Media Village.

Via TVNewser/KXLY
Tony Snow released from Spokane hospital

SPOKANE — Noted journalist and former White House Press Secretary Tony Snow has been released from a Spokane hospital, two days after he was admitted with an undisclosed illness.

Sacred Heart Medical Center spokeswoman Pat Servine said Snow was released Thursday morning but added that patient privacy rules prevented her from giving details about his illness. Earlier in the morning, a hospital spokesperson at Sacred Heart Medical Center said that Snow remained in satisfactory condition, confirming the same general diagnosis that a nursing supervisor gave for the 52-year-old on Wednesday.

The former Fox News commentator and press secretary for the Bush administration was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2005 and had his colon removed, but later said the cancer was in remission.
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Via DealBreaker
Portfolio Columnists Should Not Throw Stones
By Muffie Benson-Perella
>EXCERPT

I really don’t think Portfolio is being fair to Cody Willard. The Fox Business host is mocked in the most condescending of tones by Jeff Bercovici, who given his appearance, should probably not be throwing stones. This is a pity, because he looks a little like Dan Loeb (Danny, I left messages, call me, ok?). Well, all right, Dan Loeb after a some really bad coke and wrong turn somewhere in New Jersey.

The world of finance is very image conscious. Cody understands this implicitly. His Samson-like tendrils are a statement. A strong and powerful message. “I am here,” they silently protest. Financial media is even more image conscious than finance is. So it stands to reason that Cody would be particular about his hair.

Still, Cody, we might have to work on that tie.

Via KCRA
Jane King Bloomberg Business Reporter

Jane King brings to Bloomberg 16 years of reporting experience, having covered the Economic Summit of the Americas, the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks, and the Republican National Convention in New York in 2004.

Before joining Bloomberg TV in January 2008, King reported from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange for 7 years for CNN Newsource. King has also worked as a business reporter for WPVI in Philadelphia, an anchor/reporter at WAND in Decatur, Ill., and anchor/reporter at WLFI in Lafayette, Ind.

King is a native of the Midwest. In fact, it was her time growing up on a farm in Kokomo, Ind., that helped her nurture her passion for the markets, especially commodities. She’ll tell you, that some of the funniest questions she’s fielded in her 7 years as a markets reporter for CNN have been about the bird flu and the grains — just because of that expertise.
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Via Variety
Obama ends Fox embargo
Candidate to appear on ‘Fox News Sunday’
By WILLIAM TRIPLETT

Sen. Barack Obama has ended his embargo of “Fox News Sunday” by agreeing to an exlcusive, one-on-one interview that will air this weekend.

The leading contender for the Democratic presidential nomination has avoided all things Fox, tacitly suggesting the network that touts its news as “fair and balanced” instead follows a conservative agenda.

FNS host Chris Wallace first invited Obama onto the show almost two years ago. Obama agreed, but every time bookers called the Obama camp they were told the senator could not appear due to “scheduling conflicts.”

FNS recently displayed an “Obama Watch” clock, tracking the time that has elapsed since Obama agreed to do the show. As of last Sunday, the watch read 765 days, 13 hours, 54 min, 47 seconds.

>Related: Fox & Friends (Howard Kurtz)

Via WOUB
FOX News chairman shares advice, tales with students

Success comes from within. That’s what FOX News Chairman and CEO Roger Ailes, a 1962 alumnus of Ohio University’s radio-television program, told Scripps College of Communication students Wednesday: Be your best self, work hard and be happy. Success will follow.

Ailes, on campus Tuesday and Wednesday for the dedication of the Roger E. Ailes Newsroom on campus, interacted with students at a roundtable; during the “Athens MidDay” preparation, live broadcast and after-broadcast critique; and over lunch.

“When I was young, I didn’t think I’d be happy until I was successful,” he said. “When I got older, I knew I wouldn’t be successful until I was happy. People tend to search outside themselves for the formula for success, but it’s within you. The more important thing is to search for happiness, and success will come.”

Ailes served as WOUB Radio’s student station manager for two years before he set off on a notable career as a television producer, executive and political media consultant. He oversaw the creation and launch of the FOX News Channel in 1996 and, more recently, the startup of FOX Business Network.

Ailes advised students who aspire to work on-air to be aware of their voice and its power with viewers. Practice the basic skills of journalism, he told them, and be consistent in your look and confident in your individuality.

“Ninety percent of the people I interview for on-air jobs don’t have the voice. They don’t understand they need to speak in a way that compels people to look at the TV,” he said. “Your job is not to sound like somebody else. Your job is to sound like you, at your best.”
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Via Portfolio
Mixed Media
by Jeff Bercovici
FBN’s Willard: ‘I Love My Hairstylist to Death’

Scandale! Cody Willard, Fox Business Network’s shaggy-headed, rock-’n'-roll playing news dude, is secretly a fancy man. An elitist, you might even say.

At the Financial Times’s annual “Meet the FT” party last night, Willard, co-host of FBN’s Happy Hour, confessed to wearing pre-distressed shoes, reading Women’s Wear Daily and getting his famous tresses trimmed at downtown salon Privé, where a basic cut runs from $90 to $300.

Willard’s stylist is Frederique. “She’s amazing,” he says. “I love her to death.”

But who could blame him for splurging on what has become his signature look? In fact, Willard says, when he started at Fox Business, anchor Alexis Glick had specifically instructed him to leave his locks long. But, he adds, “You know what? I’ll cut my hair when I want to cut it. It’s all on my terms all the time.”

When Rachel Sklar and I suggested he make the shearing an on-air event, he quickly agreed. “You know what? I’ll make it a charity thing. Yes. That’s a good call.”

He went on:
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>Eric Bolling seems to have a new segment on FBN.. Or at least its new to me.

Via Business Wire
Kasich, Krol and Wilcox Join Board of Norvax, Inc.
CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Norvax, Inc., the nation’s number one online health insurance technology company, welcomes three distinguished executives to its board of directors. The board members are:

* Randy Wilcox, founder of Sarcom, Inc., a leader in technology services and solutions;
* John A. (Jack) Krol, retired chairman and CEO of DuPont;
* John Kasich, a former Ohio Congressman, corporate board member, and regular Fox News Contributor.

“These three experienced leaders bring a wealth of business insight and knowledge to guide our rapidly growing company,” said Brandon Cruz, co-founder and President of Norvax. “Their expertise has been particularly valuable as we launched GoHealthinsurance.com and continue to focus on value added tools and services for more than 10,000 insurance agents and carriers.”

“Norvax is transforming the insurance shopping experience by bringing the automation and online marketing savvy that the industry needs to adapt to changing market conditions,” said John Krol. “With 47 million uninsured individuals in the U.S., and more responsibility for health insurance being shifted to consumers, Norvax is filling an important marketplace niche that will facilitate health insurance coverage for millions.”

“Shopping for insurance should not be a stumbling block for consumers. Norvax’ tools allow shoppers to customize the shopping experience so that people can easily find the right policy that suits their budget needs,” said Randy Wilcox. “Norvax’ tools empower the insurance agent to be the trusted advisors in offering more complete product choices to consumers shopping online.”

John Kasich commented, “The problems of America’s uninsured have continued to grow over the last decade. As a former Congressman, I am pleased to see that this has become one of the top policy concerns at a state and Federal level, and that the technology and health insurance sectors are working to provide solutions that can help people find affordable health insurance, and guide those who qualify to appropriate government programs.”
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Via Observer
By Felix Gillette
Report: Larry King Extends Contract with CNN, But Not Guaranteed 9 P.M. Show
So does that mean Katie can still slip into prime-time CNN line-up?

On Tuesday April, 22, Steve Krakauer of TV Newser was the first to report that CNN’s suspender-wearing newsman Larry King had re-upped with the cable news network through June 2011.

>And he was also “first” reporting King’s deal was until 2010, eh? With that said, I have the utmost respect for TVN & Steve, but facts are facts and Mr. Gillette either left them out or didn’t know.

The news immediately kicked up more speculation about what that might mean for the beleaguered Katie Couric, who had been (conveniently!) rumored as a possible replacement for Mr. King, sometime next year. Most commentators greeted the news of Mr. King’s contract extension as a sign that, whatever else she might end up doing, Ms. Couric was now unlikely to join CNN’s primetime lineup.
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Via Newslab/Reuters
CNN now sued for $1.3 billion - $1 per person in China
Reporting by John Ruwitch and Lindsay Beck in Beijing; Editing by Nick Macfie

HONG KONG (Reuters) - A Chinese primary school teacher and a beautician have filed a suit against CNN in New York over remarks they say insulted the Chinese people and are seeking $1.3 billion in compensation — $1 per person in China, a Hong Kong newspaper reported.

The case against the Atlanta-based cable channel, its parent company Turner Broadcasting and Jack Cafferty, the offending commentator, comes after 14 lawyers launched a similar suit in Beijing alleging that Cafferty’s remarks earlier this month violated the dignity and reputation of the Chinese people.

Cafferty said the United States imported Chinese-made “junk with the lead paint on them and the poisoned pet food” and added: “They’re basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they’ve been for the last 50 years”.
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