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CNBC's "Capital Report" can't be lumped together with many of
the other cable news programs featuring the nation's commentariat.
Co-anchors Alan Murray and Gloria Borger, two of Washington's most
seasoned journalists, who also contribute to The Wall Street
Journal and U.S. News & World Report, respectively, don't play
gotcha journalism but instead illuminate the increasingly complex
issues coming out of the nation's capital. The program appeals to
an affluent audience, with a net income of $1.1 million. Similar to
the Sunday morning yak shows, the audience may not be huge by
Nielsen standards, but it is rich.
Content/Contacts/Deadlines
"Capital Report," borne out of the September 11 terrorist
attacks, runs Tuesday-Friday from 9:00 p.m EST to 10:00 p.m. EST,
and is rebroadcast at 12:00 pm EST. But don't expect the flavor of
the week to appear on the show, or any topic of discussion that
smacks too much of the tabloids. "This is a serious,
Washington-based show that delves into the issues," says Stephen
Lewis, executive producer. Eamon Javers is the show's chief
correspondent. "He knows who's taking out who for a lobster dinner
in order to get some access," Lewis says. Closer to home, the show
tackles security and exchange issues, taxation or health care
spending.
The first half of the show is devoted to debate. Co-anchors
Murray and Borger then toss it to a couple of CNBC business anchors
who update the day's financial and market news. All pitches should
be sent to [email protected]. The best
time to reach her is Monday, since the show is dark that day and
Lopez has the time to field her telephone calls. Still, for a
program that runs practically every business day, timing is of the
essence. PR pros should have all their client's information ready
to go because if Lopez is interested, it's a good bet your client
will be booked to appear on the program, which tapes at 5:30 p.m.,
that very evening. So your deadline was basically 10 minutes
ago.
Pitch Tips
If you're a PR person hoping to bank on the story du jour,
forget about it. "Capital Report" digs down deep into lobbying
rules at the Federal level, and producers prefer bona fide experts
rather than someone who can merely scratch the surface.
A show on the D.C. sniper attacks last year, for instance,
didn't bother with the bizarre details surrounding the suspects but
instead discussed how much it would cost the Federal government to
shut down since many of its employees live in the areas where the
Sniper attacks took place.
Got a celebrity client who you think can intelligently talk to
issues of, say, health care spending? Make sure it's the real deal.
Michael J. Fox talking about Parkinson's Disease, of which he
suffers, and not Sean Penn weighing in on the geopolitics of the
Middle East. Whistleblowers are also in demand. So are authors who
have written books related to how money moves in Washington.
Comments
While Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly and CNN's Larry Kings get
most of the thunder showered on cable news talk shows, Capital
Report remains an oasis amid cable programming. The program is
sharp and substantive, with the co-anchors two veteran reporters
who want to get to the heart of the (money) matter rather than
showcase their personalities. You're dealing with a different
animal than the usual cable talk fare. While most of these shows
are like listening to Heavy Metal music, Capital Report is more
like Mozart. Remember that if you want your clients tuned in.
In The Pipeline
Lewis is keeping his power dry for future stories considering
how fluid the situation is in Washington these days. A few topics
of discussion are already bubbling to the surface, including
stories on the nation's strategic oil reserve, national security
and gun control. The conflict with Iraq will continue to be
front-and-center. The program will also be doing a series of
stories on a class action lawsuit pending against AG Bayer about
the company's cholesterol-reducing drug, Baycol, which was recalled
in August 2001, and has allegedly been responsible for dozens of
deaths.