Bloomberg Challenging CNBC with Primetime Docs

Bloomberg TV is venturing into CNBC’s territory. The business network is launching a primetime documentary series tonight at 9 PM, “Bloomberg Game Changers.”

Each edition of the series will profile a leader in technology, finance politics or culture. Some of the subjects for its premiere season: For the premiere episode, the program will profile Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg. Future installments will look at Steve Jobs, Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page, Jon Stewart, Henry Kravis, Jay-Z, Biz Stone and Evan Williams of Twitter, Larry Ellison, Craig Newmark, Marc Andreessen and Anna Wintour.

Both Bloomberg and CNBC program their core shows during the day, so that traders can keep up to date on the goings-on in the financial world. CNBC has found success in recent years by scheduling original documentaries–often on esoteric subjects– in primetime, which attract a slightly wider audience.

Interestingly, CNBC is also producing a documentary about Facebook, though their’s won’t debut until early January.

It is a strategy that has worked for them, so it isn’t surprising that Bloomberg would throw its hat in the ring. Season one of “Game Changers” is for 11 episodes, which will run through January, 2011.

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