Fox Biz

“America Live” anchor Megyn Kelly stopped by John Stossel‘s Fox Business program this week to talk about walking the line between news and entertainment. Using an example from Kelly’s own show, Stossel pointed out every second devoted to light stories takes away from serious news.

“We could completely transform ourself into the most boring network possible. It’s already out there. It’s called C-SPAN,” Kelly said in response. “They do a good service, but who watches? … I think this is a problem a lot of the other networks don’t get, but Fox News does. The key is to give them the news but not bore them to death.” Watch:

(h/t J$P)

Fox Business Network is going into insta-special mode this afternoon.

Gerri Willis will host “Crunch Times: Tim Tebow, Sean Payton, and the Business of the NFL” tonight at 8pmET/PT. The special will take an in-depth look at the league’s volatile post-season leading up to the NFL draft and how the news that Peyton Manning is going to Denver, Tim Tebow has been traded to the New York Jets and the one-season suspension of New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton, will impact the teams’ bottom lines. Willis will be joined by FBN’s Connell McShane, Sandra Smith, and Dennis Kneale to explain the financial impact of the recent moves within the NFL.

After shaking up its primetime, FBN is poised to change up daytime anchor pairings as well. Investor Place reports Dennis Kneale (right), who joined FBN from CNBC in October 2010 will join Cheryl Casone to co-anchor at NoonET while Tracy Byrnes and Ashley Webster will take over as the new anchors of the 2pmET hour. Melissa Francis and Lori Rothman continue at 1pm. The changes are expected next month.

Lou Dobbs will celebrate one year of hosting his “Lou Dobbs Tonight” on Fox Business Network tomorrow. After spending most of his career at CNN, Dobbs joined FBN in November 2010, with the show bowing four months later.

Dobbs has had the top rated show on FBN since his return to cable news and last week, “Lou Dobbs Tonight” averaged 163,000 Total Viewers and 45,000 A25-54 viewers — his best yet in the younger demo. And for the first time last week, Dobbs topped his business channel competitor, CNBC’s Larry Kudlow, in younger viewers. (45,000 v. 38,000). Kudlow still topped Dobbs in Total Viewers (163,000 vs. 150,000).

The Fox numbers are a far cry from what Dobbs averaged on CNN. In October 2009, his final full month with the network, Dobbs’ 7pm show averaged 631,000 Total Viewers and 163,500 A25-54 viewers. (CNN is in 99 million homes and FBN is in 58 million.)

As a result of the FBN primetime shake-up last month, Dobbs’ show also gets another run in primetime, at 10pmET.

Ed Henry was on “Imus in the Morning” talking about the way Pres. Obama responded to his question at his news conference Tuesday.

“I think my relationship with the president has gotten so chilly, that it’s almost reached the level of what it’s like when you go to Cavuto’s house for a summer cookout.”

(h/t J$P)

Fox Business Network host Don Imus has never been afraid to share his feelings about the network on-air. Last year Imus and FBN host Neil Cavuto got into an on-air tiff, and this morning it happened again.

“You are incorrigible,” Cavuto said, prompting Imus to respond by referring to him as a “Fox News executive” rather than host, and referring to FBN executive VP Kevin Magee as “fat Kevin.” There is no Imus in team,” Cavuto quipped, before mentioning that Howard Stern called Imus “a divider, not a uniter.”

(h/t J$P)

About a year ago at this time we were talking about the ratings for the TV edition of “Imus in the Morning” and whether the FBN show would be around much longer. Well, a year later it is, and we have some new ratings data to share.

“Imus in the Morning,” which is about three years into its run, edged the first hour of its chief rival CNBC’s “Squawk Box” in Total Viewers in February. The 6amET hour of Imus averaged 86,000 viewers to “Squawk’s” 83,000. Year-over-year, Imus is up +72% in that hour. Imus is still pretty much getting crushed in younger viewers, averaging 8,000 viewers, while “Squawk Box” averaged 39,000 for the month.

In the 7am hour, “Imus” and “Squawk” both add viewers, but in the case of CNBC the numbers nearly doubled to 162,000 while Imus gained 20K viewers, averaging 106,000.

And one more victory lap (or stroll) Imus can take: Nielsen numbers indicate his show on Monday topped CNN’s “Early Start.” Imus averaged 122K and “Early Start” drew 117K. CNN still had him beat in the demo 35K vs. 20K.

Last Tuesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average crossed above the 13,000 mark for the first time in almost four years. Today, it closed above 13,000 settling at 13,005. The business networks have been keeping a close eye on that mark for the last week. “Here we go. Can we do it? Five points away,” said CNBC’s Bill Griffeth just before 4pmET.

“Wow this market is sure something,” said Bloomberg’s Trish Regan as the closing bell was rung. David Asman on FBN added, “When the bell rings, the action begins. It looks like this is going to be the first day for the Dow to settle above 13,000. ”

A broker on Bloomberg chimed in: “I’m glad we did it. Now we can move on.”

Hey, did you hear? Sports Illustrated released its annual “Swimsuit Issue” this week, and it is really important to financial professionals. Seriously. Don’t believe us? Then why would CNBC and FBN run segments about it?

On FBN the network featured a bevy of swimsuit beauties on the floor of the new York Stock Exchange, and highlighted a ridiculous graphic called the “Swimsuit Indicator” which suggested that when an American graces the cover of the issue, the S&P 500 does well. Hard to argue with that impervious logic!

CNBC managed to snag an interview with the covergirl herself, Kate Upton. “Senior swimsuit correspondent” Darren Rovell spoke to Upton about the “business of swimsuits”:

Read more

Last night was the final installment of Fox Business Network’s “Freedom Watch,” hosted by Judge Andrew Napolitano. The program will be replaced by reruns of some of FBN’s dayside business programming until the new primetime premieres next Monday.

The cancellation is not sitting well with many fans of “Freedom Watch”, who have been emailing Fox News executives and talent. Napolitano has taken to his Facebook page to try and end the matter, using ALL CAPS for added effect:

As a favor to me, and as I have asked this past weekend, PLEASE STOP SENDING EMAILS TO MY COLLEAGUES AT FOX ABOUT THE CANCELLATION OF FreedomWatch; and please stop NOW.

You can read Napolitano’s open letter here, or after the jump if you don’t have a Facebook account.

Read more