Most readers who submitted predictions for 2006 believe News Corp. will launch the Fox Business Channel sometime in 2006. (Of course, many people said the same thing in 2005.) Fox's effect on CNBC is open for debate. All the commenters seem sure that Roger Ailes' keen eye for talent would translate to the business world. "Fox Business Channel premieres with some surprise 'big names' in the anchor chairs," one commenter wrote. Some of the names mentioned include Renay San Miguel and Jim Cramer. Maria Bartiromo's name came up repeatedly in the predictions; several observers predict that the money honey will move to Fox, but a few commenters don't believe Ailes would take her.

Also, several commenters hope that CNBC will rework its recent graphical overhaul. All the Fox Biz and CNBC predictions are after the jump...


Fox Business Channel:

"Fox Business Channel will debut in the second quarter of the year."

"The Fox Business Channel will debut and dominate business news with fresh new talent. They will find the right mix of business news veterans and big personalities from the trading floors who have never been on television before; this is a huge and untapped resource."

"Fox News Business Channel gets deal to be on basic cable and digital cable."

"The Fox Business News Channel won't happen. News Corp will pull the plug before it takes off."

"FOX will decide to forego a 24-hour business channel."

"The Fox Business Channel will premiere and I'll explain why: Fox has found a business plan and voice in the media that they will apply to their new channel. Time will only tell whether the venture is a success."

"Fox Business Channel will premiere to spectacular ratings and will taper off to just a slight lead over rivals."

"Fox Business Channel will take 50% of CNBC's audience but make no real waves to the larger picture, as FNC did."

"Fox Business Channel will launch in the second half, will grab at least one important CNBC anchor and will beat CNBC in the ratings for Q4."

"Fox Business Channel premieres with some surprise 'big names' in the anchor chairs."

"Former CNBC readers Renay San Miguel and Felicia Taylor join Fox Business Channel."

"CNBC's Mark Haines joines Fox Business Channel."

"Maria Bartiromo will get her own one hour show on the new Fox Business Channel."

"Maria Bartiromo plays out her hand... CNBC doesn't renew her contract, and Fox Business says 'thanks, but, we're going in a different direction'. Where does Maria land? A high-profile PR firm. She knows how to get publicity..."

"Jim Cramer will jump to Fox Business Channel midyear."

"Fox Biz Channel will launch but will have absolutely no impact on CNBC. It will, however, generate a lot of handwringing inside NBC and a lot of copy for media columnists around the country."



CNBC:

"CNBC will take a few steps back from their new 'improvements' (haha) and possibly rework their graphics a little bit to help the people out there in the business world watching screens far away from themselves."

"CNBC will flush whatever viewers it now has, down the drain with its annoying graphics, sound effects and foolish maneuvering of 'heritage' talent. In the end, Hoffman will last as long as his predessors and then out he will go, with his minions...and in will come the next misguided soul who will not understand the business or the viewer."

"CNBC will continue to lose ground to Bloomberg in the AM, especially now that Hoffman has ruined Squawk Box. The network could see further ratings erosion now that the tower has been eliminated and the graphics are so confusing. They should let Krakower run the whole thing. Look what she's done in primetime."

"CNBC programming changes will prove to be disasterous and we will see some moves back to viewer liking. Mark Haines back to Squawk, Erin Burnett can handle Squawk on the Street by herself, she is quite capable, Carl Quintanilla may join Erin on the Street. Faber might pop up onSquawk during the last half of the show into SOTS ans Charlie Gasparino will appear less frequently. They will gradually put the bug back on the bottom right (or maybe even above the NYSE ticker) and eventually put volumes back in the ticker. Expect to see some of these moves around the Olympic break. Now if only they can do something about those awful charts, noises, that depressing dark blue scheme, and that boring music!"

"Paraphrasing Mark Hoffman, 'Niche plus Heat' equals a major program change in mid-day."

"Watch CNBC internationally. Their global show Worldwide Exchange looks like its a big hit. They just moved the guy who created it to run CNBC Asia, too."

"CNBC's programming will continue to have little impact in 2006 and advertisers will seek lower ad rates."

"Cramer gets best ratings ever in 06."

"CNBC finds a star in Erin Burnett."

"CNBC will hurt when Fox Business debuts but corporate will put more money into the network to compete. Cramer will be their savior! Deutsch will be on the outs."

"Fox Business Channel premieres, takes most of CNBC ratings. CNBC closes by 2008; blames viewers defecting to FBC after more unwanted programming and/or more silly graphics."

"CNBC will revamp their entire network (again) and join forces with what is currently known as MSNBC -- and both will fail and I will have to get a job at Fox Business Channel."