Revving up CNBC biz
'Squawk Box' and crew to get Steve Friedman overhaul.
Jeff Zucker wants ex-"Today" show chief Steve Friedman to juice up CNBC's flagging business news.
In his latest attempt to fix CNBC, NBC-TV chief Zucker has tapped Friedman, the man he succeeded as head of "Today," to help overhaul CNBC business news, starting with its prized a.m. flagship, "Squawk Box."
The move comes as an already faltering CNBC faces a serious challenge from Rupert Murdoch. His cable juggernaut Fox News is set to launch a biz news channel next summer.
Friedman, who earlier this year worked on CNBC prime-time show "Dennis Miller," has now turned to "Squawk Box," the freewheeling stock market show starring Mark Haines, David Faber and Joe Kernan.
A relaunch of the program is set for Dec. 6.
Friedman told the Daily News yesterday that he's aiming to give "Squawk" more structure by labeling each of its three hours and adding segments like "Media Inc.," and the "Squawk Index" which would track execs' ups and downs. Rebecca Quick, a CNBC and Wall Street Journal reporter, will join the "Squawk" team permanently.
The show needs a lift. Ratings have fallen 25% this year, in tandem with the network. That's setting off alarm bells because "Squawk Box" is CNBC's most valuable franchise, commanding some of its highest ad rates.
Friedman said he's a believer in the business wake-up show. "I didn't go into a suicide mission," he said.
He may not stop at "Squawk." The ex-"Today" chief is expected to tackle CNBC's "Power Lunch" next.
Some are speculating that Friedman has been slated for a big, permanent role at CNBC. Staffers "are genuflecting at his door," a source said.
When asked whether he expects to stay at CNBC for the long haul, Friedman said, "I can't tell what happens in the future. You take one job at a time and you do it."
Universal dominance
Universal Music Group is hitting its highest notes ever.
The Vivendi-owned music giant shattered a music industry record yesterday scoring a whopping 43% share of albums sold this week.
Led by massive sales for Eminem's latest CD, "Encore," Universal captured the top three slots on the pop charts and six out of top ten. The hitmakers included Toby Keith, Shania Twain, and Ja Rule.
"We're winding up a very nice year," Universal Music Group chairman Doug Morris told the News. "We sold 43 out of every 100 records in the country. That's amazing."
Yesterday Vivendi reported its music profits surged sevenfold to $38 million, thanks to lower costs and rising sales. Vivendi bet on a recovery in the music business when it decided not to sell the record giant last year.
"We've become a core part of their company," Morris said.
Originally published on November 18, 2004
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