CNBC’s guest policy and the effect on other biz channels

Dylan Byers of Politico writes Friday about how business news network CNBC has an unwritten policy where its guests must appear first on its shows.

Byers writes, “Brian Steel, the Senior Vice President of Public Relations at CNBC, did not directly dismiss the charge, though he noted that there was no written policy regarding guests’ appearances on other networks.

“‘I spoke with several reporters and checked our news practices and guidelines manual and I could not find the policy,’ he told POLITICO. ‘However, nobody seemed surprised that CEOs would cancel appearances on other networks to appear on CNBC first.’

“That attitude indicates just how long CNBC has been the top — and until recently, the only — player in the financial television news business. But in recent years, Bloomberg TV has gained traction. The exact growth is hard to measure, because Bloomberg TV is not rated by Nielsen. But it’s access to the full resources of the Bloomberg media and financial services empire, including the Bloomberg terminal, have made it an influential player on Wall Street. As a result, some sources said, CNBC’s booking strategy had become stricter.

“Andrew Morse, the head of Bloomberg TV, declined to comment on CNBC’s practices but said that blocking guests from rival networks was harmful to the free flow of information.

“‘I can’t comment on the specifics here, but we’re in the news business. It’s a contact sport. That said, I believe it’s our job to report the news, and to be sure that we don’t, in any way, impede the free flow of news for our audience,’ he said.”

Read more here.