Fox Business Network needs to leave politics at the door

Steven Mallas of The Motley Fool writes Friday that the upcoming Fox Business Network, which launches Oct. 15, needs to focus on business and ignore the politics if it wants to win viewers.

Mallas wrote, “Personally, I think Fox Business will be enjoy a ton of sampling from curious viewers when it hits the air Oct. 15. (You can bet I’ll be there, if my cable system allows it.) I enjoy watching Bulls & Bears, Ben Stein, and the whole gang. In fact, CNBC will really have to watch the competition if the new channel starts producing fast-paced trader-type shows with talents like Tobin Smith and Jonathan Hoenig — Fast Money will definitely have a few rivals.

“But Fox needs to beware its own Achilles’ heel — the network’s politics. Fox News has benefited from a decidedly different political bent, and I’d argue that the partisan shows of Bill O’Reilly and Sean Hannity are value-drivers. However, as an avid watcher of Fox News’ financial programs, I can tell you that they suffer when the talk turns to politics. Honestly, I tune out when Terry Keenan or Stuart Varney begin talking about Democrats and Republicans. I just want to hear opinions about the markets at large.

“I’m a stock junkie, often to my friends’ chagrin, and I like that CNBC largely avoids the political swamp. Sure, Larry Kudlow likes to catalyze partisan-based discourse, but I seem to detect a more investing-centric attitude among the channel’s management. I record each week’s Cost of Freedom, but my fast-forward button gets a workout until the show’s pundits start throwing around equity ideas.”

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