Haines was an unlikely icon

Marketwatch.com media columnist Jon Friedman writes Wednesday about CNBC anchor Mark Haines, who died last week, and why he was so successful during his 22 years at the business news network.

Friedman writes, “Haines reveled in his role as resident curmudgeon. He saw himself as something of a viewer ombudsman, accepting the responsibility of representing the interests of the audience, not the corporate sponsors. But he was much more than a chronic naysayer. Haines knew his stuff. He was never at a loss to ask an interview subject a tough question — again, acting as his viewers’ proxy.

“But that isn’t what really endeared Haines to his fans. After all, plenty of men and women in the news business delight in taking their subjects to task or putting them on the defensive. What set Haines apart was the way he communicated with his public.

“You could often see the trace of a smirk on Haines’s face during the broadcasts. It was as if he wanted to signal that he understood that some of the companies issuing the earnings announcements and the press releases were trying to pull a fast one. And Haines would not let them off the hook.”

Read more here.