Thinking about viewers while doing interviews

Wanchee Wang of the University of Pennsylvania alumni magazine profiles Bloomberg Television anchor Betty Liu about her career in business journalism.

Wang writes, “‘I always think about viewers when I’m doing an interview,’ Betty Liu C’95 is saying. ‘If they’re going to spend five minutes with me and listen in on an interview, what do they want to get out of it? There’s always a way you can ask a tough question without putting them off. There’s an art to it and I definitely had to learn the art.’

“She’s a fast learner. As the host of Bloomberg TV’s In the Loop with Betty Liu, she brings the day’s economic news to a global audience that has more than its share of affluent, highly educated, influential businesspeople. They rely on Liu and her team of reporters to give them the financial news and analyses in a straightforward, objective way. Since the show’s debut in 2007, Liu has interviewed the likes of Warren Buffett, Jack Welch, Ted Turner, and Rupert Murdoch. And she’s not afraid to ask tough questions—or take on new responsibilities. Last year, in addition to In the Loop, she premiered a new TV show, Titans at the Table, and a Bloomberg Radio showcalled In the Loop at the Half.

“‘I love what I do and I think that shows,’ says Liu. ‘Even though I accidentally fell into business news, I have grown to love every part of it — so I want to do more of it. Luckily I have an opportunity at Bloomberg where if I have an idea, if they like it, they’ll go for it.’

“The idea behind Titans at the Table, which airs four times a year, was to replicate the casual networking-over-a-meal that happens on Wall Street and throughout the business world. Liu (or occasionally another host) interviews leaders and captains of industry over dinner at restaurants ranging from The Modern in Manhattan to Gino’s East in Chicago. Her guests have included hedge-fund managers, banking CEOs, even Chicago mayor and former White House chief-of-staff Rahm Emanuel.”

Read more here.