Who will be No. 1 at CNBC?

Marketwatch media columnist Jon Friedman writes Friday that the biggest decision for new CNBC senior vice president Jeremy Pink is to determine who will be its No. 1 anchor — Maria Bartiromo or Erin Burnett.

Friedman writes, “Pink will show his hand by deciding which of the network’s two very popular anchors will get the most plum assignments, the choicest CEO interviews and the lion’s share of the network’s marketing muscle.

“The question boils down to this: Who will be the face of CNBC? Will it be the no-frills, iconic Bartiromo, who has been the top anchor there for many years? Or, can the younger, breezier, fast-charging Burnett overtake her? CNBC prefers to believe that there is enough airtime and turf to accommodate both of its talented anchors.

“Bartiromo first achieved prominence in the media a decade ago as ‘The Money Honey.’ Owing to her perkiness, Burnett originally carved out a niche as a Bartiromo-lite entry before attracting an audience that likes her chatty approach.

“If Burnett became the No. 1 anchor at CNBC, it would send a signal to advertisers, staffers and viewers that the network favored her lighter style.”

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