The Basics of Financial Television

by Melissa Murphy, SunStar Senior Account Executive

The needs of financial news networks - CNBC and Bloomberg TV as the biggest domestic players - are multifaceted and subject to rapid change. Major world news events impact the financial markets every day and thus the format and subject matter for each program. Marketing and public relations executives must learn to effective navigate in this environment for successful guest placement. Executives must know who to talk to, what ideas will resonate and the give and take of live television.

The Segment Producer
A segment producer is someone who is assigned to a particular show and is responsible for scheduling a certain number of guest segments per day. Many focus on the daily market news, earnings announcements, key economic data and schedule appropriate experts to comment on the specific news subjects of the day.

This person is responsible for scheduling the guest, working with the producer on developing ideas for each segment and researching who the right person would be to fill the needs of that segment. They talk to the guest prior to the live interview, devise notes, conduct and prepare other research for the anchor person and write the introduction to the segment and provide graphics and video support.

Generating Content
Key content drivers are event-driven such as earnings - talking to CEO of company, mutual fund managers who own the stock or analysts who covers the stock or sector. Print news articles from wire services, daily newspapers and Internet sites are also important avenues for developing program content.

The Ideal Guest
An ideal guest is someone who is intelligent and knowledgeable about a topic but is also able to project that expertise with succinctness and clarity. At the same time the guest has to understand that the financial broadcast audience is partly people who are professionally involved in the markets in addition to others that might be new to the market that might have interest in something and want to learn more.

Guests have to be clear and avoid excessive jargon. It is also helpful to have a certain charisma, presence and an understanding of the give and take of being on TV for a three to four minute segment.

The Ideal Pitch
An ideal pitch involves an understanding of the particular needs of each show. The biggest part is taking what is already known and moving it a step forward.

Understanding The Challenges
A primary challenge for producers is making ideas new and fresh when everyone's reporting the same things. If guests are presented that have a different take on the news then they have a much grater chance of securing air time.

Tips for Public Relations and Marketing Executives
Communication is key. Contact segment producers about particular experts, what they can talk about and why what they have to say is interesting. A give and take relationship is preferred - marketing/PR executives provide ideas and they will call when they need a particular expert.

Responsiveness is also very important. It can be the difference between booking your expert versus someone else's. Generally from a producer's standpoint they are calling 10 or 12 people at a time so whoever gets back to them first is most likely to secure the interview.

Watch the show to see who's on to talk about what topics. Certain segments air daily so knowing when they air, the requirements of the spot and the type of guest that is most appropriate for the segment will enable a better and more successful placement.

Getting on The Radar
To hit the radar, portfolio managers and other potential guests must have a compelling track record, a particular specialty or expertise, known to be good on TV and knowledgeable. In addition, they must be able to tie their know-how into the market news of the day.