First on Viewpoint: New CNBC Europe graphics

This morning I woke up to new graphics and a new ident for CNBC Europe.  I first noticed the new look on Squawk Box Europe this morning.  They are using a new (to me) font, which may have been specially done for them.  Italicised, it closely resembles Crillee, which was used for credits and titles in Star Trek: The Next Generation. 

The new graphics are airing on Worldwide Exchange, so perhaps US viewers can now see them.  I certainly seem to be ahead of the pack on this story, nobody else seems to have noticed, and no reporting on this was done last week, so I must guess that I’m first with this news.

The new font is being used on the ticker, lower thirds, and full screens.  The hotboards have also been redesigned.  Everything looks far simpler, and less extravagant.

I hope to have some caps up shortly.

CNN’s Freeview stream: don’t sell hours to others!

When CNN started on Freeview, they ran from 9pm to 1am.  Not a lot of time for a 24 hour news channel.  Then it got extended to 7pm to 2am, but then they sold on their last two hours to SuperCasino, then to Challenge Jackpot, and now to Rocks & Co. 

Last night, after the best of the Sitaution Room, we got treated to a lesson for broadcasters in why it is not a good idea to sell hours on to other broadcasters, when you already have the programming available to fill it.

Rocks and Co, who are currently timesharing the 7 hour CNNI stream on Freeview, have spent the whole time since midnight showing a very boring loop, stating that Live Auctions will begin at 8am.  Now that’s as well may be, but that’s of no use to us watching on Freeview Channel 84, which will switch off at 2am, 6 hours before the next set of live auctions is due to begin.

If this is going to keep happening then maybe CNN should forget about selling on the 2 hours from Midnight to 2am.  CNBC has all but given up on their 3 hour “Poker Channel Europe” slot, restricting it now to Saturdays and Sundays, whilst Asian market coverage gets aired the rest of the week.  Now, CNN should take a leaf out of the CNBC book, and forget completely about selling the two hours after Midnight.  Just air CNN Today on Freeview, and you’ll not only fill the hours, but when the US President speaks to the US, usually at 8pm ET, you’ll be on air in the UK for people to watch, instead of tuning to Sky or Cable.

Tonight’s after midnight debacle should be a lesson to all those who think broadcasting is about making money.  Nobody will have stayed tuned in during these two hours.  They will have tuned away almost immediately, because there was nothing to show.  Content is still king, and like it or not, will forever be king.  That’s why so many people are watching internet shows and podcasts, reading blogs and tweets, because that’s where the content is.

Viewpoint Extra: NBC Universal to launch CNBC Life?

A follow up to a previous post. I have just seen a new promo advertising CNBC Life. They announced that the programming block, which will air on weekends begins 23rd February. No further information available at this time, but it does seem like this will basically be the same as the old CNBC Weekend brand that they used a couple of years back.

Viewpoint Extra: NBC Universal to begin CNBC life?

To follow up on a recent post of mine here, it would seem that CNBC Life is NOT a new channel, at least not yet.

By checking around various forums, I have discovered that CNBC Life is a new programming block coming up in February on CNBC Europe. I have to thank Digital Spy forum member Epsom for discovering the information. Unfortunately at the moment, no further information seems to be available. I'll let you know as soon as there is more info.

NBC Universal to begin CNBC life?

I have been watching CNBC quite a bit recently, and I have noticed a promo which is very minimalist, but seems to indicate a new channel could be being launched by NBC Universal under the CNBC brand. It seems to be called CNBC life, and according to the promo, it will have sports, current affiars, entertainment and other things besides, and to me, with my memory, it reminds me an awful lot of the old NBC Super Channel that "appeared" in 1993, only to disappear in 1998.

This could mean some changes to the weekend schedule of CNBC Europe, which would be interesting to see happen. What would be on CNBC life exactly? Not sure, the advert wasn't too specific, but I hope that we will get to see NBC's Today show again, which I remember from back when Bryant Gumbel and Katie Couric were the hosts, now it's Matt Lauer and Meredith Viera. I also hope we will see material from MSNBC, such as Hardball with Chris Matthews and Countdown with Keith Olbermann. I would also like to see ITN providing World News again for the channel, although I have to admit I think it unlikely.

I do think however we might get to see full editions of The Tonight Show and Late Night on a small tape delay (less than 24 hours), which is better than what we're currently viewing now here in the UK and Ireland. The only thing it did say at the end of the promo was "CNBC life. February" so we won't have to wait too long to find out.

US Religious Ministries under investigation

CBN News is reporting that six major televangelist ministries are under investigation for "...possible misuse of donations...".

The 'ministers' involved are... Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Joyce Meyer, Randy & Paula White, Creflo Dollar and Eddie L Long.

This is important. These ministries don't just air their programming in the US, but also in the UK and Ireland, via various outlets including CNBC Europe. Perhaps we should have regulation governing these ministries in the UK media. Do televangelists have a place, not just in our media in the UK, but in ANY media? I'm not sure they do.