First Business

infobox television
show_name = First Business


format = television series
runtime = 30 minutes per episode (inc. advertisements)
rating = E
creator =
executive_producer = Arun Khosla (2001-2002)
Scott Christiansen (2002-2005)
David Rosenberg (2006-2007)
Harvey Moshman (2008-present)
starring = Tom Hudson
Beejal Patel
country = USA
availability = USA
network = various
picture_format = 480i SDTV
first_aired = 1991
last_aired = present
num_episodes =
website = http://www.firstbusinessx.com|

"First Business" is a nationally syndicated business news television program, produced by First Business Network LLC, a subsidiary of Weigel Broadcasting, in Chicago. Hosts Tom Hudson and Beejal Patel bring viewers commentary from the floors of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Chicago Board of Trade and the Chicago Board Options Exchange, as well as their studios in the West Loop. The program covers the financial and economic markets including equities, futures, options, commodities, foreign exchange and geo-political news.

yndication

As of the Fall 2007 season, the program airs on 182 broadcast stations, reaching 76.443% of US television households. Affiliates include ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, WB, CW and independent stations including the America One television network. Air times vary, however stations are required to run the show before the financial markets open in New York. First Business is also carried internationally, on the commercial free Voice of America satellites. The show is syndicated by Timeless International, and sold by TVi Media.

History

The show was originally launched in 1989 as a production of The US Chamber of Commerce in Washington DC. When the US Chamber decided to end its various television productions, rights to the show passed to CONUS Communications, a joint venture between Viacom and Hubbard Broadcasting .

From 1989 to 2002, Barton Eckert hosted the show from CONUS's DC Bureau. The early morning business newscast focused on information for the small business owner. Produced and written by Eckert with David Debo, the program also featured former CNNfn news anchor Jodi Davis and reporters Trish McShane, Terry Turner, Marti Johnson and Chris Chmura. The show aired feature packages from over 200 affiliate stations in the CONUS network. While CONUS used their DC studio to host talent, the actual show was cut live to tape in their Minneapolis studio. The show was recorded early each morning by utilizing the available analog CONUS satellite transponders, allowing for multiple camera shots to be sent (in near real time) to and from each location. If market conditions were abnormal, or the writers needed additional time, the first airing of the show would be done live for the east coast audience then time delayed for other markets. While called "live to tape," the process was actually recoded on a Grass Valley DDR which allowed for the show to begin playback in other markets before it had actually ended in the first market (tape was typically not used in the production). Technical direction of the show fell under the guise of lead director Benjamin Higginbotham who was later succeeded by Jeremy Elfering.

One year before CONUS disbanded in 2002, rights to the program were sold to WebFN.com. WebFN was a financial news service, streaming live news produced in conjunction with Bridge Information Services, which has since merged with Reuters. First Business was produced out of New York by Arun Khosla, currently with the FOX Business Network, who shifted the programs focus to the stock market. Stephanie Elam hosted the show from the New York Stock Exchange, however all post-production was done out of WebFN's Chicago office by WebFN personnel Scott Christiansen and Philip Richards.

In mid 2003, WebFN.com closed its doors, laying off both its Chicago and New York staff. First Business relaunched production and distribution from Chicago under the newly formed First Business Network, LLC. The show was headed by Executive Producer Scott Christiansen, Coordinating Producer Philip Richards and Editorial Director and Anchor Tom Hudson. Michele Steele, currently with Bloomberg Television, was hired on as Associate Producer in the following weeks.

On January 3, 2005, the show was re-branded as "First Business Morning News." With a new look and new co-anchor Angela Miles, the show was sold as a lead-in to local affiliates own morning news programs. The show added 7% of TV households and reached its highest ever ratings with over 400,000 daily viewers. Major sponsorships included Sprint, IBM and Ameritrade. The "Morning News" moniker was dropped in September 2007, and the show is now available to stations as both a nightly and morning offering. Production continues out of Chicago under the Technical Direction of Brady Hyde.

Notable Talent

* Nicole Lapin, intern

Notes

The website firstbusiness.tv is no longer connected to the show, and the name "First Business" is also used by an unrelated investment firm in Madison Wisconsin.

External links

* [http://www.firstbusinessx.com "First Business" Official Site]