Fox Business Comes To Houston Comcast

I don't write very often about local business issues, but I have to mention the latest happenings of Fox Business in Houston. I have Direct TV so I had it a couple of weeks before, but Comcast now has the Fox Business Channel in the Houston market and I assume it launched nationwide on the cable provider. It couldn't come a minute sooner.

All my friends have heard rumors about it; "isn't Fox Business coming soon?," "when is Murdoch's business channel going to be on?," and "I can't wait to see Fox Business." The resentment has been huge. "I already have it," I would say innocently to frowns and groans. Then I would add insult to injury by going into detail about how much I love it. I was relieved by the news it was added to Comcast and learned several things from the exchanges with friends:

* Comcast seems to have many customers. The vast majority of my friends have it. Yes, this is anecdotal, but it seems to ring true.

* Not every Comcast subscriber will necessarily benefit. According to Comcast, 600,000 homes in Houston will get Fox Business. But I think there are over 800,000 homes in Houston's entire interconnect. I'm concerned that everyone I know will fall in that unfortunate group that doesn't have the channel. We will wait and see.

* Murdoch knows how to create buzz. People have been talking about the network for almost a year, I have rarely seen so much interest in a new TV channel.

In Houston, Fox Business Channel is big news. If you are a Comcast subscriber, visit their site and find out whether the channel is now waiting for you.

Order Kevin Price's audio program The Accumulators, which explains the impact that the Internet is having on marketing and consumer behavior. It is available online here for only $10 plus p and h. Receive the Houston Business Review e-zine free each week by clicking here.

Official Fox Business Channel Schedule

So far Direct TV doesn't have any information on the new Fox Business Network schedule and the network's website seems to be failing to work quite often. I'm sure it is mere growing pains. Any way, I finally found a schedule from Gretta Van Susteren's blog. Here's the line up:

• 5-6am: FOX Business Morning Nicole Petallides and Jenna Lee

• 6-10am: Money For Breakfast Alexis Glick, Peter Barnes and Liz MacDonald

• 10am-12pm: FOX Business Tom Sullivan and Cheryl Casone

• 12-2pm: FOX Business Stuart Varney, Dagen McDowell and Connell McShane

• 2-5pm: FOX Business David Asman & Co-Anchor TBD (hmmm… Liz Claman’s available Wednesday)

• 5-6pm: Happy Hour Cody Willard and Rebecca Gomez

• 6-7pm: Neil Cavuto

• 7-8pm: America’s Nightly Scoreboard David Asman

• 8-9pm: The Dave Ramsey Show

• 9-10pm: Cavuto (repeat)

• 10-11pm: [Turn your TV to Fox News Channel’s On The Record]. She's putting a fast one here in a shameless effort to get more viewers, but do you blame her? I actually believe this hour is a repeat of America's Nightly Scoreboard with David Asman.

• 11pm-12am: Happy Hour (repeat)



The station seems to be moving along nicely and glad to see it is getting support from the Fox News Channel.

Note: Order Kevin Price's audio program The Accumulators, which explains the impact that the Internet is having on marketing and consumer behavior. It is available online here for only $10 plus p and h. Receive the Houston Business Review e-zine free each week by clicking here.

Dave Ramsey on Fox Business

My search for Fox Business is over! I found it on channel 359 on Direct TV (for others who have that service, but don't know where the channel can be found). I found the station to be very fresh, similar to its sister station, Fox News.

One of the things that always concern me about business programming is that such networks often disregard business beyond Wall Street. It is too early to see how Fox will be (unfortunately, I had to work much of the day and didn't get to watch every minute of it), but I was please to see the direction it appears to be going.

In particular, I was delighted to see the Dave Ramsey television show on Fox Business. Dave is an old friend who has been a guest on my own show back when he too was on AM 650 locally. Dave does an excellent job of addressing the "rubber meets the road" issues when it comes to personal finances. Most of our personal dollars are saved and spent on Main Street, rather than Wall Street and he provides great advise in that arena.

I know it is early, but I'm pleased to see the good things going on at the new Fox Business Network.

Note: Order Kevin Price's audio program The Accumulators, which explains the impact that the Internet is having on marketing and consumer behavior. It is available online here for only $10 plus p and h. Receive the Houston Business Review e-zine free each week by clicking here.