Rukeyser tries not to smile as he takes stock of the situation (his ratings beat PBS)

Chicago Tribune ^ | July 1 '03 | Steve Johnson

[churchillbuff]

Rukeyser tries not to smile as he takes stock of the situation

By Steve Johnson Tribune television critic Published July 1, 2003

Try as he might, Louis Rukeyser isn't able to keep the laughter heading entirely up his well-tailored sleeve.

Public television's ill treatment of one of its few non-puppet superstars -- which had the feel of a debacle in the making last spring when Rukeyser was essentially elbowed out of the "Wall Street Week" show he founded -- has turned out, in fact, to be a debacle.

"Wall Street Week With Fortune," the show Maryland Public Television, with the consent of PBS, devised to replace "Wall Street Week With Louis Rukeyser," looks more like "Wall Street Week With Misfortune."

It has lost nearly a third of its viewers and, more to the point, all of the literate, punning spark that Rukeyser brought to the dry world of investing. ...The Friday-night venture he's hosting now, CNBC's "Louis Rukeyser's Wall Street," is doing well enough that the newschannel just signed him on for another two years.

It has also become, instantly, the financial news provider's most popular show. ...

[You Dirty Rats]

If PBS doesn't do it, who will?

[Tacis]

I think PBS has made a brilliant move by broadcasting Rukeyser twice each Friday night. I try to click through the early version and if there are a couple of good things on, I can return to the later showing.

Actually, I've always been sort of surprised that what is really a socialist media outlet, supported by leftist, funded by the government and run by America-haters (Bill Moyers) would broadcast a capitalist like Lou. It is so out of character. But, I'm glad to see PBS get the credit it deserves.

[longtermmemmory]

Saw the replacement Wallstreet week with fortune. (misfortune?) The information was childish and useless. It seemed to be just an antiBush schill. I count myself proudly as those who stopped watching.

Dare I say it is chic to NOT watch Wallstreet Week with fortune.

[eeman]

Personally, I always found Louis Rukeyser's show to be more fluff than informative, no matter which network carried him. Having said that, three cheers to Louis Rukeyser for beating out PBS.

IMHO, PBS should hire Walter Williams, the black economics professor who frequently substitutes for Rush, to host Wall Street Week. He may or may not be a succsessful investor but at least has the background knowlege hosting the show.

He probably is the wrong kind of diversity in the mind of PBS executives, however.

[Mr. Lucky]

Hello?

[gcruse]

My favorite Rukeyser show of all time was the one where they brought that night's guest in, introduced him all round, and sat him down on the couch. The guest immediatley got a deer in the headlights look on his face and clammed up. I think the most he ever said was, "I don't know what to say." It was hilarious. The other guests on the show tried to fill in around this guy, who sat there in petrified misery. Laffed my ass off.

[churchillbuff]

Walter Williams

Rukeyser had him as a guest at least once.

[DannyTN]

Their must be...

Rukeyser is an exception in that market.

I don't believe for an instance that CBSNBCABCCNN are rational with all the liberal espousing they do. PBS actually has better programming most of the time.

We still need more competition in that market. And more competition on the free airwaves.

[FourPeas]

I see you finally perfected your time machine. So does the future look different than you thought it would?

(Psssst, read the article. Rukeyser show is no longer on PBS.)

[RJL]

If PBS doesn't do it, who will?

Brutal, and well said.

[eeman]

That's funny.

I guess being a "master of the universe" of the investment realm did not give him the confidence to appear publicly.

[eeman]

OOps, my reply in post # 13 was meant for you. I guess it was an unlucky post

[jammer]

Earth to Tacis. Earth to Tacis. Beam up. Beam up.

[Drango]

*NPR/PBS* Ping

If you want on or off this *NPR/PBS* ping list Freepmail me.

[Drango]

Democratic fundraising...

If PBS doesn't do it, who will?

[Bullish]

Did you even bother to read the article.

You missed the point entirely. You don't even understand the gist of it.

Read slowly next time, maybe even aloud.