Skip to main content

Julia Boorstin

CNBC Host Blames 'Overpaying' Howard Stern for XM Sirius Woes

By Jeff Poor | August 06, 2009 | 17:43

 A  A

Times have been tough financially for media companies across the board and satellite radio has been no exception.

On Aug. 6, Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ:SIRI) posted a second-quarter loss and the company hasn't lived up to expectations after Sirius and XM completed a merger a little over a year ago. According to "CNBC Reports" host Dennis Kneale, part of the satellite radio's problem is shock jock Howard Stern's compensation and the company's debt.

"I feel so, bad - there's, being run by one of what I think is the best executives in media, Mel Karmazin, a great salesman," Kneale said on CNBC's Aug. 6 "Power Lunch." "But in the end, does it turn out they just overpaid for Howard Stern and they have too much debt? I wonder if John Malone bailed them out temporarily hoping that they kind of go belly-up so they can get a hold of those assets really cheap."

Coming Soon: Hollywood Analysts Predict 2009 the Year of the Wall Street Villain at the Box Office

By Jeff Poor | December 30, 2008 | 13:25

 A  A

Get your popcorn ready - that is if you like seeing the rich portrayed as bad guys and getting punished for their indiscretions.

According to CNBC contributor Michael Wolff, a Vanity Fair contributing editor, that's what's in store for movie fans in the upcoming year. On the Dec. 29 "CNBC Reports," Wolff told CNBC Business News managing editor Tyler Mathisen that Hollywood is greenlighting a spate of films featuring Wall Street heavies, and these projects are coming sooner than later.

"I think as fast as possible," Wolff said. "Every script in the business is now recasting itself - rich people are bad people."

CBS News Writers to Strike?

By Jeff Poor | November 13, 2007 | 15:40

 A  A

As if “CBS Evening News” anchor Katie Couric needed any more bad news to accompany her dismal performance in the ratings.

Julia Boorstin, a CNBC correspondent, reported on CNBC’s November 13 “Power Lunch” that CBS News writers could be the next to join the two-week-old Hollywood writers’ strike.

“Some news writers may be joining their entertainment industry colleagues,” Boorstin said. “Five hundred unionized CBS Television and Radio writers are expected to vote to authorize a strike this Thursday. They’ve been working without a contract since April of 2005.”

According to Reuters, CBS sent a letter to Writers Guild of America members – some