CNBC

This morning on CNBC's Squawk Box, Carl Quintanilla interviewed Tribune owner Sam Zell about everything from the housing market to the elections to the Chicago Cubs. (This comes via Jim Romenesko.)

When the subject turned to the advertising market, Mr. Zell asked, "What ad market?" Mr. Quintanilla clarified that he meant newspaper advertisers, which prompted the outspoken Mr. Zell to bark, "I'm trying to find one of 'em!"

Here's how Mr. Zell described his newspaper business:

I think the case of Tribune, really, or newspapers in general basically comes down to producing a newspaper that the customer is willing to pay for.  read more »

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In response to our post yesterday about Fox Business Network's three-part interview this week with Joe Skinner, McDonald's Vice Chairman and CEO, CNBC sent us a note suggesting that their upstart rivals are somewhat late to the McDonald's game.

To wit: earlier this year, CNBC produced an original primetime special called Big Mac: Inside the McDonald’s Empire, which premiered on July 25, 2007, and was CNBC's best ever documentary premiere in both total viewers and adults 25-54.  read more »

CNBC announced this morning that David Pogue, the personal technology columnist for The New York Times, is joining the channel part-time as a contributor to Business Day programming, where he will be regularly sizing up new gadgets and trends in the tech world.

"David is a well-known and respected expert in his field, produces highly entertaining and informative videos, and we are excited he is joining the CNBC team," Jonathan Wald, Senior Vice President for Business News, said in today's release. "We always strive to stay on the pulse of innovation and David will add a new element to the network’s coverage."

For a little over a month, The Wall Street Journal has been in a quiet feud with the cable business channel CNBC—and it’s not because the Journal’s parent company is about to get a new stepdad in News Corp.’s Rupert Murdoch.

In early November, the fashion house Estée Lauder offered the Journal and Women’s Wear Daily an advance tip that the lagging company’s chief executive, William Lauder, planned to relinquish his title within two years, under pressure from investors.  read more »

On Thursday, CNBC will dare to go where only a few dozen media organizations have gone before--behind the scenes at the Ultimate Fighting Championship. To wit: CNBC will air a one-hour "original" documentary on Thursday, Ultimate Fighting: From Blood Sport to Big Time, hosted by reporter Scott Wapner.

Says today's press release: "With unusual access, the program tells the story behind the rise of the Ultimate Fighting Championship as both a business and cultural phenomenon. From its controversial beginnings to its mainstream acceptance and millions of dollars in ticket sales, the UFC is making money hand over fist."

NBC is planning to get rid of an entire level of MSNBC's management team, as well as making major cuts at NBC News, according to The New York Post. Two senior MSNBC staffers -- head of primetime programming Bill Wolf, and editorial director Davidson Goldin -- are set to see their jobs eliminated. But the cable network's top shows -- those hosted by Chris Matthews, Keith Olbermann, and Dan Abrams -- are said to be sacrosanct, and will escape the cuts unscathed.

As for CNBC, it too will be unaffected, says The Post, because NBC chief Jeff Zucker wants it at full strength to compete with Fox Business.  read more »

Jim Cramer has signed a multi-year deal to remain with CNBC, it was announced last night. Release after the jump...  read more »

CNBC announced today that it will be increasing its real-estate coverage in a series of ongoing reports under the rubric "The Home Front."

"CNBC Washington-based real estate correspondent Diana Olick, among others, will provide news and analysis affecting home buyers, sellers, owners, builders, lenders and investors," noted the press release. "With housing prices falling in virtually all regions, and foreclosures rising sharply, real estate is a growing concern for millions of Americans."

It'll be interesting to see whether Fox Business, which generally hasn't made real-estate a priority snice launching, follows suit.  read more »

Looks like CNBC might give Fox Business a run for its money--at least in terms of childishly bombastic rhetoric. "We have a competitor now in Fox and it is really important to destroy and mutilate them," Mad Money host Jim Cramer told Broadcasting and Cable.

Meanwhile, Thomas Clarke of TheStreet.com, a financial news site that Mr. Cramer helped found, takes a somewhat more blase approach to the Fox launch, telling The Times: "We're kind of indifferent."  read more »

CNBC's Donnie Deutsch--who recently told The Observer that Fox Business "will go after me like they go after everyone"--had more to say today about his new rival.

"He's throwing grenades, and I'm a warrior so I respect that," Mr Deutsch told Portfolio.com's Lloyd Grove in an interview today, referring to Fox News president Roger Ailes. "Nobody's curing cancer here, and so people are going take off the gloves and want to knock dukes. That's fucking America, man! That's what this country is, so to me, I'll pick a guy like Roger Ailes any day of the week."

Mr. Ailes, however, may not feel the same way about Mr. Deutsch. He recently told the Columbus Dispatch, "I'm not sure if Donny Deutsch is really the answer for them, even though he announces he is. I'm not sure it's anything more than a very expensive way to meet girls for him."  read more »

Does San Jose, California qualify as Main Street, USA?

Well, in any case, it’s several thousand miles from Wall Street. And on Friday, CNBC's Fast Money with Dylan Ratigan will be broadcasting live from the Computer History Museum in San Jose, CNBC announced today. The cross-country brand extension, according to a CNBC press release, is part of a broader "cradle of innovation tour." No word yet on how the Fox Business Network, which had suggested it plans to position itself as Main Street to CNBC's Wall Street,might counter.

Although, the front lawn of, say, the Computer History Association of California, must look mighty tempting right about now.

“I cannot imagine a more tempting possibility,” said CNBC's Ted David.  read more »