An Interview With Donny Deutsch

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L.G.: What are the challenges facing CNBC vis-à-vis FBN?

D.D.: I think the challenges are facing Fox, and that's a reality.... I think it's an affluence game. I think the CNBC business model is a very successful one, so I don't think it's about what CNBC's going to do. I think it's about what Fox is doing.

L.G.: And they have the problem of trying to attract an elite audience and a mainstream kind of audience? They say, "Main Street, not Wall Street."

D.D.: Let's not knock Wall Street! [Laughs.] A lot of money in Wall Street!... I see [FBN anchor and executive] Neil Cavuto said Fox wasn't gonna use big words, so hopefully we'll continue to use big words. I think CNBC should continue to use big words. At least, I will continue to use big words on my show.

L.G.: Any in particular?

D.D.: No. I think viewers are really smart. Last time I looked, consumers, viewers, and all of the above can handle big words. So I'm going to stick with the big-word strategy.... I think that CNBC is always the most affluent viewer; CNBC is an aspirational channel. Businesspeople are very smart, very high-end, and that's what the advertisers are there for. That's the business model—aspiration, wealth—and that could be inclusive also, but it's business, man! It's about making money.

L.G.: And at the moment, FBN has 30 million homes and CNBC has what, 90 million? Now where does that put you and your show, Donny? You're on at 10 p.m. What do they throw against you?

D.D.: I don't know, as God is my witness. [It's a repeat of FBN's 7 p.m. show, America's Nightly Scoreboard.] I've got a franchise I'm building in there and look, obviously whatever Fox does—I've got a successful thing I'm doing here. I come from a world of competition. You're making it seem like this is the first time there's a competitor in any business in the entire world! And that's business, man. That's what's fun. I come from the world of marketing, you know, that's cool shit, man. That's what makes business business.

L.G.: Now the Fox organization, especially their P.R., is known for having all the subtlety of a baseball bat. The New York Observer did a piece about you that said, "As for the impending challenge from Fox, Mr. Deutsch appeared unruffled. ‘They'll come after me like they'll come after everybody,' he said." In response, a Fox spokesperson told TV Newser, "We only go after shows with relevance and ratings, neither of which Donny has, so he has nothing to worry about." And then, to add insult to injury, they anonymously said, "The Big Idea scratched [failed to register in the ratings] 16 times in adults 25 to 54 in the third quarter, for a scratch rate of 26 percent. The show also scratched 21 times in total viewers for a scratch rate of 34 percent—in both cases, The Big Idea is scratching more than a quarter of the time."

D.D.: Big Idea is up close to 20 percent this year. It is on an incredible roll. They must be a little concerned. They're putting a lot of effort into putting things out there and twisting things, God bless them. When they stop doing that I'll know I'm not doing something right. I think Roger Ailes said I like having my show because it's a good way to meet women. I thought that was interesting. [Ailes 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."]

L.G.: Are you saying having your show is not a good way to meet women?

D.D.: It's a great way! It helps! But, uh, I'm kidding. It's fun. I mean, I laugh at that stuff.

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