TTAC Sounds Off About Auto Shows on CNBC

Robert Farago
by Robert Farago

Regular readers know that I’m resolutely anti-auto show. Long before the current international auto industry meltdown led Nissan, Mitsubishi, Land Rover, Rolls-Royce, Porsche et al. to pull out of the North American International Auto Show, I proclaimed the events an enormous waste of time, money and effort. And boring. And outmoded. And so I will again, as I go talking-head-to-talking-head with CNBC’s resident Motown apologist Phil LeBeau (8:30 p.m. EST). In terms of autoblogospherical representation, CNBC is usually Jalopnik’s patch. I’m guessing Ray wasn’t ready to step up and criticize his bestest best friends at this most wonderful time of the year. Either that or he’s speed dialing CNBC right now, and I’ll get a call any second telling me to stand down. UPDATE: view the segment here.

Robert Farago
Robert Farago

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  • Sajeev Mehta Sajeev Mehta on Apr 09, 2009

    Me thinks this organization is still reeling from the bitch slap they got from Stewart. The newschick's comment about Robert not getting into auto shows after this interview shows just how tasteless CNBC truly is. Good job, Robert. I don't know how your head didn't explode when those three CNBC-ers gang-spun you, but you kept your cool.

  • Psarhjinian Psarhjinian on Apr 09, 2009
    I am ashamed to see what CNBC has digressed into being. This is big media's big problem: they've forsaken stability for growth, and the only way you're going to grow is appeal to a sufficiently broad audience. The only way to do that is dumb yourself down to the point where you can safely appeal to a lot of people. By doing that, though, you alienate your core market, and make yourself vulnerable to whomever is willing to stoop to levels you aren't, or is quicker, more agile, or deeper-pocketed than you are. And thusly you race faster to the bottom, getting bigger, shallower, acquiring more debt and weakening you brand until, poof, you're done. What's happening in automobilia is nothing compared to the housecleaning that's about the happen to the media.
  • Aeroelastic Aeroelastic on Apr 09, 2009

    Good try, but I don't think you got through to anyone. But that's not the point of TV news anymore, is it?

  • Redwood Redwood on Apr 09, 2009

    I have to say I totally disagree about the usefulness of auto shows, but it's good to hear other views.

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