Trisha Shetty (Editor)

First Business

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Country of origin
  
United States

Original network
  
first-run syndication

Final episode date
  
22 December 2014

Genres
  
News, Business

No. of episodes
  
260/year

First episode date
  
1989

Production company
  
Weigel Broadcasting

First Business wwwgstaticcomtvthumbtvbanners196748p196748

Presented by
  
Angela Miles Chuck Coppola Bill Moller

Executive producer(s)
  
Harvey Moshman (2008-2014)

Running time
  
30 minutes, inc. advertising

First Business, fully First Business News, was a nationally syndicated financial news and analysis television program, produced by First Business Network LLC, a subsidiary of Weigel Broadcasting, in Chicago. Anchor Angela Miles, Reporters Chuck Coppola, Bill Moller, and Executive Producer Harvey Moshman bring viewers commentary from the floors of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, and the Chicago Board Options Exchange, as well as from their studios in the West Loop. The program covers the financial and economic markets including equities, futures, options, commodities, foreign exchange and geo-political news.

Contents

First Business ended its run with the December 26, 2014 broadcast. The program, which typically aired before local and national morning news timeslots, had been marginalized as those shows began to start earlier (as early as 4:00 a.m.), with First Business often moved to lower-rated and lower-viewed graveyard slots. The program's cancellation ended 47 years of Weigel Broadcasting and their flagship station WCIU-TV (channel 26) carrying and originating business-focused programming from Chicago.

Syndication

As of the Fall 2011 season, the program was carried daily on more than 100 US broadcast stations and in outlets across 46 foreign countries. The stations included affiliates of ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, The CW, MyNetworkTV, as well as independent stations. Air times varied, though the timeslots for the show in the majority of markets was 4:00am through 7:00am leading into early morning national newscasts or local morning newscasts. The only requirement the show enforced was that the program must air before the NYSE opening bell at 9:30am ET. The show was syndicated by Weigel Broadcasting and sold by Edward. E. Finch & Company.

History

The First Business program was originally launched in 1989 by BizNet, the broadcast division of the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington, DC. From its inception through its BizNet years with the US Chamber of Commerce, the First Business program production team was led by BizNet News Director Densil Allen.

In 2003, Weigel Broadcasting took over the program and moved the show to Chicago. With the loss of affiliates for the show due to expanded local morning news, Weigel decided to shut down the program. First Business News last show was produced on December 22, 2014.

Notable former on-air staff

  • MSNBC Angela Miles CNN's Nicole Lapin and Stephanie Elam
  • References

    First Business Wikipedia