The End of Business News on Television?

As you may or may not have heard, Louis Rukeyser, who for 32 years was the undisputed face of business news on television, has died at the age of 73. Watching him every Friday night on Wall $treet Week was a joy: he had the power to take the bad pun and just make you laugh at it, regardless of how rotten it was. Four years ago, however, the powers that be at Maryland Public Television made the rather horrid mistake of deciding that W$W needed a younger, hipper audience, and that, toward that end, they had chosen --- without telling him, Rukeyser later alleged --- to team the show up with Fortune Magazine, and bring in newer, younger hosts for the show. Clearly, Lou was not pleased. And he dared to go on the air and let his viewers know.

Well, the MPT twits freaked out over what Lou did, and fired him on the spot. Fuck you, Lou basically responded, and decided to take his ball, as it were, to CNBC. He would have flourished happily there --- had he not learned recently that he had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a rare form of bone marrow cancer. That diagnosis forced him to request that CNBC pull the plug on his show --- a request that they wisely honored. As for the "new" Wall $treet Week with FORTUNE, that never really caught on with PBS viewers, and the show was eventually canceled after about four months.

Way to go, Maryland Public Television! You not only alienated Lou's many friends, colleagues and admirers --- oh, let's face it, you practically ruined the man's life! There, I said it!

And I'm sure, if you loved Louis Rukeyser as I did, that you would be quite agreeable about that. But the question now comes to light: Will the passing of this icon of business news mark the end of televised business news as we know it? For one thing, I don't really see anyone obsessing with the sole national business program left on PBS, the Miami-based Nightly Business Report; and the business programs which currently run in syndication on local stations are not even recognized, let alone paid attention to! And as for the business shows on cable --- pray, get me not started!

The point is, Louis Rukeyser was to televised business news what Walt Disney was to hand-drawn feature film animation. And we will never fully appreciate what kind of legacy both men gave to us .... because, as ever, we are just too damn stupid to know the bloomin' difference!

I wanna know what you think, America. Gimme an e-mail at blackbeardian@yahoo.com.

Master Blackwolf

How to Annoy a Dragonmaster, 2006 Edition

Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible III. Tom Hanks in Ron Howard's Film of The Da Vinci Code. Love them or hate them, they are the movies that will, quite simply, rule summer 2006 --- and while they have still not quite yet hit theatres (though that will change about 72 or so hours from hence), both of them have one thing in common:

Both have succeeded in completely annoying your Dragonmaster.

What in Merlin's name is it, I wonder, about Tom Cruise? Does his very obsession with his new kid, Suri, and his recent actions prior thereto, irk me more than simply watching Bob Barker on The Price is Right --- or can it be that one actor can look so good, and wield so much power over Hollywood, that any one false move can result in one never doing lunch in this town again? Dare I even express my frustrations over what Tom's power holds for even us Magic-users?

And as for The Da Vinci Code --- how is it that one little book --- and at that, a mere adventure story, of all things! --- can have made so many Mortals so enraged? Why are so many people angered by the film, despite the fact that Columbia Pictures and Imagine Entertainment are still keeping certain bits of info on the film a closely guarded secret, the sole exception being, of course, that which they have posted on the official movie website?

Regardless, the two movies' respective popularities will be such that I shall be obviously powerless to prevent either from rocking me world; therefore, I am forced to embrace both --- and know, that in so doing, I warn readers of this Diary of Magecraft that I go into this kicking and screaming: There are forces at work which, left uncheck'd, will once more cause the son of Saemus the Strong to rage anew 'gainst ye dying o' ye light!

Shouldst thou wish, however, to set me straight, dear goodly gentles, thou knowst whither I can be reach'd: blackbeardian@yahoo.com.

Master Blackwolf