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Louis Rukeyser Longtime host fired from financial television show

Saturday, April 06, 2002
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

PUBLIC TELEVISION: Viewers bombard stations about host's firing

Decision to oust star irks many

When ousted "Wall $treet Week" host Louis Rukeyser called his fans to action, Nevadans listened.

Both KLVX-TV, Channel 10 in Las Vegas and KNPB-TV, Channel 5 in Reno said phones rang and electronic mailboxes swelled when Maryland Public Television fired Rukeyser, who'd spent 32 years as "Wall $treet Week" host, on March 22 after he criticized the station's decision to change his role in the program. Rukeyser's contract was to expire in June.

"I want you to rise out of your chair," Rukeyser told viewers March 22, in what was his final show. "(And) write or e-mail your local station saying you heard Louis Rukeyser is still going to have a program and you'd like to see it,"

Mitch Fox, KLVX's news, public affairs, programming and promotions manager, said his station fielded 76 phone calls, 45 e-mails, and even a few in-person visits from unhappy viewers.

"For a while there, it was every day," Fox said. "People were calling and complaining. Some even threatened to cancel their Channel 10 memberships, not realizing that Channel 10 had nothing to do with (the staffing of) `Wall $treet Week' or Maryland Public Television's decision to let go of Rukeyser."

Mearlon Johnson, a KLVX programming secretary, took many of the calls. Some viewers threatened not to watch a "Wall $treet Week" without Rukeyser, she said; others urged KLVX to add Rukeyser's next show. Johnson said some viewers were rude, though not profane, in voice mail messages.

Viewers also complained in Reno. Patricia Miller, vice president of programming, promotions and education at KNPB-TV, said her station received 40 e-mails, 30 phone calls and 10 letters about Rukeyser's departure. She took some calls; general manager Rick Schneider took others.

Like Fox, Miller said viewers blamed the station.

"One of the great things about PBS is that it's not only a local community but a national community, but what that means is that sometimes people think they can come to our station and see Big Bird," she said. "They don't understand that programming decisions, like this one with Rukeyser, are made without any input from affiliates."

Maryland Public Television didn't return phone calls seeking comment on this story. Rukeyser didn't return an e-mail seeking comment on his Rukeyser.com Web site.

Some observers have suggested a desire for a younger audience motivated Maryland Public Television to switch Rukeyser's role. MPT has said the average age of the Fortune reader is 49, but Wall Street Week viewers are older than 60.

Maryland Public Television spokesman Jeff Hankin rebutted the ageism claim.

"The goal here is not to lower the average age of the show," he told Bloomberg. "The goal is to broaden the reach and appeal of the show."

Robert Thompson, professor of media and popular culture at Syracuse University, said he didn't object to changing "Wall $treet Week." Economics affects everyone, and working to include more viewers is noble, not evil.

Nevertheless, he said he could understand the public outcry.

"There were always two things with television we were sure were never going to change, even as everything around them were changing at an alarming rate," he said, "that Bob Barker would be the host of 'The Price is Right' and Louis Rukeyser would be the host of 'Wall $treet Week.' "

Thompson said Maryland Public Television was wrong to fire Rukeyser. Because the host's venom didn't threaten "Wall $treet Week's" future, MPT would have been better off ignoring it.

The ouster was ham-handed, Thompson said, shades of ABC's decision to string along Ted Koppel and threaten cancellation of "Nightline" while it courted comedian David Letterman.

"It shows nobody seems to learn a lesson about how to do a decent graceful managerial decision," he said. "They both acted like bulls in a china shop."

Life will go on for Rukeyser. Bloomberg has reported he is discussing new shows with CNN and CNBC. He'll also continue to edit his newsletters, give seminars, and speak publicly.