This post is part of our Money Face-Offs feature. Let us know who you think comes out ahead in this head-to-head match-up, and check out our other Money Face-Off posts.
Who needs to worry about the subprime mortgage meltdown or the Iraq War when we can debate whether CNBC's Maria Bartiromo still is the "Money Honey" or if her crown has been taken by upstart Erin "Street Sweetie" Burnett.
Bartiromo's image has been tarnished by the Todd Thomson fiasco, the trademarking of "Money Honey," and her countless appearances at corporate events, while Burnett's star is on the rise thanks in part to hugely flattering articles by the likes of Howard Kurtz of the Washington Post. He recently wrote of Burnett, "Under the lights, in a smoky blue dress that matches her eyes as well as her shoes, her flowing dark hair perfectly teased, she is not exactly hard on the eyes." No word on whether he feels the same way about Mark Haines.
Yes, television is a superficial medium. Yes, discussions of the attractiveness of Bartiromo and Burnett are sexist, to say the least. I personally couldn't care less whether the anchors are best of friends or are constantly trying to stab each other in the back, as has been reported by the tabloids.
But as another of my Bloomberg colleagues, Jon Friedman of MarketWatch, points out, CNBC needs to find a way to make both alpha females happy as the General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) cable channel faces competition from the Fox Business Network that launches next month.
"Clearly, CNBC is relying on Bartiromo and Burnett more than ever," Friedman writes. "These anchors have helped it build an audience among the institutional Wall Street crowd."
Indeed, News Corp. (NYSE: NWS) Chief Executive Rupert Murdoch would love to lure either Bartiromo and Burnett (who also worked at Bloomberg, though I don't remember meeting her) to his fledgling business network. But if the network has to decide between keeping one or the other, the "Money Honey" would be shown the door because there's no star quite like a rising one. That's show business.
[Note: we replaced our original photo of Erin with a more current one after several comments alerted us to the fact that it was from a much more youthful time!]
Vote in our poll for Erin Burnett or Maria Bartiromo, and let us know in the comments why your choice has the financial edge in this match-up. Also be sure to check out our other Money Face-Offs.
Financial Felons: Charles Keating
Comfort Zone Investing: Getting beyond today
Stock picks and pans for troubled times: RIMM, ED, ISRG, GLW, LEA, SLB, GOOG ...
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
9-15-2007 @ 3:36PM
V said...
That isn't Burnett's photo.
http://media.cnbc.com/i/CNBC/Components/Art/Bios/burnett_e_bio_440_2006.jpg
9-15-2007 @ 7:35PM
Donald Bond said...
Shame on you. That is not Erin's photo. Erin is much more polished and not as grand standing and so full of herself. Would much rather see and hear Erin.
9-15-2007 @ 10:38PM
jptrem said...
Who's the gal in the picture? Is she available for CNBC?
9-16-2007 @ 12:00AM
Steve Shackelford said...
The sad thing is I like Melissa Lee but I believe the powers that be decided that the sassy little girl named Erin had more of 'something' and Melissa is now hard to find on any given broadcast. My vote goes for the more mature Maria Bartiromo. - Steve http://www.goofygrouch.com
9-16-2007 @ 10:31AM
Tattletale said...
Too bad this site is GE..blogging stocks. Here we are talking about two women who are employed by mother company GE. Unfair to ask for a comment because we don't know how secure it is. Your description of Maria's "Todd Thomson" fiasco is painting in water color not oil.
9-16-2007 @ 10:32AM
alphillips said...
Why do you call it the Todd Thomson fiasco?????All the print I and others, have read since January 2007 indicates the word should be affair and I don't need to graphic what kind.
9-16-2007 @ 1:02PM
STEVE STRZEPEK said...
MARIA BARTIROMO IS AN ORIGINAL, LIKE FRANK SINATRA. ERIN BURNETT IS AN IMPOSTER.
9-16-2007 @ 5:37PM
Tattletale said...
I haven't seen the photos that by viewers accounts are not correct. Jonathan Berr....(why the hell were there so many Jonathans born in the 60's). I say this" If you are writing about a face off....be sure you have the right faces. Secondly are you employed by GE? This cannot be without objectivity. You have my email address....answer?
9-17-2007 @ 6:50AM
Pat said...
Carrie Lee at CNN has it over both of them.
9-17-2007 @ 8:08AM
Dan Devine said...
Maria Bartiromo and Erin Burnett are both professionals and do a great covering the business news. They are both very attractive and that may help to draw a larger audience to see them in action. I'll vote for Erin in the morning and Maria in the afternoon - of course that is when they are doing their thing.
9-17-2007 @ 8:09AM
Gabidraga said...
I enjoy and respect Erin much more. She has enthusiasm and a pleasant way in interviewing. Besides, Maria has a twang to her voice that irritates me greatly, and I am also sick and tired of her patronizing attitude!
9-17-2007 @ 9:12AM
rob123 said...
Erin is a dream girl ,smart and great looking
9-17-2007 @ 9:21AM
bob said...
MARRY ME ERIN.....SEXY AND INTELLIGENT....bob
9-17-2007 @ 10:00AM
Dre said...
Becky Quick RULES CNBC. Nuff Said
9-17-2007 @ 10:25AM
litewar24 said...
Jim Cramer is the most unbiased candid tell it like it is man in the game. you are lucky to have him. Dillon and the fast money crew are excellent as they also deal in reality. The rest of the muppets on your newscast are biased on the upside and do not live in the real world where price inflation is running rampid and Greenspan the biggest sellout inflationist our country has ever seen is painted like some kind of hero when he has ruined our country (the dollar has depreciated 53% on his watch in 17 years) why dont you report that he created a debt bubble, credit bubble, realestate housing bubble and stock market bubble? Consumers are spending on credit cards that they arent paying back. Report on all the writeoff in the credit business( thats not bullish) and Kudlow thinks inflation is not present cause he makes a million a year in salary and doesn't live in the real word. I would be a better reporter cause I am on the street! Pete Antico
9-17-2007 @ 10:36AM
dan said...
It's no contest: If Maria was good enough for Joey Ramone, she's good enough for me.
On a serious note, Maria Bartiromo has the street cred that Erin Burnett is just now starting to develop. That's what counts, regardless of the quasi-celebrity status we attribute to these people.
9-17-2007 @ 11:00AM
BILL said...
DID WE ALL FORGET ABOUT MELISSA FRANCIS..WHAT A FOX..
9-17-2007 @ 11:07AM
steve holben said...
So, here we are again, including all you "liberated" women, using looks as a facet of these ladie's qualifications. Don't you know Bella Azbug is rolling over in her grave!
9-17-2007 @ 11:07AM
mj said...
Wish you had included more of the professional bio on Erin.
9-17-2007 @ 11:37AM
Bill Teommey said...
LUV EM BOTH. ALSO BECKY QUICK.