A week after Jon Stewart and the Daily Show reached a zenith to their anti-CNBC bashing [see video], a head of the NBC networks has bravely come out of the shadows to defend his misguided network. In a statement today, NBC Universal Chief Executive Jeff Zucker released his response to the Comedy Central show with the comeback to Jon Stewart, “Oh yeah, Stewart? Well, the Jerk Store called, and they’re running out of you.”
He’s so brave!
Stewart had stated that CNBC failed to cover the financial crisis and ignored the impending crisis which they were well trained to prepare for. NBC Universal Chief Executive Jeff Zucker fired back at comedian Jon Stewart on Wednesday, saying it was “unfair” and “absurd” for the funnyman to criticize CNBC and question its coverage of financial news.
Stewart was right for calling out the network for turning a blind eye to the situation that they should be covering.
Zucker, speaking at the McGraw-Hill Media Summit in New York on Wednesday, said that CNBC’s reporters and commentators had done a “terrific” job and the network remained a “go-to” place for financial news.
“It’s unfair to CNBC and to the business media in general,” Zucker said. “I don’t think you can blame what happened here on the business media.”
Speaking later at the same event, Viacom Chief Executive Philippe Dauman defended Stewart, among the top stars of his company’s Comedy Central network.
“He’s very smart and has a connection with the zeitgeist,” Dauman said when asked about he controversy. “Jon Stewart’s one of the few people on air who spoke to what people were thinking out there.”
