Access Atlanta > Entertainment > Radio Talk > Archives > 2009 > January > 04
Sunday, January 4, 2009
1/5: Clark Howard debuts on CNN Headline News
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I DVRed Clark Howard’s new show on CNN Headline News, which debuted this past weekend, repeated six times at 6 a.m., noon and 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Here’s a quick recap of the first 30 minutes, which summarizes many of his radio calls you hear on WSB-AM to about a minute or so. He gets his own funky theme song, too!
He’s in his WSB studio (converted to a TV studio) and says: “America. we’re living in tough economic times But I have good news. I’m Clark Howard I’m here to show you how to save more, spend less and avoid getting ripped off.” (For those who don’t know and many who are watching CNN Headline News probably aren’t, that’s his signature line he’s been using for years.)
Then they go to cartoon graphics as if his life is a comic book.
“Ever since I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by money. Making it. Saving it. Studying it. By the time I was 31, I earned enough to retire [he sold a travel agency]. So I embarked on a new mission: helping take care of your money.” The show doesn’t get into the fact this happened more than two decades but in show business, why reveal your age when you don’t look your age!
Then they show video of him taking a call from his radio show. Julie is considering a home equity loan to get her through job loss. He recommends a home equity line of credit as an emergency situation. He also says apply for unemployment benefits asap. “This is not about pride,” he says. “Think of it as insurance.” Then a woman summarizes his thoughts.
The next caller says his daughter traded in a car with a loan balance and the car dealer went out of business. He says this is a big no no anyway. “The risk is too great the dealer goes bust and never pay off your trade in. You can end up with your credit ruined and two loans.”
He does a one-minute consumer tip about the stock market. A large percentage of people over the age of 65 have too much cash in stocks. (27% of people 55-64 have 90% or more in stocks. Wrong!)
The segment after the first commercial break is called “money coach.” Melba is trying to work down her massive $150,000 debt. She needs to get a second job, he suggested. “It can be a noose around your wallet. You have to be careful in school how much debt you take on. Eventually you have to pay it back.”
He then take a call about selling time shares (if you can’t, donate it for the tax deduction), then another person who had a credit card closed because she hadn’t used it in two years and she’s worried her credit score will hurt. (It will, but not a huge amount since she hadn’t used it.)
CNN throws in some economic news at 18 minutes after the hour.
He then addresses a “pay off your IRS taxes” scam you might see in late-night ads. “Scuzzoids” and “crooks” are what Clark calls them.
I missed the last few minutes of the show because WSB-TV (where he’s done consumer stories for years) runs some news updates instead. How ironic is that?
Has anybody caught the show yet? Do you think he’s got a shot at a weekday show with this?
