Michael Bloomberg tepidly disputed reports that he won’t renew the contracts of Bloomberg’s star political duo Mark Halperin and John Heilemann after the 2016 election.
“I’ve become a devotee of Bloomberg Politics,” Bloomberg told The Huffington Post. “It’s an important part of our TV lineup and our strategy, giving our customers the news and people they need going into election season. I fully support it.”
The lack of an explicit, by name vote of confidence for Halperin and Heilemann doesn’t offer a strong sense of security for the political pair.
Bloomberg’s comments countered a report from New York Magazine‘s Gabriel Sherman, who quoted an unnamed Bloomberg adviser saying “some days he thinks what they do is good and other days isn’t.”
The former New York City Mayor reportedly thinks the “Game Change” authors’ show doesn’t fit in with the network’s mission.
The political hosts both make a reported $1 million but were brought in before Bloomberg returned to the company in a hands-on CEO role.
He’s brought Bloomberg back to the basics, focusing on its profitable terminal business and moving away from an enhanced focus on digital and TV.
There’s also been a tumultuous relationship between Halperin and Heilemann’s New York-based politics unit and the Washington, D.C., bureau, which has complained of being marginalized by the prominent “With All Due Respect” duo.
Bloomberg’s comments come a day after Chief Content Officer and Bloomberg Businessweek Editor Josh Tyrangiel resigned, making Ellen Pollock the publication’s first female editor.