Talk Business & Politics, KATV renew multi-year television partnership

Central Arkansas market leader KATV and Talk Business & Politics, the No. 1 rated local political talk show, have re-upped their multi-year agreement after a successful first three years.

Hosted by Roby Brock, Talk Business & Politics airs on KATV Ch. 7 in Little Rock on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. and celebrates its 18th year on air in 2017. The program features business and political decision-makers who are shaping the Arkansas news landscape, reports on key industry trends and topics, and provides extensive political and capitol news coverage in state and in Washington, D.C.

“It’s been a privilege to be on the No. 1 TV station in this market for the last three years and I’m excited about the future with KATV,” Brock said. “It has not only enhanced our visibility in central Arkansas, but launched us into No. 1 stations in other markets across the state.”

Talk Business & Politics also airs Sundays on KFSM Ch. 5 in Fort Smith/Northwest Arkansas and KAIT’s NBC affiliate in Jonesboro/Northeast Arkansas.

“Talk Business & Politics has strengthened KATV’s legacy and reputation as the best and most comprehensive source for political news coverage through the 2014 and 2016 elections and debates, coverage of the Arkansas legislature and Congress, and through the most active and accurate political polling in the state,” said Nick Genty, KATV news director.

“Roby and his crew’s reputation for fair, accurate and unbiased information and coverage of political and business news is reflected in the fact that his TV show consistently places No. 1 among local political programming,” Genty added.

In the last year, Brock has spearheaded KATV’s “Connect to Congress” which features one-on-one interviews with Arkansas’ Congressional elected officials via satellite from Washington, D.C. No other news station in the state invests in the same level of weekly local communication with the state’s federal newsmakers.

Also, Brock and Talk Business & Politics were selected as the first and only political media outlet in Arkansas to participate in a White House press briefing via Skype in February. Brock’s question regarding the Trump administration’s policy on medical and recreational marijuana elicited a national debate based on the White House response.

“We’re looking forward to continuing our trustworthy brand of political and business news coverage in the coming months and years,” said Brock. “We thank the viewers for tuning in and making us No. 1.”

ABOUT TALK BUSINESS & POLITICS
Talk Business & Politics is the original business and political TV news program in Arkansas. It launched in 1999 and has grown from a single television show to serving three markets, producing radio programming and content for the state’s NPR member stations, and a robust daily news website at TalkBusiness.net. In 2016, TB&P’s parent company, Natural State Media, acquired the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal, which is published twice a month.

With bureaus and operations in Northwest Arkansas, Fort Smith, Jonesboro, and Little Rock, Talk Business & Politics has grown to include 20 reporters and staff statewide.

Natural State Media was the result of the October 2015 merger of River Rock Communications and TCW Media (The City Wire). The new company, Natural State Media, is headquartered in Fort Smith.