CNBC’s Dylan Ratigan to ABC

Well, its official: CNBC has confirmed that Dylan Ratigan is gone. As the nearby photo shows from CNBC’s site, Dylan is gone. (Not that this crowd ain’t handsome, but . . . they ain’t Dylan handsome).

The Associated Press is strongly hinting Dylan is going to ABC:

CNBC says its “Fast Money” host Dylan Ratigan has quit the financial news network.
Under Ratigan, the quick-paced late afternoon program served as a post-game show for the day’s Wall Street trading.

His contract is expiring and he’s considered a strong candidate for a new job at ABC News. ABC spokesman Jeffrey Schneider wouldn’t address those reports but said that ABC thinks the world of Dylan Ratigan.

The buzz started with NYPost’s Page Six who reported the news:

THERE was high drama at CNBC yesterday as “Fast Money” anchor Dylan Ratigan quit — sources say today will be his last day on-air — and an insider is blaming his battles with network big Susan Krakower. Krakower — the VP for strategic programming and development who co-created “Fast Money” with Ratigan — “is partially responsible for this. She’s been ignoring him for months and he couldn’t get the attention he deserved,” the insider said.”

Media Bistro reports:

“Ratigan is telling friends he chose to leave CNBC not so much to be the next David Letterman, but because he wants to continue pursuing a storyline which began on his CNBC broadcasts — the robbing of America.”

Here is the October 17, 2008 video of Ratigan going off on the systemic corruption.

See Fast Money, Faster Photoshop for the pre and post (de-Dylaned) Fast Money  Header.

UPDATE: NYT’s Bill Carter reports the ABC is not a done deal:

Mr. Ratigan said in a telephone interview Friday that despite rumors that he had an offer to move to ABC News, he had not made an agreement with any other network. “No deal is pending with anybody,” Mr. Ratigan said. “All options are being considered.”

ABC could certainly be one of them, he said. Asked why he would walk away from a successful program where he had built a reputation for fast and funny delivery of the day’s financial news, Mr. Ratigan said, “I had the benefit of my contract coming to an end. This is an opportunity to take a pause and evaluate all my options.”

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Sources:
CNBC’s Dylan Ratigan leaving `Fast Money’
The Associated Press,  March 27 2009
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5glZ5AxYgX8mH0Hi_4lgaCirXpUIgD976JKT80

‘FAST’ FLARE-UP RATTLES CNBC
Paula Froelich
NY Post, FRIDAY, March 27 2009
http://www.nypost.com/seven/03272009/gossip/pagesix/fast_flare_up_rattles_cnbc_161468.htm

Dylan Ratigan Departing CNBC
TV Newser, MAR 27 2009
http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/cnbc/dylan_ratigan_departing_cnbc_112551.asp

Dylan Ratigan of CNBC’s ‘Fast Money’ Leaves Network
BILL CARTER
NYT: March 27, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/28/business/media/28cnbc.html