Looking Good at CNBC (Pretty, Too)

Still, Burnett always seems to be planning three steps ahead. During a commercial, she says to producer Robert Hand, with the casual air of someone ordering a tuna sandwich, "See if you can book Hank Paulson for tomorrow." The Treasury secretary accepts the invitation.

When Burnett is reporting from the floor, the legions of male traders take notice. "They buzz around," Haines says. "They want to know if she's married, if she has a boyfriend."

Burnett is tight-lipped on the subject, saying only that she's "in a relationship." After a pause, she adds: "And it's not with a woman." Further interrogation reveals only that her beau works in financial services.

"Today" is already tapping Burnett for broader assignments, such as a recent profile of Rupert Murdoch (who, she neglected to mention, is launching a Fox business network this fall to compete with CNBC). Over the weekend, Burnett went to New Hampshire to interview Rudy Giuliani on tax policy, jumping on an offer from the former mayor's camp. Burnett doesn't rule out a future beyond business news -- and recently hired Katie Couric's agent -- but insists financial reporting is far more than a journalistic niche.

"There is a money angle to everything," she says.

A Question of Defection

The new Fox Business Network, meanwhile, is already trying to raid CNBC's talent pool.

Fox is interested in Eric Bolling, who had been a regular panelist on CNBC's "Fast Money" but quit last week. A day later, Bolling popped up as a guest on Neil Cavuto's Fox show -- a clear finger in the eye by Rupert Murdoch's operation, which is expected to sign another recently departed CNBC anchor, Liz Claman. Other top CNBC talent is locked up for a while.

A CNBC lawyer wrote Bolling that the channel is "gravely concerned" that he had violated his contract, which "generally prohibits you from providing on-air television services except to CNBC." Bolling had sued unsuccessfully to overturn the non-compete clause, which lasts for six months after his departure.

CNBC spokesman Kevin Goldman confirmed Bolling's resignation and the "contractual limitations" on his TV appearances. As for the new Fox channel, which launches Oct. 15, Goldman says: "We're not worried about their poaching."