Briefing Before Breakfast

For the busy executive who gets out of bed at an early hour and wants to watch something meatier than Good Morning America, now comes Business Times, a two-hour newscast that will debut March 1. Unlike most TV news shows, this one will be entirely staffed by journalists who specialize in business news, including some of the best in the field, and will be broadcast from a set that is supposed to duplicate the atmosphere of a Wall Street trading room. "Our emphasis will be on credibility and content," says James C. Crimmins, 48, the TV producer who created the program. "Our format will be business insiders talking to insiders." Sample segments: corporate strategy, high technology, currency hotline.

Business Times, which will be televised live at 6 a.m. and repeated at 7 a.m., is aimed at such early-rising businessmen as commuters and traveling executives. Crimmins hopes they will turn on their TV just as they would a radio while they get ready for work. The show will be carried on ESPN, the 24-hour cable sports network that now reaches 23 million homes. To keep some of its nonexecutive viewers happy, the program will also include a sports segment. This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so viewer discretion is required.