As an interviewer, Mr. Haines was acerbic and skeptical, known for taking the wind out of the sails of over-optimistic executives.
Eastman Kodak Co.’s CEO George Fisher in a 1998 interview denied rumors of an impending film price war. Days later, Kodak kicked off a discount campaign. Mr. Haines repeatedly ran the soundbite on subsequent shows, denouncing Mr. Fisher.
“Rule one is don’t lie,” Mr. Haines said in a 2001 interview with Investor Relations Business magazine. “If you do, I’ll kill you.”