FBN Overtakes CNBC with Total Day Viewers

FOX Business Network (FBN) closed out 2024 as the leading business network in television, overtaking CNBC for the first time with total day viewers and for the third consecutive year with business day viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. 

Larry Kudlow’s eponymous Kudlow (weekdays, 4 PM/ET) and Stuart Varney’s Varney & Co (weekdays, 9 AM-12 PM/ET) once again landed atop the business news ranker for the third year in a row. Meanwhile, CNBC hit historic lows across primetime, notching its lowest-rated year since 1993 in total viewers, and lowest-rated year in the demo dating back to 1992.

Delivering an audience of 194,000 business day viewers, FBN scored a 3% advantage over CNBC as it topped the legacy business network for the third year in a row. Across total day, FBN notched 129,000 viewers, besting CNBC by 5% and marking the network’s first total day yearly win in history. Additionally, FBN grew its primetime audience across the board, setting its highest-rated year in the primetime demo since 2017 and delivering 5% year-over-year growth with younger viewers.

As the leading program in business news for the year, Kudlow netted 299,000 total viewers, setting a 70% advantage over its CNBC competition Closing Bell. Moreover, Kudlow led FBN to its second highest-rated year ever during the 4 PM/ET hour in total viewers, following 2022. Stuart Varney’s market-open program Varney & Co. crushed CNBC’s Squawk on the Street and Money Movers for the third year in a row with 238,000 total viewers. The program placed second overall in business news with total viewers.

 

Several of FBN’s core business programs also topped their CNBC competition, including Maria Bartiromo’s Mornings with Maria (weekdays, 6-9 AM/ET) which outpaced CNBC’s Squawk Box by 14% in total viewers (107,000 P2+) for the second consecutive year. 

Neil Cavuto’s Cavuto: Coast to Coast (weekdays, 12 PM/ET) drew in 147,000 total viewers, The Big Money Show (weekdays, 1 PM/ET) saw 133,000 total viewers, Charles Payne’s Making Money with Charles Payne (weekdays, 2 PM/ET) scored 145,000 total viewers and The Claman Countdown (weekdays, 3 PM/ET) secured 152,000 total viewers. Notching its third consecutive year as number one in its time slot, FBN’s post market program The Evening Edit with Elizabeth MacDonald (weekdays, 5PM/ET) delivered 172,000 viewers, which beat CNBC’s Fast Money/Options Action by a 12% advantage in total viewers. 

Additionally, FBN’s The Bottom Line with Dagen McDowell (weekdays, 6 PM/ET) nabbed its second yearly win over CNBC’s marquee show Mad Money with Jim Cramer, garnering a 13% advantage in the 6 PM/ET timeslot, scoring 148,000 viewers. Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street (Fridays, 7-7:30 PM/ET) captured 82,000 P2+ viewers and Barron’s Roundtable (Fridays, 7:30-8 PM/ET) commanded 54,000 P2+ viewers.

Notably, FBN notched double digit increases across its viewership post-election to date while CNBC struggled to maintain its audience levels. Since November 5th FBN’s primetime ratings have skyrocketed 54% in total viewers and 123% with the A25-54 demo, compared to October 2024 while ushering in viewership gains of 19% in total day viewers and 55% in the 25-54 demo.

Sourcing: Nielsen, Live + SD 2024td (1/1/24-12/13/24). Business Day (M-F 9:30am-5pm), Market Hours (M-F 9am-4pm), M-F Total Day (Based on each network’s Nielsen defined programming day). Business News Ranker M-F 5am-8pm Business Programs (Excludes Specials & Repeats). 2024 Post Election (11/5/24-12/13/24) vs Oct’24 (09/30/24-10/27/24)