Fox Business Network Sweeps CNBC During August

FOX Business Network (FBN) ended the month of August once again leading business news ratings, according to Nielsen Media Research. 

During Business Day, FBN reigned supreme with Kudlow (weekdays, 4PM/ET) and Varney & Company (weekdays, 9 AM–12PM/ET) once again topping the business news ranker with each program surpassing their competition by double-digit advantages.

Hosted by Stuart Varney, FBN’s signature three-hour market-open program Varney & Co. garnered 253,000 total viewers, besting CNBC’s Squawk on the Street for the 18th consecutive month. The program joined Larry Kudlow’s eponymous Kudlow, which ended the month squashing CNBC’s Closing Bell by 82%, netting 290,000 total viewers, as the network’s two top-rated programs.

 

Stu Varney

FBN’s fourth season of FBN Prime, which is currently in repeats, featured the iconic series COPS which blew away its competition with the younger 25-54 demo this month in repeats. On Thursdays and Fridays for the month, the show saw 171,000 viewers and 64,000 A25-54 (45% advantage over CNBC’s Shark Tank) and 85,000 viewers in the 35-64 demo (16% advantage over CNBC). Notably, the COPS season to date run on FBN (April 24-August 27, 2023), far outranked its competition across the board notching 164,000 total viewers (2% advantage over CNBC’s Shark Tank), 54,000 in the 25-54 demo (42% advantage over CNBC’s Shark Tank) and 83,000 in the 35-64 demo (26% advantage over CNBC).

FBN’s pre-market program Mornings with Maria (weekdays, 6-9 AM/ET) defeated CNBC’s Squawk Box for the month, averaging 111,000 in total viewers compared to 108,000. CAVUTO: Coast to Coast (weekdays, 12 PM/ET) averaged 148,000 viewers, while The Big Money Show (weekdays, 1 PM/ET) saw 132,000 viewers. Making Money with Charles Payne (weekdays, 2 PM/ET) drew in 152,000 viewers, placing among the top 10 business news programs for the month and The Claman Countdown (weekdays, 3 PM/ET) posted a 4% advantage year-over-year in viewers (166,000 total viewers).

Elizabeth MacDonald’s The Evening Edit (weekdays, 5 PM/ET) notched 155,000 viewers, a 9% advantage over CNBC’s Fast Money/Options Action and grew its timeslot 10% year-over-year. The Bottom Line (weekdays, 6 PM/ET) continued to trounce CNBC’s Mad Money, marking a 7% advantage over CNBC in viewers (FBN: 133,000 viewers vs. CNBC: 124,000 viewers). Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street (Fridays, 7-7:30 PM/ET) earned 88,000 viewers, a 5% advantage over its competition and Barron’s Roundtable (Fridays, 7:30-8 PM/ET) engaged 57,000 viewers. Notably, FBN delivered five of the top 10 business news shows on television.

FBN garnered five of the top 20 cable news programs with affluent A25-54 viewers with FBN’s Mornings with Maria ranking first, drawing in a median income average of $177,900. The Claman Countdown, The Evening Edit, Kudlow and Barron’s Roundtable rounded out the top 20, notching an average A25-54 median income of $128,900 or greater.

Below is the August 2023 data according to Nielsen Media Research:

Business Day (M-F 9:30 AM-5 PM/ET)

• FBN: 203,000 total viewers and 15,000 A25-54
• CNBC: 190,000 total viewers and 38,000 A25-54

Market Hours (M-F 9 AM-4 PM/ET)

• FBN: 194,000 total viewers and 14,000 A25-54
• CNBC: 195,000 total viewers and 39,000 A25-54

Total Day (M-F 6 AM-6 AM/ET)

• FBN: 147,000 total viewers and 20,000 A25-54
• CNBC: 138,000 total viewers and 30,000 A25-54