FOX Business Network Prevails over CNBC During October 2023

FOX Business Network (FBN) ended the month of October beating its competition with business day and total day viewership, according to Nielsen Media Research. For the 20th straight month, the network nabbed the top two highest rated business news programs, Kudlow and Varney & Co., each outperforming their respective competition with double-digit advantages.

On September 27th, the network’s Republican primary debate was the most-watched program in linear television, digital and streaming. Notably, the debate averaged nearly 10 million viewers, with FBN delivering 1,817,000 viewers and 411,000 in A25-54, marking its highest-rated telecast since 2016.

For the 25th consecutive month, FBN’s post-market show Kudlow, helmed by Larry Kudlow, was the highest-rated program in business news, notching 282,000 total viewers, a 75% advantage over CNBC’s 161,000 viewers. FBN’s signature market-open program Varney & Co., hosted by Stuart Varney, placed second among business programs with 253,000 viewers, outperforming CNBC’s Squawk on the Street for the 20th uninterrupted month with a 30% advantage.

Opening the day with pre-market coverage, Maria Bartiromo’s Mornings with Maria (weekdays, 6-9 AM/ET) bested CNBC’s Squawk Box for the third month in a row, with a 6% advantage averaging 108,000 viewers. 

CAVUTO: Coast to Coast with Neil Cavuto (weekdays, 12-1PM/ET; 161,000 P2+), The Big Money Show (weekdays, 1 PM/ET; 134,000 P2+), Making Money with Charles Payne (weekdays 2 PM/ET; 145,000 P2+), and The Claman Countdown (weekdays, 3 PM/ET; 156,000 P2+) all placed among the top 15 shows on business television with total viewers. 

Additionally, for the third successive month, The Evening Edit with Elizabeth MacDonald (weeknights 5-6 PM/ET) bested CNBC’s Fast Money for the third sequential month, capturing 160,000 viewers. At 6 PM/ET, The Bottom Line (weeknights, 6-7 PM/ET), co-hosted by Dagen McDowell and Sean Duffy, outpaced its competition for the third straight month with 139,000 viewers, a 13% lead over CNBC’s Mad Money with Jim Cramer. 

Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street (Fridays, 7-7:30 PM/ET) also engaged a 25% larger audience than CNBC’s Last Call while Barron’s Roundtable (Fridays, 7:30-8 PM/ET) averaged 70,000 viewers.

Rounding out the month, FBN’s Business Day programming (9:30 AM-5 PM/ET) drew 201,000 viewers and 12,000 in the 25-54 demo, garnering a 5% advantage with total viewers while the network’s Market Hours programming (9 AM-4 PM/ET) netted 193,000 total viewers and 11,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo. In Total Day, the network saw a 5% gain over CNBC with 138,000 viewers and 15,000 with the younger 25-54 demo.

FBN closed out the month delivering four of the top 10 affluent audiences in cable news with A25-54 with median income. Mornings with Maria averaged $174,100 and placed third on the ranker, followed by Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street ($165,100). Barron’s Roundtable ($160,700) placed seventh while Varney & Co. netted $160,300 for the month. The Big Money Show, CAVUTO: Coast to Coast and The Claman Countdown rounded out the top 20, notching median incomes of $133,600 or greater.

***Below is the data according to Nielsen Media Research

Ratings for the month of October 2023

• Business Day (M-F 9:30 AM-5 PM/ET)
• FBN: 201,000 total viewers and 12,000 A25-54
• CNBC: 191,000 total viewers and 38,000 A25-54

• Market Hours (M-F 9 AM-4 PM/ET)
• FBN: 193,000 total viewers and 11,000 A25-54
• CNBC: 195,000 total viewers and 39,000 A25-54

• Total Day (M-F 6 AM-6 AM/ET)
• FBN: 138,000 total viewers and 15,000 A25-54
• CNBC: 131,000 total viewers and 30,000 A25-54

**Program Specials Excluded​**