CNBC Hit by Lowest Ratings in 20 Years

NBC’s financial cable network, CNBC, was one of the few big cable outlets to see ratings tumble in the third quarter of 2013. CNN and MSNBC both had shows with ratings that gave bosses reasons to rejoice and Fox News is still the reigning champion in the cable race, but CNBC witnessed its worst ratings in 20 years, especially in the important 25-54 audience demographic.

The low 38,000 viewers for total day in the sought after demo CNBC earned this quarter means viewership plummeted 24 percent from last year’s third quarter ratings. The stat is the network’s worst showing since 1993.

Total viewers were nearly as bad. With 133,000 viewers it was CNBC’s worst total viewer ratings since 2005. This quarter’s total viewers saw a drop of 19 percent over 2012.

All of CNBC’s programs except Closing Bell with Maria Bartiromo saw viewership hit an all time low.

Fox Business Network, even though it only started in 2007–CNBC launched in 1989–has seen ratings growth even though FBN is seen in 20 million fewer homes.

Vikas Shukla of ValueWalk.com wrote that, “Many of CNBC’s leading programs have seen a downward spiral in terms of ratings. The quarterly data shows that Mad Money, Squawk on the Street and the Kudlow Report have posted their worst rated quarter ever in the demo as well as total viewers. One of the main reasons is the consistent increase in the popularity of the Fox Business Network programs.”