By Mike Reynolds — Multichannel News, 10/1/2008 2:22:00 PM
CNBC analyst Maria Bartiromo reports on the failing economy. An increasing number of viewers are turning to programming on CNBC to get the latest economic news.
With turmoil engulfing Wall Street, CNBC recorded its most-viewed day, week, September and third-quarter ever with total viewers during its business-day programming.
Viewers turned to the financial news sector leader to witness the distressing news about markets and investment houses crashing amidst the credit crunch and the House voting down a bailout plan.
On Monday, the day the Dow Jones Industrial average lost 777 points, its largest single-day drop, CNBC set its all-time record with total viewers, averaging 726,000 watchers from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m.
CNBC in September, which Nielsen Media Research dates from Sept. 1-28, averaged 373,000 viewers during its business-day period. That was up 46% from last September’s 255,000 average and represented the financial news network’s best overall month with the daypart since March 2001.
There were 106,000 adults 25 to 54 among the record total, 33% more than the 80,000 news demo watchers in September 2007 and CNBC’s most with the group since November 2003.
CNBC averaged 502,000 total viewers during the period of Sept. 15 through 19, recording its best week ever within its business day.
Presumably, Fox Business Network and Bloomberg Television have also netted big viewership gains, but the services are not publicly rated.
For the period spanning June 30 through Sept. 28, CNBC delivered 318,000 viewers on average during the aforementioned daypart, its best third-quarter ever and tops since the first quarter of 2001. Relative to third quarter 2007, CNBC scored a 26% advance from 253,000. Among the 25-to-54 set, CNBC’s business day averaged 94,000 viewers, 19% more than last year’s quarter. In addition, it was CNBC’s best third quarter since 2000 and top overall period with the demo in the daypart since first quarter 2007.
During market hours of 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.(ET), CNBC averaged 396,000 total viewers, its best third-quarter ever, and a 22% gain from 324,000 in the corresponding quarter a year ago Among adults 25 to 54, CNBC had 107,000 of those watchers on average, its best third quarter since 2000 and top overall quarter since the initial span of 2007.
