Fox Business Network (FBN) ended the month of April 2020 setting a new record in Business Day viewers and delivered double-digit year-over-year growth, according to Nielsen Media Research.
As viewers anticipated the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on the markets, global business and policy, FBN’s Business Day programming (9:30AM-5PM/ET) drew in 293,000 total viewers, the network’s highest rated Business Day in history and saw double-digit audience increases of 80 percent year-over-year in total viewership.
During the critical Market Hours (9AM-4PM/ET), FBN programming was up across the board with 299,000 total viewers (+76%), while FBN’s Total Day (6AM-6AM/ET) month with 193,000 total viewers saw an increase of 56 percent compared to 2019.
The network’s strong start to the second quarter of 2020 also delivered record milestone viewership for all of FBN’s core Business Day programs. Kicking off pre-market coverage, Mornings with Maria (weekdays 6-9A/ET) earned its highest-rated month in both total viewers and the A25-54 demo, while also seeing double-digit growth in total viewership (+53%) and the key demo (+83%.) Stuart Varney’s critical three-hour market-open program, Varney & Co. also marked its highest-rated month ever in total viewership with 346,000.
Additionally, CAVUTO: Coast to Coast (weekdays 12-2PM/ET) anchored by Neil Cavuto and The Claman Countdown (weekdays 3-4PM/ET) anchored by Liz Claman both saw triple-digit year over year increases in the key A25-54 demo of 140 and 113 percent, respectively while Making Money with Charles Payne (weekdays 2-3PM/ET) and After the Bell co-anchored by Connell McShane and Melissa Francis each scored their highest-rated months ever in both total viewers and the A25-54 demo.
As the network recently implemented a scaled back live programming schedule to allocate resources to coronavirus pandemic coverage, Lou Dobbs’ signature evening analysis program Lou Dobbs Tonight (weekdays 5-6PM/ET) continued its reign over CNBC for the 52nd month after moving to the 5PM/ET hour. The program earned 307,000 total viewers and a 9 percent advantage over the competition.
Rounding out the network’s evening business coverage, The Evening Edit with Elizabeth MacDonald (weekdays 6-7PM/ET) continued to trounce CNBC’s marquee program Mad Money in its time slot, outperforming Jim Cramer’s show by 14 percent with 328,000 total viewers compared to CNBC’s 287,000. The program, hosted by FBN’s Elizabeth MacDonald recorded triple-digit milestone growth year over year in total viewers (+102%) and the key demo of A25-54 (+292%.) The Evening Edit, Varney & Co., and Lou Dobbs Tonight all ranked among the top 10 programs on business television.
On the digital front, FBN maintained its dominance as the leader in business news. According to Similar Web, FoxBusiness.com was number one in year-over-year quarterly growth in multiplatform total minutes among competitive business news websites, surpassing CNBC, Bloomberg, and others. FoxBusiness.com was also the only business site to see triple-digit growth (+121%) during the first quarter of 2020.
Through the month of April, FBN also launched a series of coronavirus-focused virtual town halls entitled America Works Together hosted by Charles Payne in the 2PM/ET hour. The town halls featured White House Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow and billionaire investor Mark Cuban, respectively.
April 2020 Ratings
Business Day (9:30AM-5PM/ET)
FBN: 293,000 total viewers and 35,000 A25-54
CNBC: 395,000 total viewers and 105,000 A25-54
Market Hours (9AM-4PM/ET)
FBN: 299,000 total viewers and 35,000 A25-54
CNBC: 401,000 total viewers and 108,000 A25-54
Total Day (6AM-6AM/ET)
FBN: 193,000 total viewers and 26,000 A25-54
CNBC: 248,000 total viewers and 75,000 A25-54