The next GOP debate–focused on jobs and the economy–will certainly help CNBC’s bottom line. The New York Post reports the network could charge up to a quarter million dollars for a :30 spot.
CNBC’s asking price is 25 percent higher than the $200,000 per 30-second spot that CNN fetched during the second debate — and significantly more than the typical $50,000 that CNBC charges for its sometimes schlocky commercials for personal grooming products or gold buying services. It is not known what Fox charged for a 30-second spot.
That last line is odd, since the Post and Fox were once part of the same company and work out of the same building. Anyway, CNBC is banking on big viewership, looking to top 20 million viewers, which would be the most-watched show on CNBC ever. Trump, who has been the main draw of the debates, is still riding high in the polls, but rivals Ben Carson and Carly Fiorina are moving up, which should make the Oct. 28 debate must-see TV.
The first GOP debate on FNC drew 24 million viewers, the second on CNN, which ran three hours, was watched by 23 million.
CNBC is also proud of its high-earner audience, touting that surveys give it the most affluent audience on U.S. TV.