In a month that saw its 9th anniversary, FBN also marked another milestone: its first win ever over rival CNBC in total viewers for a full month.
With heavy emphasis on the 2016 election, FBN averaged 170,000 total viewers (vs. 164,000 for CNBC) for business day, giving FBN its most-watched month ever and up 67 percent vs. October 2015. CNBC won the advertiser-friendly A25-54 demo (33,000 vs. 22,000). But FBN saw growth in the demo (+38 percent), while CNBC lost demo viewers (-35 percent) vs. October 2015.
Varney & Company, Intelligence Report with Trish Regan, Countdown to Closing Bell with Liz Claman, After the Bell, Risk and Reward, Making Money with Charles Payne and Lou Dobbs Tonight all had their most-watched months ever. Head-to-head with CNBC, FBN’s Varney & Company topped CNBC’s Squawk on the Street/Squawk Alley for a third straight month; Cavuto: Coast-to-Coast saw its second consecutive win over CNBC’s Fast Money Halftime Report; and Lou Dobbs Tonight topped CNBC in both total viewers and the demo.
FBN also got a boost from the two presidential debates and one vice presidential debate. FBN beat CNBC for the second and third presidential debates among total viewers, while CNBC was most-watched among younger viewers for the debates.