- Business networks saw significant viewership gains following President Donald Trump’s tariff announcement on April 2. CNBC and Fox Business both recorded notable audience spikes during the market turmoil.
- CNBC’s website and app traffic jumped 83% over its first-quarter average.
- Fox Business saw a 35% increase in audience compared to its 2024 average.
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The recent volatility in the stock market has proven to be a boon for business news networks. Viewership spiked last week on CNBC and Fox Business as investors tuned in to track the drop — and subsequent recovery — following President Donald Trump’s tariff announcement and temporary 90-day pause.
On April 2, Trump announced new tariffs, which sent global markets into a downward spiral for several days. The decline marked some of the worst numbers since the COVID-19 pandemic. However, while stocks plunged, television ratings climbed.
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CNBC surge in viewership and digital traffic
According to Nielsen ratings reviewed by The New York Times, CNBC experienced a 36% increase in viewers during market hours from Wednesday to Friday, during the week of March 30. The network also reported a 40% rise in its full daytime lineup compared to recent weeks.
The boost extended beyond television. CNBC reported an 83% jump in traffic to its website and app compared to its first-quarter average. New subscriptions also rose 34% over the same period.
Fox Business also rides the wave
Fox Business experienced similar gains, according to Nielsen. The network’s audience grew by 25% compared to the week prior to Trump’s tariff announcement and was up 35% from last year’s average.
It is unclear how Fox Business performed digitally, as the network has not released website traffic numbers as of this reporting.
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Ratings boost continues
The latest data suggests Americans are tuning in as market events unfold in real-time. The Trump administration’s first term led to increased viewership for traditional news outlets. Now, in the early days of Trump’s second term, his foreign policy decisions are again contributing to stronger ratings for business networks.
[Karah Rucker]
THE VOLATILITY WE’VE SEEN IN THE STOCK MARKET HAS BEEN GOOD FOR BUSINESS NETWORKS –
VIEWERSHIP SPIKING ON CNBC AND FOX BUSINESS CHANNELS LAST WEEK –
AS INVESTORS TUNED IN TO TRACK THE HISTORIC FALL AND RISE OF THE MARKET ON TRUMP’S TARIFF IMPLEMENTATION AND PAUSE.
PRESIDENT TRUMP ANNOUNCED NEW TARIFFS ON APRIL 2ND, AND THAT SENT GLOBAL MARKETS INTO A DOWNWARD SPIN FOR DAYS –
RECORDING SOME OF THE WORST NUMBERS SINCE THE COVID PANDEMIC.
BUT WHILE STOCKS WERE FALLING – RATINGS WERE **RISING.
ACCORDING TO “NIELSEN RATINGS” –
CNBC SAW A 36 PERCENT INCREASE IN VIEWERS DURING MARKET HOURS FROM WEDNESDAY TO FRIDAY LAST WEEK.
THE NETWORK ALSO REPORTED A 40 PERCENT BUMP ACROSS ITS FULL DAYTIME LINEUP COMPARED TO RECENT WEEKS.
AND IT WASN’T JUST ON TV THE NETWORK SAW WINS.
CNBC REPORTED ITS WEBSITE AND APP TRAFFIC SURGED 83 PERCENT MORE THAN ITS FIRST QUARTER –
AND NEW SUBSCRIPTIONS WERE UP 34 PERCENT COMPARED TO THE FIRST-QUARTER AVERAGE.
FOX BUSINESS HAS SIMILAR MOMENTUM ACCORDING TO NIELSEN.
THE NETWORK’S AUDIENCE CLIMBED 25 PERCENT COMPARED TO THE WEEK BEFORE TRUMP’S TARIFFS – AND 35 PERCENT MORE THAN LAST YEAR’S AVERAGE.
IT’S UNCLEAR WHAT TRAFFIC LOOKED LIKE FOR FOX BUSINESS’ WEBSITE AS THE NUMBERS HAVE NOT BEEN RELEASED BY THE NETWORK AS OF THIS RECORDING.
THE DATA SUGGESTS AMERICANS ARE TUNED IN – IN REAL TIME – WHEN THERE’S DRAMATIC CHANGES HAPPENING IN THE STOCK MARKET.
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S FIRST TERM PROVED TO BE GOOD BUSINESS FOR TRADITIONAL NEWS OUTLETS –
AS VIEWERSHIP INCREASED UNDER TRUMP’S FIRST TERM.
AND NOW – SO FAR IN TRUMP’S SECOND TERM –
HIS FOREIGN POLICY DECISIONS HAVE LED TO BETTER RATINGS FOR BUSINESS NETWORKS.
THANKS FOR WATCHING OUR NEWS UPDATE.
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