History of CNBC in Timeline
CNBC, owned by NBCUniversal (a Comcast subsidiary), is a US business news channel broadcasting financial news and analysis throughout the day. Off-peak hours feature business documentaries, reality TV, and occasional NBC Sports content. CNBC also maintains a website (CNBC.com) with news, videos, podcasts, and subscription services. Headquartered in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, it also has a studio at the Nasdaq MarketSite in New York City.
1979: The Seeds of CNBC: Satellite Program Network
The origins of CNBC can be traced back to 1979 with the establishment of the Satellite Program Network (SPN), which later evolved into Tempo Television and eventually, CNBC.
June 1988: NBC Leases Transponder, Paves Way for CNBC
In June 1988, NBC leased the transponder of Tempo Television, which would later become the platform for CNBC's launch.
April 1989: CNBC's Founding
CNBC was founded in April 1989 as a joint venture between NBC and Cablevision, originally called the Consumer News and Business Channel.
April 17, 1989: CNBC Officially Launches
On April 17, 1989, the channel formerly known as Tempo Television, relaunched as the Consumer News and Business Channel (CNBC).
1990: CNBC's Early Carriage Challenges
CNBC faced difficulties securing cable carriage in 1990, with many providers hesitant to prioritize it over the established Financial News Network.
March 2, 1991: FNN Files for Bankruptcy
Financial News Network (FNN) filed for bankruptcy protection on March 2, 1991, after an accounting scandal, setting the stage for its acquisition by CNBC.
May 21, 1991: CNBC Acquires FNN
On May 21, 1991, CNBC won a bidding war and acquired FNN for $154.3 million, solidifying its position in the financial news landscape and expanding its reach to over 40 million homes.
1991: NBC Acquires Full Ownership of CNBC
After CNBC's 1991 bankruptcy, NBC bought out Cablevision's stake and acquired the competing Financial News Network (FNN), merging it into CNBC.
August 1993: Roger Ailes Takes Helm at CNBC
In August 1993, Roger Ailes joined CNBC as president, tasked with revitalizing the network.
June 1995: CNBC Asia Launches
CNBC expanded its global presence with the launch of CNBC Asia in June 1995, based in Hong Kong.
January 1996: Ailes Departs CNBC
Roger Ailes resigned from CNBC in January 1996 due to disagreements with management, including the formation of MSNBC.
March 1996: CNBC Europe Launches
CNBC further expanded its international reach in March 1996 with the launch of CNBC Europe, headquartered in London.
December 1997: CNBC Partners with Dow Jones
In December 1997, CNBC formed a strategic alliance with Dow Jones, leading to content sharing and the rebranding of the channel as "a service of NBC and Dow Jones."
1997: CNBC Begins Airing NBC's Post-Game Analysis for the World Series
Starting with the 1997 World Series, NBC began using CNBC to air its post-game analysis programming.
2000: CNBC's Ratings Surge
CNBC's ratings experienced significant growth in the late 1990s and early 2000s, fueled by the stock market boom, even surpassing CNN's viewership during market hours in 2000.
2000: CNBC's 2000 Summer Olympics coverage focuses heavily on boxing.
During the 2000 Summer Olympics, CNBC and MSNBC combined for 176 hours of Olympic programming with a heavy focus on boxing.
2000: CNBC begins carrying portions of NBC's Olympic Games coverage
In 2000, CNBC began airing parts of NBC's Olympic Games coverage outside of business hours.
2001: CNBC Website Operated by MSN
From 2001, CNBC's website was operated by MSN.
2001: CNBC Secures Deal to Televise Senior PGA Tour Events
In 2001, CNBC entered into a four-year agreement to televise events from the Senior PGA Tour. This move aimed to reduce CNBC's dependence on paid programming during weekends.
2002: Dot-com Bubble Impacts CNBC's Ratings
Following the dot-com bubble burst, CNBC's ratings declined by 44% in 2002.
2002: CNBC's 2002 Winter Olympics coverage focuses heavily on hockey.
For the 2002 Winter Olympics, CNBC adopted a similar format to the 2000 Summer Olympics, this time focusing on hockey instead of boxing. CNBC and MSNBC combined for 207 hours of programming.
August 2003: CNBC Partners with AccuWeather
In August 2003, CNBC partnered with AccuWeather to provide weather content.
October 2003: CNBC Relocates Headquarters
CNBC moved its global headquarters to a new digital video production studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, in October 2003.
2003: CNBC's Ratings Continue to Fall
CNBC's ratings continued to decline in 2003, dropping another 5% as the network grappled with the aftermath of the dot-com bubble.
2004: CNBC carries 111 hours of Olympic programming during the 2004 Summer Olympics, focusing on boxing and expanding to new sports on weekends.
During the 2004 Summer Olympics, CNBC carried 111 hours of coverage, primarily focused on boxing on weekdays while expanding to beach volleyball, soccer, and taekwondo on weekends.
2005: NBC Universal Takes Full Control of CNBC Europe and Asia
At the close of 2005, NBC Universal regained complete ownership of CNBC Europe and CNBC Asia from Dow Jones.
2005: CNBC's Ratings Hit a Low
CNBC's ratings steadily fell until hitting a low point in the first quarter of 2005.
September 2006: FTSE CNBC Global 300 Index Launched
CNBC, in partnership with FTSE Group, introduced the FTSE CNBC Global 300 stock market index in September 2006.
2006: CNBC carries 61 hours of Olympic programming during the 2006 Winter Olympics, featuring curling and hockey.
During the 2006 Winter Olympics, CNBC aired 61 hours of programming, focusing on curling during weekdays and hockey on weekends.
2006: End of CNBC and MSN Partnership
CNBC's partnership with MSN to operate its website ended in 2006.
June 1, 2007: CNBC Africa Launches
CNBC expanded its presence in Africa with the launch of CNBC Africa on June 1, 2007.
August 20, 2007: Barron's Article Questions Performance of Jim Cramer's Stock Picks
An article published in Barron's on August 20, 2007, questioned the performance of Jim Cramer's stock picks on "Mad Money." The article stated that viewers holding Cramer's stocks would have seen returns of 12% over the past two years, while the Dow rose 22% and the S&P 500 gained 16%.
October 10, 2007: CNBC HD Launches on DirecTV
CNBC HD, a 1080i high-definition television simulcast of CNBC, launched on DirecTV on October 10, 2007.
October 22, 2007: CNBC Debuts Investor Network
CNBC launched the "CNBC Investor Network" on October 22, 2007, a network of webcams in trading rooms across the U.S., enabling real-time interviews with traders.
December 2007: CNBC and Yahoo! Finance Partner on Content
In December 2007, CNBC entered into a content partnership with Yahoo! Finance.
2007: CNBC's Profitability and Ratings Soar
CNBC reported substantial profits in 2007, reaching $333 million, and its ratings hit an all-time high, marking a period of significant financial success for the network.
January 2008: CNBC and The New York Times Team Up
CNBC formed a content partnership with The New York Times in January 2008, signaling a strategic move to counter competition from News Corporation.
May 2008: CNBC and AOL Form Content Partnership
CNBC further expanded its content reach by partnering with AOL in May 2008.
2008: CNBC's Viewership Reaches Seven-Year High
Average daytime viewership for CNBC reached a seven-year high in the first quarter of 2008.
2008: CNBC carries 95.5 hours of Olympic coverage during the 2008 Summer Olympics, balancing primetime boxing with overnight coverage of various sports.
CNBC carried 95.5 hours of coverage during the 2008 Summer Olympics. They focused on boxing during primetime (5-8PM ET) and broadcast softball, tennis, weightlifting, wrestling, and badminton overnight.
2009: The Great Recession Impacts CNBC's Ratings
CNBC's ratings experienced a decline in 2009 as the network covered the economic downturn brought on by the Great Recession.
January 2010: SBS-CNBC Launched in Korea
January 2010 saw the launch of SBS-CNBC, a Korean-language channel, marking the fifteenth CNBC-branded channel globally.
July 2010: BT and CNBC Europe Sign Distribution Deal
BT secured a five-year contract with CNBC Europe in July 2010 to distribute content from CNBC's London headquarters to various platforms in Europe and the United States.
2010: CNBC carries 100.5 hours of Olympic coverage during the 2010 Winter Olympics, primarily focusing on curling.
CNBC carried 100.5 hours of coverage during the 2010 Winter Olympics. They primarily focused on curling but also included ice hockey and biathlon.
2010: CNBC's frequent delegation of curling coverage during the 2010 Winter Olympics helps the sport gain popularity.
During the 2010 Winter Olympics, CNBC's frequent coverage of curling helped the sport gain a cult following among the business community.
2011: CNBC Receives Award for Interactive Technology
CNBC received an award at the International Broadcasting Convention in 2011, recognizing its innovative use of interactive motion tracking technology.
June 2012: CNBC and Yahoo! Finance Strengthen Partnership
CNBC deepened its collaboration with Yahoo! Finance in June 2012, aiming to expand its online viewership.
2012: CNBC carries 73 hours of Olympic coverage during the 2012 Summer Olympics, focusing exclusively on boxing.
During the 2012 Summer Olympics, CNBC carried 73 hours of coverage, focusing exclusively on boxing.
2012: End of Dow Jones Licensing Agreement
The licensing agreement between Dow Jones and CNBC U.S., established in 1997, expired in 2012.
2013: Maria Bartiromo Exits CNBC, Network Takes Over "Nightly Business Report"
In 2013, Maria Bartiromo left CNBC for a higher-paying role at Fox Business. That same year, CNBC assumed production of the public television program "Nightly Business Report."
October 13, 2014: CNBC Transitions to Full 16:9 Letterbox Presentation
Coinciding with the 11th anniversary of its move to Englewood Cliffs, NJ, CNBC switched to a full 16:9 letterbox presentation on October 13, 2014, aligning with CNBC Asia and CNBC Europe.
2014: CNBC carries 36 hours of Olympic coverage during the 2014 Winter Olympics, focusing exclusively on curling.
During the 2014 Winter Olympics, CNBC aired 36 hours of coverage, focusing exclusively on curling.
January 6, 2015: CNBC Shifts to Cogent Research for Business Day Ratings
On January 6, 2015, CNBC switched from Nielsen ratings to a system by Cogent Research for calculating the viewership of its business day programming. The new system aimed to provide a more accurate measurement of the network's out-of-home viewership among financial advisers and investors. Nielsen continued to be used to track the viewership of CNBC's entertainment programming.
October 2015: CNBC Hosts Republican Party Candidates Debate
In October 2015, a Republican Party candidates debate hosted by CNBC drew 14 million viewers, marking the highest viewership for a CNBC program to date.
January 10, 2016: CNBC Partners with Trans Media to Launch CNBC Indonesia
On January 10, 2016, CNBC announced a new partnership with Indonesian broadcaster Trans Media, leading to the formation of CNBC Indonesia.
2016: CNBC carries 42 hours of Olympic coverage during the 2016 Summer Olympics, shifting focus to a wider range of sports.
During the 2016 Summer Olympics, CNBC carried 42 hours of coverage, shifting its focus to basketball, volleyball, archery, cycling, rugby, water polo, and wrestling.
2017: Fox Business Surpasses CNBC in Daytime Business News Viewership
By 2017, Fox Business had become the most watched daytime business news network, overtaking CNBC.
2018: CNBC carries 46 hours of Olympic coverage during the 2018 Winter Olympics, featuring hockey and curling.
During the 2018 Winter Olympics, CNBC aired 46 hours of coverage, featuring hockey and curling.
2020: CNBC carries 124.5 hours of Olympic coverage during the 2020 Summer Olympics, featuring a diverse lineup of sports.
CNBC carried 124.5 hours of coverage during the 2020 Summer Olympics, featuring a variety of sports such as diving, beach volleyball, skateboarding, rowing, canoeing, archery, water polo, and rugby.
2020: CNBC Online Video Operations Achieve Record Digital Video Starts
CNBC's online video operations reached an all-time high in 2020, generating 1.92 billion total digital video starts across platforms.
2020: CNBC airs 10 matches from the 2020-21 FA Women's Super League season.
During the 2020-21 FA Women's Super League season, CNBC aired 10 matches.
2020: CNBC Premieres "The News with Shepard Smith"
In 2020, CNBC hired former Fox News Channel anchor Shepard Smith to host "The News with Shepard Smith," a new evening newscast that premiered in September of that year. The program was positioned as an objective, "fact-based" national newscast.
September 2021: CNBC Signs Multi-Platform Deal with Jim Cramer
In September 2021, CNBC signed a new multi-platform deal with Jim Cramer, expanding his role beyond television to include co-development of live events and digital content through Cramer Media.
2021: 2021 Premier Lacrosse League All-Star Game airs on CNBC due to NASCAR delay.
The 2021 Premier Lacrosse League All-Star Game aired on CNBC due to a NASCAR delay.
January 2022: CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer Launches
In January 2022, CNBC launched the "CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer," a subscription service offering commentaries, stock picks, and monthly online meetings. This service operates alongside "CNBC Pro," another subscription service providing exclusive content and over-the-top streaming of CNBC's networks.
August 2022: Mark Hoffman Steps Down as CNBC President, KC Sullivan Takes Over
After 17 years at CNBC, Mark Hoffman stepped down as president in August 2022. KC Sullivan, NBCUniversal president of global advertising and partnerships, succeeded him.
November 2022: CNBC Cancels "The News with Shepard Smith"
In November 2022, CNBC canceled the low-rated program "The News with Shepard Smith" as part of its programming refocus.
2022: CNBC carries 80 hours of Olympic coverage during the 2022 Winter Olympics, featuring curling and ice hockey.
CNBC carried 80 hours of Olympic coverage during the 2022 Winter Olympics, with a primary focus on curling and ice hockey.
January 2023: CNBC Premieres "Last Call with Brian Sullivan"
CNBC premiered a new financial news program, "Last Call with Brian Sullivan," in January 2023, replacing "The News with Shepard Smith."
December 11, 2023: CNBC Unveils Major Rebranding with New Logo and On-Air Graphics
On December 11, 2023, CNBC underwent a significant rebranding effort. This included updating its logo for the first time since 1996, adopting the updated NBC peacock and corporate typeface introduced a year prior. The network also revamped its on-air graphics with a simpler flat design. The two-tiered stock ticker was replaced with a single scroll, and major indices are now displayed in a strip below it.
2023: CNBC vs. Fox Business Viewership
In 2023, CNBC surpassed Fox Business in total day and primetime viewership, but trailed behind in trading day viewership.
2023: New Orleans Breakers vs. Memphis Showboats USFL game resumes on CNBC after weather delay.
In 2023, a game between the New Orleans Breakers and the Memphis Showboats was moved to CNBC after a 3-hour weather delay caused by lightning strikes in Memphis. The delay interfered with NBC's local and primetime programming.