FOX and Dobbs Giving CNBC a Run for Its Money

For the first time, Fox Business Network mainstay Lou Dobbs outranked CNBC�s rival programming in the 7 p.m. slot for an entire week.

The results prove that while FBN might have some holes in its business channel�s overall lineup, the property can easily hang with the entrenched financial media networks in the space.

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That�s an impressive feat, considering Fox Business is less than five years old.

Specifically, Lou Dobbs Tonight beat out The Kudlow Report in total viewers at 7 p.m. all of last week. This according to Media Bistro site TVNewswer: Dobbs tallied 139,000 total viewers with 28,000 aged 25-54, while Kudlow tallied 122,000 total viewers, 32,000 aged 25-54.

The key 25-54 demo was lagging for Lou Dobbs, but only by a mere 4,000 viewers.

Dobbs previously topped CNBC in the 7 p.m. hour on single occasions, but this is the first time the success was sustained.

It�s worth noting that CNBC still has a distant lead over FBN ratings-wise in most hours. But don�t forget that its penetration is much greater by virtue of being in many more cable packages — with CNBC in nearly twice as many homes. The fact that Dobbs polled better than Kudlow despite fewer viewers having access to Fox is impressive.

Of course, the challenge now for FBN is to pick up ratings momentum in its other slots. Back in February, I wrote a quick post headlined �Don�t Count Fox Business Network Out Yet.� Soon after, they shifted daytime lineups and launched MONEY with Melissa Francis.

Time will tell whether Francis will be another victory in Fox Business Network�s ratings war with rival CNBC. And even with her, there is plenty more room for improvement.

But if I was at CNBC, I�d be looking over my shoulder — and taking both Lou Dobbs and Fox seriously.