CNBC

On April 17, 1989, CNBC launched as a joint venture between NBC and Cablevision, the brainchild of Tom Rogers, who became its first president and CEO. The network aimed to fill a 24-hour slot with business and financial news, a niche then served only by the Financial News Network (FNN). When NBC acquired FNN in 1991, CNBC absorbed its assets, doubling its reach and resources. Today, CNBC is owned by NBCUniversal, a Comcast subsidiary, and operates from headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, with a flagship studio inside the Nasdaq MarketSite in Times Square.

CNBC’s programming runs live during U.S. market hours: Squawk Box kicks off the morning at 6 a.m., followed by Squawk on the Street and Halftime Report; evenings feature Mad Money with Jim Cramer and Closing Bell. Outside market hours, the schedule shifts to documentaries, reality shows like Shark Tank, and sports events. The network also runs CNBC.com, a news site with articles, videos, and podcasts, alongside CNBC Pro, a subscription service offering real-time data and analysis. In 2023, CNBC launched CNBC TV+, a streaming service for live and on-demand content.

CNBC competes directly with Fox Business Network and Bloomberg Television, holding a dominant share of the business-news audience among high-net-worth individuals and financial professionals. Its brand identity hinges on speed and authority, with exclusive interviews with CEOs and policymakers. The network has faced criticism over perceived conflicts of interest due to Comcast ownership and a 2021 gender discrimination lawsuit from former anchor Hadley Gamble, settled in 2022. As of 2024, CNBC Pro has over 1 million subscribers, and the network continues to invest in AI-driven tools for personalized news feeds.[edit]