CNBC: Declining Viewers.

 Nydailynews.com ran an article last week about the  decline in CNBC viewers.  The article citing Nielson data seemed to pin the blame mostly on lower than expected ratings for Mark Haines' replacement, Andrew Ross Sorkin and a decline in viewership for such network stalwarts such as Maria Bartiromo.  Maybe this is the reason, but I think I know what's going on with America's original business network.  Here's some suggestions on how to fix it.

1.  Get rid of the morning radio-like "Zoo" programming.  If I want rock music and quasi human interest stories I'll go watch The Today Show.  As I'm writing this and turning on CNBC, Joe Kernan is driving around in a Ferrari!  How does that help me manage money for my clients?  Get back to a more basic business show.  I have  Pandora if I want music.

2.  Cover something besides the latest corporate scandal or Apple. 

3.  Break up the nexus between CNBC and Jim Cramer's Thestreet.com.  Nothing wrong with either but give me a different point of view some time.  While you're at it, let's get away from Jim Cramer all day, all the time.  I like Cramer and think he's done a valuable service to investors by making hard to grasp investment subjects easier for the individual to understand.  I also think he's entertaining. But some days he's on in 3-4 different segments.  That much exposure is wearing on most viewers.  Also quit working your mainstays to death.  If you had done that then perhaps Erin Burnett would still have been with the network.  Put Sorkin in a different role and find somebody with the gravitas of a Mark Haines. 

4.  Do more market and individual stock analysis.  The only one of your shows that does this on a consistent basis is Fast Money.  Lately they seem to be moving away from that as well.  This kind of work is what made the network shine in its the early years.

At one point CNBC had the business landscape to itself.  I have to believe that competitors such as Fox Business News  and Bloomberg TV are starting to make significant inroads into their core audience.  According to Mediaite.com in their coverage of this story, CNBC responded by saying, “The Nielsen measurement is focused on the distant periphery of CNBC’s core audience. They don’t measure the wealthiest American homes or people who watch CNBC out of home on trading floors or in executive offices, country clubs” or “five star hotels.”

Their claims may be true but a lot of those viewers have the channel on but the volume turned down.  I haven't been in a trading room or public place where anybody is actually listening to the programming in recent memory. No volume means viewers aren't paying attention to the commercials.  That, last I looked, is what pays the bills.

*Long Apple Computer in certain accounts and Apple is a major component in certain ETFS that we own for clients.