CNBC betting on debate to raise profile and revenue

Business news network CNBC is using its hosting of the Republican debate on Tuesday to raise its profile with viewers and boosts its revenue, writes Stephen Battaglio of the Los Angeles Times.

Battaglio writes, “‘We’re at a time where you’re going to see a fair amount of movement,’ said Nikhil Deogun, CNBC Business News’ senior vice president and editor in chief. ‘You are at this point in the [election] cycle where voters are paying attention to the substance of the responses as well.’

“The debate rating will undoubtedly top CNBC’s previous ratings for a non-Olympic event set Nov. 9, 2011, when 3.3 million tuned in for a Republican primary debate. As part of NBC’s 2002 Winter Olympics coverage, CNBC hit 3.9 million viewers for an hour of coverage it carried.

“CNBC is taking advantage of the expected ratings boon — its sales department was selling ad packages for around $200,000 for the two-hour debate and the coverage afterward, a multiple of their usual rates. CNBC could command a premium for the ad time as research shows that the median income of its viewers, more than $70,000, is among the highest in television.”

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