CNBC ratings down in April

The TVNewser blog has an item that points out that the ratings for CNBC’s major shows were all down in April compared to the same month in 2006.

TVNewser wrote, “Three of the network’s early prime shows are down double digits over last April.

“Mad Money was down 29 percent in the demo and 15 percent in total viewers; Fast Money was down 70 percent in the demo and 59 percent in viewership; and On the Money was down 53 percent in the demo.

“Excluding Deal or No Deal and The Apprentice, CNBC is down significantly year-to-year in primetime — perhaps proving that off-network fare is what’s giving CNBC an overall boost, not their original programming. Without airings of those two shows, CNBC is down 21 percent in viewers and 33 percent in 25-54 for the month…”

Read here. One point I’d make about CNBC that a Talking Biz News reader and I e-mailed each other about yesterday: I’m not so sure that a News Corp. acquisition of Dow Jones & Co. will be bad for the business news cable network.

Sure, CNBC gets some of its content from Dow Jones, but I’m not seeing a lot. And CNBC has a number of former Dow Jones reporters, such as economics guru Steve Liesman, that do great reporting. CNBC’s reporting staff can break stories ahead of the other business news media.

Like, ummm, News Corp. offered to buy Dow Jones.