The popularity of CNBC's Dylan Ratigan

Abby Ellin of The New York Times writes Saturday about the popularity of CNBC anchor Dylan Ratigan, who is being used to attract both female and male viewers.

Ellin wrote, “If Jim Cramer and Donny Deutsch stand for the voices of business success on CNBC, imparting years of experience to the stock-tip-hungry masses, Mr. Ratigan represents young Wall Street in the eyes of the network.

“‘The guy in the Porsche in the left lane going fast, that’s who Dylan is — the engine that powers it all,’ said Jonathan Wald, a senior vice president of business news at CNBC. ‘He does appeal to women, not in a frat boy way, but he’s an attractive guy who smells of success.’ (He does drive a Porsche.)

“That the stock market itself has not smelled much like success in recent weeks hasn’t dampened the appetite for business news. Quite the contrary: viewers anxious about their portfolios have helped raise CNBC’s business-day lineup to its best August ratings in five years; the top-rated weekday program was Mr. Ratigan’s ‘Call,’ averaging 114,000 viewers ages 25 to 54.”

Read more here.