Who Owns CNBC?

CNBC was launched on April 17, 1989, as a joint venture between NBC and Cablevision, initially called the Consumer News and Business Channel. The network was created to provide business and financial news programming to cable television subscribers, filling a gap in the market for dedicated business news coverage.

In its early years, CNBC struggled to find its audience and identity. The network initially featured a mix of consumer news, business coverage, and talk programming. A turning point came in 1991 when NBC acquired full ownership of CNBC from Cablevision and merged it with the Financial News Network (FNN), a competing business news channel that had gone bankrupt. The FNN acquisition gave CNBC a larger audience, more experienced financial journalists, and a clearer identity as a dedicated business news network.

CNBC's rise to prominence accelerated during the bull market of the 1990s. As stock market investing became a mainstream activity for American households, driven by the growth of 401(k) plans and the dot-com boom, demand for real-time financial news and market analysis surged. CNBC became the go-to destination for investors watching the markets, with its live market coverage, ticker displays, and expert commentary becoming essential viewing for the investing public.

The network developed iconic programming formats during this period, including live market open and close coverage, in-depth company interviews, and analysis shows. Programs like Squawk Box (morning business news), Mad Money with Jim Cramer, and Fast Money became cultural touchstones in the financial community.

The dot-com bust of 2000-2001 and the financial crisis of 2008-2009 were defining moments for CNBC. The network's coverage of these crises attracted massive viewership as investors sought information and analysis during periods of market turmoil. CNBC's coverage of the 2008 financial crisis, including Rick Santelli's famous rant from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange floor (which some credit with inspiring the Tea Party movement), demonstrated the network's cultural influence.

In 2011, Comcast acquired NBCUniversal from General Electric, bringing CNBC under Comcast's ownership. Under Comcast's ownership, CNBC has continued to invest in its digital presence, international operations (CNBC has international channels in Europe, Asia, and other markets), and original programming.