'Moneyline' takes on CNBC's 'Business'
Shows to compete at 6 p.m., 'First' to jump to 7
"Business Center" has had a leg up on the competish since it started earlier than "Moneyline," which currently airs at 6:30 p.m. But CNN said the timing of "Business Center" had nothing to do with the change.
"The move is part of our strategy to establish a more accessible lineup for viewers," said Sid Bedingfield, exec VP and general manager of CNN.
The shift will mean that "First Evening News," the new Bill Hemmer-anchored half-hour, will jump to 7 p.m. "Moneyline" will now have "Inside Politics" as a lead-in.
In addition to the time change, "Moneyline" has bolstered its staff, adding former "NBC Nightly News" weekend correspondent Hillary Lane as a business news correspondent and Chuck Camlic as senior producer. Camlic was previously the senior writer at Fox News' "Your World With Neil Cavuto." Rick Kirkland, managing editor of Fortune magazine, a sister pub of CNN, will join the program as a contributor.
Last week, for the first time since Dobbs' return to the program on May 14, "Moneyline" topped "Business Center" in ratings. "Moneyline" averaged 221,000 households, compared to "Business Center's" 213,000 during the hour the two shows compete head-to-head (from 6:30-7:30 pm). "Moneyline" was, no doubt, boosted by CNN's coverage of the Chandra Levy case, which has brought more viewers to the news net.
