Cavuto has Fox on top

New York Daily News ^ | 01/08/04 | Phyllis Furman

[nypokerface]

Call him the king of cable business news. Fox financial news chief Neil Cavuto - not CNBC - now boasts the five highest rated stocks and bonds programs on the cable dial.

While Fox News' tough-talking star anchor, Bill O'Reilly, generates lots of buzz for the network, Cavuto has built a formidable biz news fiefdom.

Cavuto's daily show, "Your World With Neil Cavuto" led the pack in 2003 with more than a million viewers.

That's five times the audience of CNBC's recently canned "Business Center," and 54% more than CNN's "Lou Dobbs Tonight," which has morphed into a general news program.

And viewers are tuning in Fox's four Saturday biz shows, like "Bulls & Bears," which drew 795,000 viewers last year.

"We're doing something that would have been unthinkable when I got here eight years ago," Cavuto told the Daily News. "People are coming to us for breaking business news."

The former CNBC anchor's strides have never been more important to Fox News parent News Corp. The Murdoch empire is said to be gearing up to launch a financial news channel on its satellite TV giant DirecTV. Cavuto recently beefed up his ranks, hiring veteran business anchor Stuart Varney.

"The market's coming back, the economy's coming back, and they have satellite distribution," a source said. Cavuto declined to comment on the possible biz news channel launch.

Cavuto owes a lot to the rise of Fox News. But he also says his plain-speaking formula is clicking with average folks.

"We give them a mix of business news that clear and straight."

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[pgkdan]

I love Cavuto and detest O'reilly. Wish I could swap their time slots.

[Damocles]

His fiancial program is top notch and his social commentary is straight shootin'.

No wonder he's #1. Congrats Neil...

[Steven W.]

I like Neil but am always perplexed by Terri Keenan - she is truly one of the most ditzy correspondents there is & so much so it's a wonder she ever makes any money given how negative and desperate she is worrying about one thing or the other.

[SolutionsOnly]

I'm a big Cavuto fan too. He can effectively make a point without being 'in your face'. He's an asset to Fox.

[LittleRedRooster]

I love Cavuto and detest O'reilly

I gotta agree with you there, when was the last time Bill O had a decent guest, I don't know becasue I haven't his lame show for over 2 years now.....I can hardly stand to watch H&C for their lack or any real substance, both of them just keep saying the same things over and over.
Chris Matthews has good guests and has started to ask some tough questions even though he still goes ga ga for some guests.

[YaYa123]

Oh my....Neil's head might get too big for the screen.

[OXENinFLA]

No way, I get to watch Cavuto when I get home and if I miss any FNC re-plays it when I wake up @ 5am.

[azcap]

Who'd have ever thought that Eddy Munster would grow up to be such a wise financial commentator and respected conservative voice?

[mystery-ak]

You'll just have to get a larger screen.

[pgkdan]

Don't worry. Fox has done a great job of ignoring my requests for over a year.

[babaloo]

I agree with your comments about Terri Keenan. She is very negative and that deer in the headlights look drives me crazy. She often loses control of her guests on her Saturday show. Cavuto is the best in the business and his commentary at the end of his show is great.

[KellyAdmirer]

CNBC is still the best during market hours, particularly in the 8 a.m. - 10 a.m. slot and the final hour. But Cavuto after the close is better than anything CNBC can come up with there.

[workerbee]

Cavuto's "Common Sense" is the best 2 minutes on TV.

[mtbopfuyn]

Cavuto would blast the ratings if he had a better time slot.

[G.Mason]

I wrote [e-mail] Cavuto a couple of months ago and told him I thought he was "quite simply the best".

He is.

[ken5050]

CNBC is the net for daytraders..nothing more..they still tout stocks...

[YaYa123]

but but...a drive in movie screen won't fit in my living room!