Cable news funding
Cable news funding comes from a variety of sources, including:
- Advertising: Cable news networks generate a significant portion of their revenue from advertising. They sell commercial time to companies, which pay to air their ads during programming.
- Subscription fees: Cable and satellite TV providers pay cable news networks a fee to carry their channels. This fee is typically a percentage of the provider's revenue.
- Affiliate fees: Cable news networks also receive fees from local TV stations that air their programming. These fees are typically a percentage of the station's revenue.
- Licensing fees: Some cable news networks, like CNN, receive licensing fees from other TV networks or streaming services that air their programming.
- Sponsorships: Cable news networks may also receive funding from sponsors that pay to associate their brand with specific programming or events.
- Grants and donations: Some non-profit cable news organizations, like PBS NewsHour, receive funding from grants and donations from foundations, corporations, and individuals.
- Merchandising: Some cable news networks may generate revenue from the sale of merchandise, such as books, DVDs, or other products.
Here are some approximate revenue figures for major cable news networks:
- CNN: $3.5 billion (2020)
- Fox News: $2.5 billion (2020)
- MSNBC: $1.5 billion (2020)
- CNBC: $1.2 billion (2020)
- HLN: $500 million (2020)
- PBS NewsHour: $100 million (2020)
It's worth noting that these figures are estimates and may not reflect the networks' actual revenue. Additionally, the revenue figures for cable news networks can fluctuate significantly from year to year based on factors like changes in the media landscape, economic conditions, and viewer habits.