NETWORK COMBAT; CNBC GOES AFTER VIEWERS IN WAKE OF CNN ANCHOR'S DEPARTURE.

Byline: David Bauder Associated Press 

CNBC is moving aggressively to snatch some of television's wealthiest viewers following last week's resignation of Lou Dobbs, anchor of the business program ``Moneyline'' on CNN.

The financial news network announced Tuesday that it is expanding its nightly business wrap-up show to an hour and locking in its most marketable personality, stock market reporter Maria Bartiromo, to a new five-year contract.

``We're taking advantage of an opportunity,'' said CNBC President Bill Bolster.

CNN claimed the exit of Dobbs - perhaps the best-known business TV personality - hasn't made a dent in its ratings. Dobbs said last week he was leaving for an Internet start-up firm.

Some bulging wallets are at stake in the competition for financial news viewers. CNN's ``Moneyline'' is watched by about 387,000 households, more than twice the 183,000 households that watch CNBC's ``Business Center.''

While those ratings are a fraction of the 10 million households that watched ``60 Minutes,'' the No. 1 rated network show last week, the viewers of the business shows are among the most wealthy in the nation.

``The CNBC audience has the aggregate value to buy damn near anything you can advertise, not to mention they could probably buy some of the companies that are advertising,'' Bolster said.

``Moneyline'' earns more advertising revenue than any other show on the network, said Larry Goodman, president of CNN's sales department.

In fact, Goodman believes ``Moneyline'' earns more in advertising revenue per viewer - a key measure for advertisers - than any other show on broadcast or cable television.

CNBC, which already is a big money-maker for parent NBC, sees that as a potent vein of gold to be tapped. Although executives won't give precise figures, they say CNBC already has been making double-digit gains in profits over the last few years. It may may soon eclipse NBC, which is losing viewers and revenue, as a profit center, they said.

Wall Street's boom during the late 1990s, with the increasing number of Americans investing in the stock market, has made ``Moneyline'' an attractive advertising destination for financial service companies, Goodman said.

Internet companies also advertise there, as do states seeking economic development. ``There's a lot of business-to-business advertising,'' he said.

PBS's ``Nightly Business Report'' has more viewers than both of its cable competitors, but doesn't sell advertising.

While Dobbs' exit is important to both ``Moneyline'' and CNNfn, CNN's financial news offshoot, Guralnick said he believed its impact has been exaggerated.

CNBC believes viewers tuned to CNN for Dobbs, not the show. Its new hourlong ``Business Center'' will be anchored by Ron Insana and Sue Herera, starting Monday. Bartiromo, signed to a new contract in part so CNN won't be able to poach her, will now anchor CNBC's ``Street Signs'' program at 2 p.m. in addition to her morning reporting.

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Photo: (1--4--Color) no caption (CNBC television)

John Lazar/Daily News