Showtime strengthens exclusive financial news coverage with CNNfn

The network also announced that it will terminate transmission of the CNBC channel on that date.

Explaining the decision to switch its U.S. based financial news programming to CNNfn, Showtime President Peter Einstein said it was in direct response to viewer demand. He said: "Like many of our subscribers who invest in overseas markets, we were disappointed with the quality of the CNBC feed."

"The addition of the exclusive feed of CNNfn from the United States significantly improves Showtime's coverage of financial news from the world's leading markets," Einstein added. "CNNfn benefits from the greater financial news resources of CNN and Money magazine."

The channel features non-stop financial news, up-to-the-minute data and market insight and advice drawn from Money magazine's 30 years of experience of financial journalism and CNN's broadcast resources. It is the first time that CNNfn is available to television viewers in the region.

"CNNfn complements the first class coverage of European financial news from Bloomberg and provides essential real-time data and reports from the U.S markets for Middle East investors," said Einstein.

Ron Ciccone, Senior Vice President and Managing Director for Turner Broadcasting System Europe (TBS) for the Middle East, said: "Showtime has shown tremendous commitment to providing viewers in the Middle East with superb Western entertainment.

"The addition of CNNfn to the Showtime platform significantly enhances the network's financial news coverage."

In addition to breaking news and daily market reports, CNNfn features exclusive feature programmes like CNNmoney Morning, Market Call, The Money Gang, Street Sweep and the popular Moneyline, hosted by legendary financial news anchor Lou Dobbs who first launched the top rated show 20 years ago.

As well as US financial news the channel also offers viewers live action from trading floors in Europe, Asia and emerging markets and previews the impact of the overseas markets on the U.S. stock exchanges. Traditional financial market reporting examines the companies, people and hot trends that are driving Wall Street and the world economy.