Maria Bartiromo leaving CNBC for Fox Business Network

Maria Bartiromo, a groundbreaking financial reporter who helped put the cable news channel CNBC on the map, is jumping to rival Fox Business Network.

Bartiromo, who first made a name for herself by reporting live from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, will be reunited with her old CNBC boss Roger Ailes, who now runs the Fox News empire.

The departure of Bartiromo, who hosted CNBC’s afternoon show “Closing Bell,” is a major loss for the cable channel. The reporter, who was initially known as the “money honey” when she first rose to prominence, is still one of CNBC’s most popular personalities.

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Besides having a show on Fox Business Network, Bartiromo will also have a presence on Fox News, a person familiar with the company’s plans said.

Bartiromo will leave CNBC at the end of this week when her contract expires. Earlier this year, she hired Creative Artists Agency, which was seen as a sign that she was looking to make a change. Senior executives from CNBC and parent NBCUniversal made last-ditch efforts to keep her on board, but the lure of Ailes proved too strong.

In statement, Bartiromo thanked CNBC, saying, “after twenty great years of having a front row seat to some of the most important economic stories in the world, it’s hard to sum up the gratitude and appreciation I have for the team that helped make it happen.”

CNBC praised Bartiromo for her two decades at the channel, saying her contributions are “too numerous to list.”

News of Bartiromo’s move was first reported by The Drudge Report.

Follow Joe Flint on Twitter @JBFlint.

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For the record: This post was updated to include a statement from Maria Bartiromo.