CNBC had considerable difficulty getting cable carriage at first, as many providers were skeptical of placing it alongside the longer-established Financial News Network. By the winter of 1990, CNBC was only in 17 million homes – less than half of FNN's potential reach – despite having the muscle of NBC standing behind it. The original financial television concept predates both CNBC and FNN, as several independent TV stations commenced financial programming starting in the late 1960s (WCIU Chicago & KWHY Los Angeles); as Gene Inger, a Registered Investment Advisor, pioneered financial programming in several cities; notably San Francisco, Miami / Fort Lauderdale; then his part-owned WWHT Channel 68 Newark (serving the NY market). Mr. Inger (never part of FNN) disengaged operationally after the sale of Channel 68 to Miami-based Wometco; and today Channel 68 is an NBC property. (Inger was a guest on CNBC for years and as of 2019 provides online commentary from Florida.)