What’s the top show on Fox Business Network?
Well the nearly three-year-old business network still doesn’t release ratings publicly, but a recent claim about a new program, Freedom Watch, got us to investigate – and we found out what #1 really is.
Last month while speaking at the American Revival rally, Glenn Beck claimed Freedom Watch, hosted by his “good friend” Judge Andrew Napolitano, “is now the number one show on the Fox Business Network.” The comment was picked up by a couple outlets.
That would certainly be surprising – it has only been on for less than two months, but more importantly, it airs Saturdays at 10amET. (It is also repeated at 8pmET on Saturday and 7 and 11pmET on Sunday.)
We asked a source inside Fox Business who has seen the numbers to share ratings data for the new show. The source gave Mediaite a peek at the numbers for the show and while it has performed okay, it’s by no means the highest rated show on the network. Instead, that belongs to the show that has been the highest since it debuted back in October – Don Imus‘ morning show. That program averages around a steady 110,000 total viewers, occasionally topping CNBC’s Squawk Box. Other strong performers are John Stossel, Stuart Varney and Neil Cavuto.
Instead, Freedom Watch has been more volatile, occasionally reaching into the 90,000 total viewer range but more often averaging around 44,000, like it did July 24. From what we’re told the encores average in the 40,000-50,000 total viewer range. In the A25-54 demographic, the program got 9,000 July 24.
While the total viewer average is low, it does show that the program, a weekend morning show, is developing an audience. And as it continues to feature high profile guests – from Sarah Palin to Ann Coulter to Beck – those numbers will likely grow.
An FBN spokesperson would not comment on the numbers, citing the fact the network is still not a full service client of Nielsen.
—–
» Follow Steve Krakauer on Twitter
Have a tip we should know? tips@mediaite.com
