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How poorly is Fox Business Network doing?

August 25, 2009 10:26 am ET by Eric Boehlert

This nugget from the WSJ, on the (misguided premise) that Don Imus might help juice FBN ratings in the mornings, was pretty amazing [emphasis added]:

 Fox Business averaged 21,000 viewers between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. in June, according to Nielsen Co.

That's right, 21,000 viewers. Now, combine that number with this one:

Fox Business is in 49 million homes, including the New York and Washington markets.

Rupert Murdoch's Fox Business Network is in 49,000,000 homes, but only 21,000 tune in during the morning. I think that comes out to .05% of possible viewers watching FBN during morning drive, but I'm no good at math so the figure might actually be lower.

Suffice it to say that after more than a year on the air, FBN remains cable's best kept secret.

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    • Author by Major Tom (August 25, 2009 10:31 am ET)
         
      It's virtually impossible to sit through Cavuto when he refuses to clear his throat and his voice becomes more and more phlemy... It's kinda gross.
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    • Author by Max Credits (August 25, 2009 10:32 am ET)
      1  
      Actually, if Fox Business averaged only 21,000 viewers between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m, then it's likely that fewer than half that total tuned in during the during morning drive.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by dmhack (August 25, 2009 11:07 am ET)
         
      Gee, you'd think with Imus prattling on about Fox Biz they'd have at least 25,000.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by neon desert (August 25, 2009 11:51 am ET)
           
        I think the lower numbers stem from the fact that when it really matters - you know, financially - people expect the same level of accuracy and integrity from the Fox Business Channel that they get from Fox News.
        Report Abuse
    • Author by Tbone Slickens (August 25, 2009 11:23 am ET)
         
      Wow. That's some conservative misinformation you got there E! Piling on a tad?

      Report Abuse
    • Author by rtejon (August 25, 2009 12:43 pm ET)
         
      You mean they can't even draw more men who just to see Liz Claman and Alexis Glick?

      Apparently, anyone who's invested according to FBN's guidance is too ashamed to offer a testimonial. Say what you will about CNBC; at least it still gets watched by real investors.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by political_left-religious_right (August 25, 2009 12:48 pm ET)
         
      Say, where are all the wingnuts who make great claims about Fox's ratings? You know, the ones who can't help but make comparisons between Fox shows and MSNBC's evening lineup? The underlying claim--not that they'ed ever admit it--is that ratings equals truth.

      Now FBN's ratings are so small you can't see them with a microscope, so can we apply their logic and say that FBN must be telling lies? Or at least that other business programs are more truthful?
      Report Abuse
    • Author by heru (August 25, 2009 8:35 pm ET)
         
      These idgits trust fox with their racism not with their money. The fox audience is ignint not stupid.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by toombsie (August 25, 2009 9:40 pm ET)
         
      If only Fox News was doing as poorly
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    • Author by bullwinkle (August 25, 2009 11:35 pm ET)
         
      Cranking up my handy Macalculator puts that figure at just over .0004 percent.....giving a new meaning to the phrase "eensy beensy." How do you think the on-air talent feels sitting there staring into a camera, secure in the knowledge that there could be more people watching them in the studio than in the entire U.S.?
      Report Abuse
    • Author by salvorhardin (August 26, 2009 1:09 am ET)
         
      A better way of looking at it, at least I think it really puts it in perspective, is that only 4 out of every 10,000 viewers watches FBN.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by moneyman (August 26, 2009 6:56 am ET)
         
      I'd love to join this beatdown of FBN but you girls are forgetting one thing: Fox News and how it came up from way behind to slam CNN and MSNBC. The 21,000 number, as I recall, started off as 4k when Fox Biz began, IF that. Last I checked, that's a near tripling of viewership. Small? yep. But a trend is a trend. Meantime, the so-called juggernaut of CNBC is losing viewership. If you think \Murdoch/Ailes and company are worried, you have no idea what's coming. I just thank my lucky stars it'll be wrapped in Liz Claman's sweaterdress.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by truthseeker77 (August 26, 2009 1:30 pm ET)
      1  
      We won't know if this stat is good or bad until Media Matters tells us
      a)In how many homes MSNBC and CNN are available.
      b) How many viewers these rivals have.

      Context is it. Let's frame things better.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by chief4life (August 26, 2009 5:16 pm ET)
         
      I prefer watching Dylan Ratigan on MSNBC daytime and Keith Olbermann on MSNBC at night. I stopped watching CNBC when it became a shill for the anti-Obama crowd. I miss Bill Griffeth and Sue Herrera, the lunchtime team, who were back together from their FNN days. Bill is VERY conservative for sure. But he is not obnoxious like the newbies on CNBC and the old ones like Kudlow and Cramer. And forget about FAUX Business News. I thougth Stuart Varney was good on CNN. But I guess he needed a job too desperately enough and has slipped into the Faux system. Sad for us consumers who don't have competition!
      Report Abuse

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  • County Fair is a media blog featuring links to progressive media criticism from around the Web as well as original commentary, breaking news and rapid response updates to major media events from Media Matters senior fellows and other staff.
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