The “New Libertarian” FBN…

The New York Times’ Brian Stelter writes about FBN’s “new” Libertarian bent…

“Freedom Watch” is arguably Tea Party TV in its purest form to date.

It is the latest product of the News Corporation, led by Rupert Murdoch, and being shown on the weekends on the Fox Business Network, which is searching for higher ratings by adding provocative commentators.

Fox News already dominates the market for conservative TV talk with hosts like Mr. Beck and Sean Hannity, and has generated billions in revenue to show for it. Now, the upstart Fox Business is making room for libertarian talk, too. An aggressive pro-civil liberties, anti-government streak is evident on both “Freedom Watch” and “Stossel,” a weekly Fox Business show hosted by the former ABC News anchor John Stossel that was added last fall.

As any libertarian will tell you, there are sharp differences in opinions between conservatives and libertarians, and now Fox has programs for both.

“I think Fox is seeing a business opportunity here,” said Jacob G. Hornberger, the president of the Future of Freedom Foundation, a libertarian educational group.

Update: Blowback courtesy of Talking Biz News…

The Times did not get a comment from Fox Business, but Talking Biz News did and shot it right back at Press.

A spokeswoman stated, “If anyone is familiar with being a ratings killer it’s Bill Press who hasn’t been able to maintain a steady hosting job on television since being dumped by CNN in 2002 and having his show canceled by MSNBC in 2003.”

Ouch…