Fox Business Network Cancels Judge Andrew Napolitano's Freedom Watch

Reason Magazine ^ | February 9, 2012 | Matt Welch

[opentalk]

Bad news, freedom fighters! Judge Andrew Napolitano's Freedom Watch, the best damned daily libertarian news & argument show in the history of television (name a better one!), has gotten the axe from Fox Business Network. From the press release:

FOX Business Network (FBN) will debut a new primetime schedule featuring encore presentations of the channel's top post-market programs, announced Kevin Magee, Executive Vice President of the network. Starting February 20th at 8 PM/ET, viewers will find additional airings of The Willis Report (5PM & 8PM/ET), Cavuto (6PM & 9PM/ET) and Lou Dobbs Tonight (7PM & 10PM/ET). The new lineup will replace FreedomWatch with Judge Andrew Napolitano, Power & Money with David Asman and Follow the Money with Eric Bolling.

[mnehring]

His show started OK but became a really annoying commercial for Ron Paul about every issue. Might as well have put a big sign in front of the Judge’s desk that said “Ron Paul is from the government and he is here to help”.

[Jane Long]

..."We look forward to Judge Napolitano, David and Eric continuing to make significant contributions to both FOX Business and FOX News. In addition to daily branded segments, each of them will be showcased throughout future programming on both networks."

That's a nice way to get walked out of the building. Bummer...I like The Judge.

[Politics4US]

I was never a fan of his. He says the same thing as Geraldo on many issues.

[optiguy]

You’re absolutely right. I used to love watching his show until he became a running ad for Ron Paul. I would sometimes switch the channel to see what he was talking about lately and he would be in the middle of a speech about Ron Paul being the only choice for president.

[PGalt]

Not good. The handful of times I watched it, the show was very good. I also enjoyed David Asman & Eric Bolling.

[STJPII]

Wasn’t a fan. I wish they’d cancel Imus in the morning too. I was extremely disappointed when FOX canceled “Money for Breakfast”

[Spunky]

"I was never a fan of his. He says the same thing as Geraldo on many issues."

Then they should have gotten rid of Geraldo. I can't stand him.

[Spunky]

P.S. That’s not to say I like Judge Napolitano, but I could stand him more the Geraldo.

[Leaning Right]

It's his own fault. Napolitano went against Fox's Mitt Romney bias.

His libertarian viewpoint will be missed, at least by me.

[Dogbert41]

Fox could use some conservative competition.

[Lazlo in PA]

That’s too bad. Who is going to pimp relentlessly for RuPaul now?

[GeronL]

How were the ratings?

[Sprite518]

Notice no mention of his ratings????

I bet the Judge had great ratings, but the Romney network could not tolerate that. So they had to let him go.

[Digger]

I guess I didn’t watch it enough but I really enjoyed him. I see it as a last bastion for me on any TV shows. Thankful for this internet.

[Tucker39]

I initially watched him with high hopes. But he frequently would take a position on an issue which was directly opposite to what I believed was a true Conservative one; and very often it seemed he was saying we need to let the courts tell us how to live, and just acquiesce.....to which I yelled bull$h!t at the TV, and quit watching him.

Now as to whether the suits at FOX had anything even remotely within the same galaxy as I when they made their decision? Frankly, my dear.....!

[EDINVA]

David Asman has been a fav of mine for a long, long time.

[keyesguy]

Mixed feelings on this, I found the Ron Paul shilling tiresome as well as his admiration for Dennis Kucinech, but it was a different perspective and often had interesting segments. I wonder if Fox Business is struggling. It appears to me to be a costcutting move since they are not bringing in new shows, plus they basically phone it in in the morning by simulcasting Imus instead of having good business programming to compete with CNBC.

[Josh Painter]

Da Judge just wasn’t a very good show host. He’s much better as a legal analyst, the role he fulfilled before he got his own show. Sounds like he will be put back in that role.

That being said, running repeats of hours from earlier in the day, like Fox News does with O’Reilly, Hannity & Greta is simply a cheap out.

I don’t understand why Fox Biz doesn’t have at least one hour devoted exclusively to the energy business. That would be right up Eric Bolling’s alley. They should also devote an hour to international business, which is David Asman’s expertise.

But it appears Fox is more interested in cutting costs than it is in offering cutting edge business programming these days.

[Milhous]

He really didn’t jibe with the rest of Fox.

[Crucial]

I guess you only call Obama a tyrant, backed up with examples, just so many times on TV before you get axed. I enjoyed the show quite a lot. The introduction of the show could have used some work though.

[Renegade]

“He really didn’t jibe with the rest of Fox.”

and Juan Williams DOES???

[gunnyg]

Hmmm....

ED Hill down; Beck down; Gibson down; Napolitano down.....

Cavuto...the only good one left?

Semper Watching!
*****

[ConservativeTeen]

“FOX Business Network (FBN) will debut a new primetime schedule featuring encore presentations of the channel’s top post-market programs.”

One thing I don’t like about FNC is the overabundance of reruns on the channel, the weekends are especially bad.

[TauntedTiger]

I consider this terrible news! Freedom Watch was the best show on either Fox or Fox Business. Such a perfect alternative to O’Reilly.

Seems that having at least one libertarian-leaning show on Fox (or FB) was too much to expect. Ah well..should have known it wouldn’t last.

Thankfully we still have the Internet (at least so far).

[iopscusa]

The Judge was better than the rest of the thin gruel on Fox. Fox survives on a long lost reputation, the contrast to garbage cable crap, and lack of worthy competition on the boob tube. It’s become unwatchable for me as all I see is repetitious TeeVee debates between yin and yang shallow arguments from mostly big government drones increasingly leaning to the left. But, but, but Ron Paul is a Racist as all the Fox ‘suburban’ Conservatives Rhinos keep spouting.

[Elle Bee]

“But it is hard to maintain an aura of invincibility after you have been vinced...” …. Thomas Sowell

Has FOX News 'Jumped The Shark' Over Mitt???

FOX News may have 'jumped the shark' over mittens

Fair and balanced is Juan McCain

I for one have had enough of the ‘wisdom’ of Bill Kristal, Chas. Krauthammer, Ted Baxter, Bret Beahr, Toyko Rove, Ann Colter, Chris Wallace, Sean Wannabe, Dana Parino, Brit Hume, Shep Smith, Judge Jeanene, Alan Comes, Bob Beckle, Juan Williams, Whoraldo, et. al. all acting the part of the Romney cheerleading squad

Does anyone else 'feel my pain'?

.

Name ONE true conservative who is regularly on FOX

There is clearly a hunger and a market for honest news and honest conservative news - and it is clearly not FOX

with apologies to Ted Knight ….Find O'Reilly:

.

[CrosscutSaw]

I consider this terrible news! Freedom Watch was the best show on either Fox or Fox Business. Such a perfect alternative to O’Reilly.

Freedom Watch was indeed the best show on either Fox News or Fox Business on weekday evenings. I also enjoyed Bolling and Asmus as well. I guess these hosts didn't follow the establishment line and it's getting too close to election time to allow them to inform the public with a different point of view.

I wonder if they will cancel Stossel next? His show is also better than most of the rest that Fox offers.