Fox Business Network reached 13.5 million for GOP debate

The debate is created to focus on economic issues, but Bartiromo said potential presidents must prove themselves adept at addressing a wide range of issues.

The “undercard” debate will be moderated by Fox Business Network anchors Trish Regan and Sandra Smith and Wall Street Journal Washington Bureau Chief Gerald Seib. But this year, thanks in part to Donald Trump, viewership has soared.

Viewers will be able to watch the slimmed down field of main stage candidates at Tuesday’s Republican presidential debate for free online.

“Fox Business moderators deserve a few credit for getting into the policy weeds, where Trumps and Carsons wither”, the Financial Times’ US columnist Edward Luce wrote. Tuesday’s match-up will easily set a new record for the eight-year-old Fox Business, as well.

Fox News is finalizing plans to hold its next Republican primary debate on January 28, just four days before the Iowa caucuses, CNN has learned.

With the high ratings expectations come high ad rates: Fox is charging roughly $175,000 for a 30-second commercial during the debate, according to two people involved in ad sales.

Fox Business was at a slight disadvantage versus CNBC because it is not available in as many homes. He wants there to be a clear contrast between CNBC’s chaotic “battle in Boulder” – where the candidates turned on the moderators – and a much more controlled Fox Business debate. Two weeks ago CNBC’s GOP debate was widely panned. “In the CNBC debate you couldn’t even hear what the candidates were saying because they all talked over each other”.

It all starts at 6 p.m. Central with the lower polling GOP hopefuls: New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie; Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee; Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal; and former Pennsylvania Sen.

Cable news debates one year before general election day used to get 2 or 3 or 4 million viewers.

“What we have to do as moderators is make sure we’re asking the adult kind of questions without any agenda, but without doing so snidely”, said Neil Cavuto who will moderate tonight’s debate for FOX.

The network sought to capitalize on the big audience for the debate by having its biggest stars on the air.

Fox Business is also using the debate as a launchpad for a new season of its highest-rated show, the documentary series “Strange Inheritance”. The network is premiering four new episodes in a row on Wednesday night.