• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, February 12, 2008

Despite ratings reported to be low, a survey shows that cable operators are interested in carrying the 4-month-old Fox Business Network by the end of the year. The data from Beta Research shows that 43% of executives at large cable systems expressed some interest in adding FBN to their lineup.

FBN, which launched in October in more than 30 million homes, led the rankings of "emerging networks" that executives at cable systems with 100,000-plus subscribers are interested in picking up. Retirement Living TV--which launched in September 2006 and is in some 29 million homes--also generated a 43% interest level. Comcast and DirecTV carry RLTV, which offers eight hours of programming on weekdays. Comcast only carries four of those.

Results for the Beta Research Cable Operator Study on Channel Carriage were derived from a telephone survey of 130 executives (marketing directors, general managers and directors of programming) at cable operators last October and November. About half of the MSOs that participated had 100,000 or more subs, with about one-third at 200,000 and up.

Operators were asked about their interest in carrying 22 emerging networks, reaching up to 40 million homes, and 26 mid-sized networks, reaching between 40 million and 70 million homes. FBN and RLTV topped the charts among executives at larger cable systems. But among all 130 operators, FBN saw its interest level leap to 72%, behind only the Outdoor Channel at 83%.

Among mid-sized networks for all 130, DIY Network topped the list at 76%, followed by the Lifetime Movie Network with 75%. The much-anticipated Planet Green--the environmental lifestyle network from Discovery coming this spring--came in third at 71%.

With the large cable operators, 24-hour news outlet ABC News Now followed FBN and RLTV with 37%. ESPNU was fourth at 30% among emerging networks that operators are most interested in carrying.

Among "mid-sized networks," some 24% of large cable operators picked the NFL Network. Presumably, those respondents were expressing an interest so long as the NFL lowers its carriage fee, since many MSOs have balked at the asking price and refused to offer the channel.

Behind NFLN came the combination of MTV Networks' The N and Noggin (18%), which target teenagers and pre-schoolers, respectively--and became separate 24-hour networks at the end of last year. History International and Rainbow's We each followed at 10%.