Conservative firebrand Glenn Beck faces his first big test since leaving Fox News when his new two-hour show begins today.
The first episode of Mr. Beck's program "Glenn Beck," which will air on his new Internet-only network GBTV, will focus on taking action, particularly in the wake of the 10-year anniversary of Sept. 11. Mr. Beck will also discuss the state of the economy.
In an interview, Mr. Beck said the show will in some ways break from his old program, with several new contributors and double the length.
But it will also resemble the one he anchored on Fox, with features like his trademark chalkboard and call to activism. "GBTV is not for slugs," he said. "It's news for people who want to get involved and play a role in saving our country.
But Mr. Beck added that he will have "complete creative control since I own the show and the network." Mr. Beck's production company, Mercury Radio Arts, owns GBTV as well as his new daily show. Fox is owned by News Corp., which also owns The Wall Street Journal.
Because Mr. Beck owns the show and the network, he could make substantially more than the $2.5 million salary he got each year at Fox. GBTV is on track to take in more than $20 million in revenue in its debut year, according to a person close to the company.
The television industry will be watching closely to see whether the TV host can preserve his popularity while migrating to the Web, where efforts to get consumers to pay to watch online-only channels are just beginning.
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