Ratings are not a measure of worth. For years, the magazine with the highest circulation was TV Guide. Before that, it was Reader's Digest. Now, it's Parade. I would not rely on any of those publications for insight on anything important. People sells far more copies than The Economist. That doesn't make People worth reading.
and his forum dwarfs that little minuscule government sponsored, C-Span liberal spewing cable channel.
C-SPAN (Cable and Satellite Public Affairs Network, in case you were wondering) is funded by the cable networks and carriers. It receives no government funding, unless you count tax breaks, which it probably gets.