If you had to describe the ratings for CNBC’s The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch, what sort of words would you use?

Sad? Itty-bity? How about highly-rated? That’s what Katie Couric told Today Show viewers on Wednesday morning:

“Donny Deutsch runs a top ad agency, he’s also the host of “The Big Idea,” the highly-rated show on CNBC,” she said while introducing a segment on ad agencies using normal people as models.

“She blatantly lied to millions of viewers,” a tipster exclaimed yesterday. The night before Deutsch’s appearance, The Big Idea scratched in every category. It had only 54,000 total viewers, and a measly 32,000 in the 25-54 demographic. In July, The Big Idea was one of the lowest-rated shows on cable news, averaging just 111,000 viewers and earning a 0.1.

The show’s ratings are gradually improving, CNBCers say, but calling it “highly-rated” provokes laughter. Someone should tell Katie to check TVNewser’s daily Scoreboard…