Ads on Fox News aren’t like any they are on any other news network. Whereas the likes of CNN and MSNBC have nice and normal commercials, theirs tend to be MyPillow ads and ones where character actor William Devane preaches the importance of gold. Advertisers particularly didn’t like being associated with Tucker Carlson Tonight, probably because it featured him spreading Jan. 6 misinformation and white supremacist conspiracy theories. Now he’s gone, and lo and behold some of them are coming back.
As per Variety, over 40 “blue-chip” advertisers have been running ads on Fox News Tonight, the network’s temporary replacement at the once-much-watched 8pm slot lorded over by Carlson from 2017 up until two weeks ago. Those include such Madison Avenue stalwarts as Procter & Gamble, Gilette, Secret underarm deodorant, Ozempic, and Miracle-Gro.
When asked if they were planning on coaxing back major advertisers, one sales exec replied, simply, “That’s our intent.”
The news comes not only after the canning of Tucker Carlson, but also after the massive $787.5 million settlement Fox News cut with Dominion Voting Systems, who had taken them to court over their airing of wacko conspiracy theories even their own on-air talent thought was bunk.
Does this mean a less bonkers Fox News? Time will tell. But while Tucker’s old slot has taken a massive ratings hit, at least they’re getting ad money from real companies and not just an unhinged conspiracy theorist who’s burned through a chunk of his bedwear fortune.
They may also need it should Carlson come for them, as he’s rumored to do.
(Via Variety)