In commenting on Tucker Carlson’s shocking departure from Fox News, Megyn Kelly noted that while his 8 p.m. show was a ratings winner it did not do well financially for the network because of the left’s efforts to limit advertisers.
With Carlson no longer in the time slot, “blue-chip” advertisers are reportedly returning, even if the viewers are not — the replacement program “Fox News Tonight” is reportedly getting a third of the audience Carlson drew.
“Since Carlson’s stunning exit last month, a timeslot that has been shunned by many Madison Avenue stalwarts seems as if it is being embraced. Procter & Gamble, one of the nation’s largest and most influential advertisers, has been running ads in ‘Fox News Tonight,’ the network’s new 8 p.m. program, for female-skewing products like Venus razor blades by Gillette and Secret underarm deodorant,” Variety reported. “Also showing up in commercial breaks: Novo Nordisk’s trendy medication Ozempic, and Scotts Miracle-Gro.”
The development is the latest example of how cowardly corporate America can be in the face of pressure from the radical left.
Jeff Collins, executive vice president of ad sales at Fox News Media, boasted in an interview with Variety that “over 40 news advertisers” are onboard now.
“We have had over 40 new advertisers come into the hour since we launched the new program, including some of the largest in the country and, really, across all major categories,” Collins said. “We have seen new advertisers come in, and new demand.”
In effect, it’s possible that the network is earning more money with far fewer viewers — all of which, if true, puts Carlson’s ouster in a whole new light.
As Variety noted, as a result of the $787.5 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems, Fox News has cause to look at the bottom line — a second defamation lawsuit from the voting technology firm Smartmatic looms, with the company seeking a whopping $2.7 billion in damages.
Marianne Gambelli, Fox Corp.’s president of advertising sales, marketing and brand partnerships, told Variety that the network intends to bring back a full complement of national advertisers to the 8 p.m. time slot.
Angelo Carusone, president of Media Matters, a hard-left media advocacy group that opposes Fox News, disputed the reporting from Variety.
“This is definitely not true. And Brian Steinberg at Variety is often a proxy for Fox PR; he will write anything they give him and he will never attempt to verify,” Carusone tweeted.
Reporter Brian Steinberg replied, “I actually spent a week watching the 8 pm hour before I wrote this and it is accurate that Procter & Gamble, Cologuard, Ozempic and other national advertisers have begun to run commercials in the time slot previously occupied by Carlson.”
I actually spent a week watching the 8 pm hour before I wrote this and it is accurate that Procter & Gamble, Cologuard, Ozempic and other national advertisers have begun to run commercials in the time slot previously occupied by Carlson. https://t.co/Aejk3sMwB9
— Brian Steinberg (@bristei) May 8, 2023
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Tom Tillison grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills. Tillison also contributes to BizPac Review.
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