Fox News Hosts Lose Ads, Tucker Carlson Attacks Media Matters On Eve Of FNC Meeting With Media Buyers
Jeanine Pirro’s Fox News Channel show has lost advertisers since last weekend’s telecast in which she seemed to question the national loyalty of Rep. Ilhan Omar because the Congresswoman wears a hijab.
On last Saturday’s Justice with Jeanine Pirro, the host told viewers, “Think about it: Omar wears a hijab. Is her adherence to this Islamic doctrine indicative of her adherence to Sharia law, which in itself is antithetical to the United States Constitution?”
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Meanwhile, Tucker Carlson’s FNC show has shed another major advertiser, since Media Matters released compilation audio clips of offensive remarks Carlson made in on-air chats with shock jock Bubba the Love Sponge, between 2006-11.
Fox News is set to meet with advertisers Wednesday in Manhattan, for what Media Matters calls an “emergency meeting” – but Fox News says is a long-planned upfront presentation to pitch to advertisers the idea the whole country, not just red states, watches the cable network.
Media Matters says it timed the release of the audio to give advertisers “a deeper understanding” of the network in advance of Wednesday’s meeting.
The org told Deadline it wants to make sure media buyers know ads in any Fox News Channel program supports its “extremism” and “propaganda.”
“No matter what time of day, Fox News is Fox News,” a rep said. Any effort to “quarantine” an ad outside of one of FNC’s primetime shows “does not insulate your brand.”
Related: California Congresswoman Tells Chris Wallace No Democrats Watch Fox News
On the eve of Fox News’s meeting with advertisers, Carlson began his Tuesday program going after Media Matters, describing it as “a George Soros-funded lobbying organization whose sole mission is to punish critics of the Democratic Party.”
MM, he said, “often uses propaganda from the Southern Poverty Law Center to bully corporations, news execs and tech companies into punishing people it does not like.”
“Not surprisingly,” Carlson added, “the media love Media Matters.”
Carlson had been similarly unapologetic after the liberal watchdog org unveiled the first audiotape, saying it “caught me saying something naughty on a radio show more than a decade ago,” and declining to “express the usual ritual contrition.”
In a list of advertisers MM began compiling last December – when Carlson made headlines remarking on air that immigrants were making America “dirtier” – and last updated on Tuesday, the group lists 34 companies that have pulled ads from Tucker Carlson Tonight. A few more advertisers had yanked ads, but later resumed running spots in the show, the org tallied.
New to the list, Sheex bedding company confirmed it would not advertise on the program after hearing the audio of Carlson using the c-word to describe a woman, calling a Supreme Court associate justice an inherently unattractive woman, and describing women as inherently “primitive.”
On his Monday show, Carlson said Fox News was standing behind him, for which he was grateful. Similarly, Fox News stood behind him when Media Matters launched its Carlson ad boycott last December, saying, “It is a shame that left wing advocacy groups, under the guise of being supposed ‘media watchdogs’ weaponize social media against companies in an effort to stifle free speech.”
“We continue to stand by and work with our advertisers through these unfortunate and unnecessary distractions,” Fox News added.
NerdWallet which, you may remember, was among the companies to pull its ads from Carlson’s show back in December, now says it will not advertise on Pirro’s show in the wake of her incendiary remark about Rep. Omar.
In that case, Fox News condemned Pirro’s comment, saying they “do not reflect those of the network and we have addressed the matter with her directly.” Pirro insists she was only trying to “start a debate.” Mission accomplished.
Media Matters on Tuesday claimed most of Carlson’s “blue chip advertisers” have left the program. Fox News, however, says commercials have been moved to other spots on its schedule.
“This hasn’t affected our bottom line,” Fox News told Deadline.
Among those advertisers sticking with Carlson’s show, by MM’s tally:
Progressive
My Pillow
Elite Singles
StarKist
Super Beta Prostate
Jenny Craig
POFS
Bayer
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