Fox News host Tucker Carlson appears to be hemorrhaging sponsors after his old racist and sexist comments resurfaced this week.
An analysis by Samba TV found that Carlson had 39 advertisers on the Monday before the tapes uncovered by Media Matters made big headlines, and just 14 advertisers the day after, TheWrap reported.
“This is a sizable fall-off in advertisers,” media analyst Brad Adgate told TheWrap. “This doesn’t seem to be blowing over.”
Carlson had 54 advertisers in the same week last year, but he lost some in December after he claimed immigrants made America “dirtier.”
Advertising blocs fell to about 13.5 minutes on Monday, the day after the first batch of audio was released. On Tuesday and Wednesday ― after more old Carlson comments resurfaced ― ads fell to about 11.5 minutes, with many of them promos and MyPillow spots, The Contemptor reported.
The ads that remained weren’t always typical for prime-time television:
On Wednesday, Fox News reps pleaded with advertisers to stick it out.
“We know there is a lot of noise out there, but the voice of a few shouldn’t prevent you from marketing your brands to millions of consumers who actually buy your products and services,” Marianne Gambelli, the network’s head of advertising, said at a presentation to sponsors, per the Los Angeles Times.
Fox News executives told the Times that the presentation was planned months ago.
Fox News had $1.09 billion in ad revenue last year, a 7.2 percent increase over 2017. However, the Times added that Carlson’s show was bucking that trend; its ad revenue plunged 45 percent in the fourth quarter as boycott calls grew over his anti-immigrant comments.
Some advertisers, however, remained committed to Carlson. In December, My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell said: “I make all of my advertising decisions based on what is best for MyPillow, my customers and my employees.”
Lindell, an avowed conservative and a constant advertising presence on Fox News, even as various shows have been subject to boycott calls, was rewarded with an appearance as a guest on Carlson’s show:
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