Fox TV Stations CEO Shares Regret for Kanye West Super Bowl Ad: ‘We Strongly Condemn Any Form of Antisemitism’ (EXCLUSIVE)

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Jack Abernethy, CEO of Fox Television Stations, has penned a memo to employees regarding the Kanye West Yeezy advertisement that appeared in three markets, including KTTV Fox 11 Los Angeles, during the Super Bowl. The ad sparked controversy due to West’s frequent antisemitic social media posts and his self-proclaimed admiration for Nazism. This was further exacerbated when he started selling a t-shirt featuring a swastika on his website after the advertisement had run.

I’m deeply disappointed that these ads were broadcasted in these particular regions, and I unequivocally denounce any expression of antisemitism,” I penned in an email to the team at Fox TV Stations.

According to EbMaster’s report on Monday, the 30-second ad, purchased by USIM media buying agency, didn’t raise any concerns when it was submitted due to it being before West’s recent outbursts. The low-key commercial, seemingly filmed in a dentist’s chair using an iPhone, didn’t contain explicit content. Until the advertisement was aired, Yeezy.com showcased a Shopify-operated store with various non-branded clothing items such as shirts, pants, and jackets – nothing that would have been considered problematic.

Following the advertisement, however, Yeezy.com replaced its inventory with a single product – a swastika T-shirt priced at $20 apiece.

Or:

After running the ad, Yeezy.com changed their items to offer only one thing: A swastika T-shirt for sale, at $20 each.

Abernethy noted that the advertisement, initially presented as a legitimate online clothing store during and even after the Super Bowl broadcast, was later changed without our control. Unfortunately, viewers who clicked on this ad were unknowingly directed towards the promotion of an extremely inappropriate product.

On Tuesday, Shopify announced that the Yeezy store had been removed from their platform due to the shop not adhering to legitimate trading practices and breaching their terms. Following a series of controversial posts, Kanye West’s account was deactivated after he made antisemitic, misogynistic, and explicit comments. In the days leading up to his account being shut down, West declared himself as a Nazi and praised Hitler. These posts were widely criticized by anti-hate organizations like the Anti-Defamation League and the American Jewish Committee.

Here is Abernethy’s note to staff:

To All FTS Employees:

I’d like to briefly discuss an advertisement that aired on three of our local TV stations during the Super Bowl LIX, which was broadcasted by Fox.

Initially, the advertisement appeared to be a genuine clothing website during and even after the Super Bowl broadcast. However, at some undisclosed time later, it was changed without our control. Consequently, viewers who interacted with the ad were unknowingly directed towards the promotion of an extremely inappropriate product.

Apologies for the airing of these ads in these three regions. We firmly denounce any expressions or acts of antisemitism.

OR

Sorry about the broadcast of these commercials across these three locations. We unequivocally reject any form of antisemitism.

It’s clear that Fox is a committed ally of organizations like the “Foundation Against Antisemitism,” the “United Jewish Appeal Federation,” among others. They actively support these groups by directly funding them or promoting their campaigns on air. We plan to carry on collaborating with these organizations in our fight against antisemitism.

Jack

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2025-02-13 04:16