Fox Television Stations CEO Jack Abernethy has despatched a word to staffers addressing the Kanye West Yeezy.com commercial that ran in three of its markets, together with Los Angeles’ KTTV Fox 11, in the course of the Super Bowl. The spot prompted outrage as West has been commonly posting antisemitic messages on his social media whereas additionally proclaiming himself to be a nazi — after which started promoting a t-shirt with a swastika on the web site that had been marketed.
“We regret that these commercials aired in these three markets, and we strongly condemn any form of antisemitism,” Abernethy wrote in his e-mail to Fox TV Stations workers.
As Variety reported on Monday, the 30-second spot, which was positioned by the USIM media shopping for company, didn’t set off pink flags on the time it was submitted as a result of it was previous to West’s latest outbursts — and the low-budget business, shot in what gave the impression to be a dentist’s chair as West mentioned he was filming it on an iPhone, didn’t include questionable content material. Up till the advert truly ran, the Yeezy.com web site featured a Shopify-powered retailer number of numerous non-branded articles of clothes like shirts, pants and jackets — nothing that will have been deemed a problem.
But then, after the advert ran, Yeezy.com switched out its merchandise and put up only one merchandise: A swastika T-shirt on the market, at $20 every.
“The ad, which was presented as a legitimate online apparel site before and during the airing of the Super Bowl, was switched at some point afterwards, and completely outside of our stations control, respondents to the commercials were redirected toward the marketing of a wholly appalling product,” Abernethy added in his word.
On Tuesday, Shopify mentioned the Yeezy store had been pulled, including that the web site “did not engage in authentic commerce practices and violated our terms.” West’s X profile has been deactivated following days of the rapper posting antisemitic, misogynistic and pornographic posts. West declared “I’m a Nazi” and known as Hitler “so fresh” days earlier than his account shut down. His X posts had been broadly condemned by anti-hate organizations such because the Anti-Defamation League and the American Jewish Committee.
Here is Abernethy’s word to workers:
To All FTS Employees:
I wished to take a second to handle a business that ran in three of our native tv station markets throughout Super Bowl LIX on Fox.
The advert, which was offered as a legit on-line attire website earlier than and in the course of the airing of the Super Bowl, was switched in some unspecified time in the future afterwards, and utterly outdoors of our stations management respondents to the commercials had been redirected towards the advertising of an entirely appalling product.
We remorse that these commercials aired in these three markets, and we strongly condemn any type of antisemitism.
As you properly know, Fox is a robust supporter of such organizations because the “Foundation to Combat Antisemitism,” the “United Jewish Appeal Federation,” and others by way of direct assist or on-air promotion of their campaigns and we’ll proceed to work with them in combating antisemitism.
Jack