Big Advertisers Appear Wary of CBS News' Bari Weiss Town Hall Format (Kirk) [View all]

During a Saturday-night town hall led by Bari Weiss, the recently named editor in chief of CBS News, most of Madison Avenue sought an off-ramp.


The news special aired at 8 p.m. on Saturday, one of the least-watched hours in broadcast TV. And that may have contributed to a relative dearth of top advertisers appearing to support the show. During the hour, commercial breaks were largely filled with spots from direct-response advertisers, including the dietary supplement SuperBeets; the home-repair service HomeServe.com; and CarFax, a supplier of auto ownership data. Viewers of the telecast on WCBS, CBS’ flagship station in New York, even saw a commercial for Chia Pet, the terra-cotta figure that sprouts plant life after a few weeks.

Direct-response advertisers typically pay lower prices in exchange for allowing TV networks to put their commercials on air when convenience allows. A flurry of the ads appearing in one program usually offers a signal that the network could not line up more mainstream support for the content it chose to air.

A more monied class of sponsors was evident during the first commercial break appearing in the 9 p.m. hour on CBS, a rebroadcast of a 2024 episode of “48 Hours.” Marketers appearing included Amazon, Ferrero Group, and Procter & Gamble. One direct-response marketer, Operation Smile, a nonprofit medical service organization, also appeared.


Other marketers who lined up for CBS News’ Erika Kirk town hall included companies whose products and services may have dovetailed with the viewers who tuned in to see the show. Among the town hall’s sponsors were the conservative Heritage Foundation; Hallow, a mobile app for Christian prayer; “David,” a new animated film from Angel Studios, which specializes in faith-based content; and the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. A small handful of more mainstream advertisers, including Spotify and TikTok, was also present.

https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/advertisers-wary-cbs-news-bari-weiss-town-hall-1236608265/