After X hyped shows with Paris Hilton, Tucker Carlson, and others in January 2024, the deals have fizzled, a source says due to a lack of advertiser interest
X is having a tough time cracking into the TV business, but first... Promises, promises — Six months ago, executives … Forums: r/EnoughMuskSpam See also Mediagazer Forums: r/EnoughMuskSpam : Musk's X Falls Short on Promises of New Video Shows: the efforts have fizzled, a source says due to a lack of advertiser interest See also Mediagazer
Context & Ripple Effects
X’s programming push followed a broader effort to rebuild its advertising base: the company had expanded small-business sales efforts while marketing agencies reported that some brands did not plan to return after Musk’s comments. The reported collapse of the shows makes advertiser demand—not merely creator supply—the binding constraint on that strategy.
The outcome also fits March reporting that creators saw an unclear strategy, an unsettled ad business, and inconsistent payments in X’s creator push. Those creator concerns now appear connected to the platform’s ability to support premium programming commercially.
First-order effects
- X’s planned shows with Paris Hilton, Tucker Carlson, and other talent lose a viable ad-supported path, limiting the immediate value of those programming partnerships.
- Advertisers that declined to support the shows retain leverage over whether X can turn high-profile video into revenue; the platform’s strained agency relationships remain a direct obstacle.
Second-order effects
- X may have to rely more heavily on alternative ad-sales channels or smaller advertisers rather than using celebrity programming to bring larger brands back.
- Creators and talent evaluating X distribution deals have less evidence that the platform can pair audience reach with dependable monetization, reinforcing the concerns in its earlier creator recruitment effort.
Third-order effects
- If advertiser reluctance continues, X’s video strategy could remain oriented around attention and live distribution rather than becoming a durable television-style business funded by brand advertising.
- The episode underscores a broader platform-market reality: premium video investment does not by itself restore ad demand when brand-safety and advertiser-confidence issues remain unresolved.
The trend: Social platforms are testing celebrity-led video as a route to advertising growth, but advertiser confidence is increasingly determining which video ambitions can become sustainable businesses.