Fox ends ties with top-rated host Bill O'Reilly

Adjust Comment Print

"But it is the unfortunate reality that man in the public eye must live with today", O'Reilly said.

However, Fox News's statement Wednesday afternoon said that "Bill O'Reilly will depart Fox News Channel, effective immediately".

The downfall of Fox's most popular - and most lucrative - personality began with an April 1 report in The New York Times that five women had been paid a total of $13 million to keep quiet about disturbing encounters with O'Reilly, who continued to deny any wrongdoing in a statement hours after he was sacked.

The announcement came just hours after the combative and right-wing television personality was photographed shaking hands with Pope Francis in St Peters Square during his holiday in the Italian capital.

Ailes, 76, launched the network in 1996 and oversaw its development into a high-ratings TV network and an effective PR platform for Republican politics.

The New York Times reported earlier this month that Fox and O'Reilly, a 20-year veteran of the conservative cable network, paid five women a total of $13 million to settle harassment claims.

Charles Herring, the president of Herring Networks, which owns OANN, said he expected Fox would replace O'Reilly with a highly capable host, but he's hopeful that "viewers migrate to One America News". "We are sorry this happened to you'".

Macron under fire for communication misstep as he eyes Élysee
Mr Macron is seen beating Ms Le Pen by 61 per cent to 39 per cent in the run-off vote, according to pollster Opinionway yesterday. That leaves Le Pen with less than two weeks attract voters whose candidates got knocked out in the first round .

She told the Times that after she won a beat against O'Reilly and her promised to treat her to dinner, the host said that while she might want to "break his bank" on her meal choice he was more interested in breaking her back. Ailes has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

The network's parent company, entertainment giant 21st Century Fox, insisted that Fox News will weather the current storm, noting in a statement the "strength of its talent bench" and expressing "full confidence that the network will continue to be a powerhouse in cable news".

A number of late night TV hosts, gleefully poked fun at O'Reilly's departure and Murdoch's statement.

Marc Kasowitz, O'Reilly's attorney, said that it was "outrageous that an allegation from an anonymous person about something that purportedly happened nearly a decade ago is being treated as fact, especially where there is obviously an orchestrated campaign by activists and lawyers to destroy Mr. O'Reilly and enrich themselves through publicity driven donations".

Perino said at the top of the show that, "We know you, his loyal viewers, will have a lot of feelings about it".

O'Reilly was accused of sexual harassment by multiple women at Fox News. The new Fox News primetime lineup will feature Tucker Carlson Tonight in O'Reilly's former time slot at 8 p.m., CNN reported.

Fox also has a big financial safety cushion in the fees cable companies pay the network, which dwarf its ad revenue, according to Nomura media analyst Anthony DiClemente. The impact the scandal could have on 21st Century Fox's attempts to purchase European broadcaster Sky? Burke, a former Fox News correspondent in Rome, denied having facilitated the tickets.

Comments