Bill O'Reilly out at Fox after harassment allegations

[webfact]

Bill O'Reilly out at Fox after harassment allegations

By Jessica Toonkel and Tim Baysinger

REUTERS

 

Fox News Channel host Bill O'Reilly poses on the set of his show "The O'Reilly Factor" in New York March 17, 2015. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo

 

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Twenty-First Century Fox Inc <FOXA.O> has parted ways with star cable news host Bill O'Reilly following allegations of sexual harassment, the company said on Wednesday.

 

“After a thorough and careful review of the allegations, the company and Bill O’Reilly have agreed that Bill O’Reilly will not be returning to the Fox News Channel,” the conservative network's parent said in a statement.

 

The decision, coming after advertisers had begun to flee his show, ends a more than 20-year career at Fox News for O'Reilly, a best-selling author as well as one of the most popular commentators on U.S. television.

 

In an internal memo to Fox News employees seen by Reuters, Rupert Murdoch called O'Reilly "one of the most accomplished TV personalities in the history of cable news."

 

Murdoch, who is executive chairman of Twenty-First Century Fox, also wrote the company is committed to "fostering a work environment built on the values of trust and respect."

 

O'Reilly, who has been off the air on vacation since April 11, said in a written statement he was proud of the "unprecedented success" at Fox.

 

"It is tremendously disheartening that we part ways due to completely unfounded claims. But that is the unfortunate reality many of us in the public eye must live with today," O'Reilly said in the statement, which was emailed by crisis communications expert Mark Fabiani.

 

O'Reilly will be replaced in his prime-time lineup by Fox host Tucker Carlson. Carlson's show had been moved earlier this year to replace "The Kelly File" with Megyn Kelly, another Fox News star who left for NBC in January.

 

The New York Times reported on April 1 that Fox and O'Reilly paid five women a total of $13 million to settle harassment claims. The five women who received settlements either worked for O'Reilly or appeared as guests on his programme, according to the New York Times story.

 

O'Reilly said in a statement at the time that he had settled only to spare his children from the controversy.

 

O'Reilly's show, "The O'Reilly Factor," is the top-rated show on Fox News. According to ad-tracking firm Kantar Media, it brought in $147.13 million in advertising revenue in 2016. By comparison, Twenty-First Century Fox’s last fiscal year, which ended June 30, 2016, brought in a total of $7.65 billion in advertising revenue.

 

"The O’Reilly Factor" has been the most watched programme on Fox News and was coming off the highest-rated first quarter in its history, averaging 4 million viewers, according to Nielsen.

 

But after the New York Times report, advertisers including BMW of North America <BMWG.DE>, Allstate Corp <ALL.N>, French pharmaceuticals maker Sanofi SA <SASY.PA> and T. Rowe Price <TROW.O>, pulled their advertising from O'Reilly's show.

 

O'Reilly's exit, which was first reported by New York magazine, follows that of former Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes, who was forced to resign in July after being accused of sexual misconduct by a number of women, including former anchor Gretchen Carlson.

 

Kelly was also one of the accusers and detailed Ailes' behaviour in her best-selling book, "Settle for More." Ailes has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

 

Twenty-First Century Fox had tapped the law firm Paul, Weiss Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, which also looked into the allegations against Ailes, to investigate O'Reilly's conduct.

 

Investors seemed to take the news in stride. Shares of Twenty-First Century Fox ended Wednesday's trading on the Nasdaq down less than 1 percent at $30.39 and analysts said the network's viewers would likely remain loyal.

 

O’Reilly’s departure will not affect Twenty-First Century Fox’s overall profitability, said Brian Wieser, an analyst at Pivotal Research.

 

“They could literally go dark during the time his programme airs and they would still be profitable,” said Wieser.

 

A bigger issue for investors is what the Murdochs will do to prevent the company being in the headlines again just a few months from now, Wieser said. “That’s bigger than O’Reilly,” he said. “The cultural issue is a big issue.”

 

(Additional reporting by Crispian Balmer in Rome; Writing by Anna Driver; Editing by Tom Brown)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-04-20

[johnnywishbone]

My addiction to Fox News has been cured.
Juan Williams and Beckel won't disgust me any more.
Miss the hard hitting ladies though.



Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[thaibeachlovers]

analysts said the network's viewers would likely remain loyal.

Wrong as far as this one is concerned. O'Reilly was the show I turned the channel on for, and any thing else I watched was because I had been watching his show.

Can't believe I'm the only one that way inclined.

No doubt many will still watch, because all the other channels are so pants, and to one like me, unwatchable.

For me it's like when Nite Owl was kicked off the Bkk Post, the end of an era. Like Trink, O'Reilly was brought down by the PC  brigade. Shame on them.

[khwaibah]

Could never like A-HOLE NEWS. Flush it.

Edited April 19, 2017 by khwaibah

[brewsterbudgen]

Seems strange that a lecherous sexual predator cannot host a non-mainstream cable TV show, but can be elected President - twice! God bless America.

[thaibeachlovers]

5 minutes ago, khwaibah said:

Could never like A-HOLE NEWS. Flush it.

What's the alternative for non lefty PC people? CNN 5555555555555555555555.

[ilostmypassword]

1 minute ago, thaibeachlovers said:

What's the alternative for non lefty PC people? CNN 5555555555555555555555.

Wow! I didn't realize the O'Reilly was the only right wing guy hosting his own news show. Thanks for the update.

[pegman]

11 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

analysts said the network's viewers would likely remain loyal.

Wrong as far as this one is concerned. O'Reilly was the show I turned the channel on for, and any thing else I watched was because I had been watching his show.

Can't believe I'm the only one that way inclined.

No doubt many will still watch, because all the other channels are so pants, and to one like me, unwatchable.

For me it's like when Nite Owl was kicked off the Bkk Post, the end of an era. Like Trink, O'Reilly was brought down by the PC  brigade. Shame on them.

He was disgusting. Good riddance. It will be interesting to see if the old creep crossed the line and touched one of these women. If so a good long prison term would be his just deserves. Look in a dictionary under pompous ass and his pic comes up. Like Oberman said many times "Worst person in the World! 

[thaibeachlovers]

3 minutes ago, ilostmypassword said:

Wow! I didn't realize the O'Reilly was the only right wing guy hosting his own news show. Thanks for the update.

Jumping to wrong conclusions, I see. I was responding to khwaibah about the channel, not the show. 

Also wrong about O'Reilly. He is conservative, not "right wing".

[thaibeachlovers]

4 minutes ago, pegman said:

He was disgusting. Good riddance. It will be interesting to see if the old creep crossed the line and touched one of these women. If so a good long prison term would be his just deserves. Look in a dictionary under pompous ass and his pic comes up. Like Oberman said many times "Worst person in the World! 

Proof of your accusations would be appropriate.

Never heard of Oberman.

[PatOngo]

He would be a great replacement for Sean Spicer as national press secretary, more experienced in BS!

[habanero]

Maybe TV has an opening for Bill.

[boomerangutang]

Give him a plastic buttplug and a pack of condoms, and send him out the back door.

[boomerangutang]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Proof of your accusations would be appropriate.

Never heard of Oberman.

The name is Keith Olbermann.  He's insightful and maybe also inciteful.  He's one of the most courageous newscaster right now.  He connects the dots and is not afraid to report the truth, warts and all.   He must be at the top of Trump's hate list.  No one hates truth, right now, more than Trump.

[Berkshire]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Like Trink, O'Reilly was brought down by the PC  brigade. Shame on them.

Is that how you see it?  Lordy.  O'Reilly was brought down by his own vile and disgusting behavior...which had been going on for years.  He should have been sacked years ago, except that he brought in big money for Fox.  Fox simply never cared to do the right thing, until pressured externally by...pretty much everybody.  Well, except Trump. 

[boomerangutang]

Fox will have to find another sexual predator to pay tens of millions of dollars to.  Perhaps now, they'll find a sexual predator who is more canny in his predation. 

 

Murdoch has semen stains all over his desk.

[thaibeachlovers]

1 minute ago, Berkshire said:

Is that how you see it?  Lordy.  O'Reilly was brought down by his own vile and disgusting behavior...which had been going on for years.  He should have been sacked years ago, except that he brought in big money for Fox.  Fox simply never cared to do the right thing, until pressured externally by...pretty much everybody.  Well, except Trump. 

Proof would be appropriate if you want that to be more than gossip. Where are your links to proven crimes? Paying off accusers is not proof of anything except how revolting the US so called "justice system" is.

[Berkshire]

2 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Proof would be appropriate if you want that to be more than gossip. Where are your links to proven crimes? Paying off accusers is not proof of anything except how revolting the US so called "justice system" is.

Proof?  Geez, man, what planet do you live on?  On this planet, if you pay off your accusers in the millions, it means you've done something that you don't want to get out.  His accusers had the goods on O'Reilly that he didn't want out in the public domain.  Fox News certainly had all the proof they need...although they've had it all along.  So you think Fox is firing a man who is completely innocent?  Seriously?

[thaibeachlovers]

3 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

Proof?  Geez, man, what planet do you live on?  On this planet, if you pay off your accusers in the millions, it means you've done something that you don't want to get out.  His accusers had the goods on O'Reilly that he didn't want out in the public domain.  Fox News certainly had all the proof they need...although they've had it all along.  So you think Fox is firing a man who is completely innocent?  Seriously?

I'm not saying that he is innocent, just that there is no proof. Since when did the US discard the "innocent till proven guilty" rule? If you are so certain of his guilt I am sure you can provide a link to such.

Should we just let the mob rule and tear the suspect to pieces, only to find out they were not guilty?

[mamypoko]

Don't let the door hit you, Billy!

[thaibeachlovers]

14 minutes ago, mamypoko said:

Don't let the door hit you, Billy!

Not going to happen. Bill is so rich he could have a minion to hold the door for him. 

It's because he is so rich the gold diggers are out in force on him.

[pegman]

27 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I'm not saying that he is innocent, just that there is no proof. Since when did the US discard the "innocent till proven guilty" rule? If you are so certain of his guilt I am sure you can provide a link to such.

Should we just let the mob rule and tear the suspect to pieces, only to find out they were not guilty?

This went to trial before Judge Rupert. There is no way in hell he would have given this verdict had there not been absolute proof. The monetary stakes were enormous not to give that creep the benefit of the doubt if there were any. 

Just too bad the brother or father or husband of one of these poor women couldn't have a few minutes alone with him. 

[Emster23]

Fox is still in deep doodoo. They reported the payoffs to accusers as income to the women. This is in violation of SEC and NY laws. Legal settlements are a different category of expense and Fox is guilty of false reporting in the coverup payoffs

[humqdpf]

I see a new position opening up at the White House for Bill - Gender Equality Advisor. You think I am crazy? Wake up, Trump is President!

[humqdpf]

6 hours ago, ilostmypassword said:

Wow! I didn't realize the O'Reilly was the only right wing guy hosting his own news show. Thanks for the update.

Clearly no one listens to radio any more, especially AM!

[mtls2005]

"It is tremendously disheartening that we part ways due to completely unfounded claims. But that is the unfortunate reality many of us in the public eye must live with today," O'Reilly said 

 

It seems like other people survive in the public eye? I wonder how they do it?

 

I surprised he hasn't claimed that his PTSD from the Falklands War is a cause?

 

 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

8 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

"It is tremendously disheartening that we part ways due to completely unfounded claims. But that is the unfortunate reality many of us in the public eye must live with today," O'Reilly said 

 

It seems like other people survive in the public eye? I wonder how they do it?

 

I surprised he hasn't claimed that his PTSD from the Falklands War is a cause?

 

 

 

It seems like other people survive in the public eye? I wonder how they do it?

Probably not rich enough to bother trying to extort.

 

Given that Bill worked for Fox and most of the people shouting him down probably never watched Fox in their lives, I wonder just how they formed their opinion of him, other than from the gutter press.

[mtls2005]

Probably not rich enough to bother trying to extort.

 

Plenty of wealthy people seem to survive the public eye. 

 

With his money he could have easily employed "assistants" to "help" him "relax" outside of work. But I think he enjoyed to thrill of the hunt at work; it worked for his boss.

 

 

 

I wonder just how they formed their opinion of him, other than from the gutter press.

 

James Murdoch made the call on this one.

 

Suspect it was a relatively easy and simple business decision.

[ilostmypassword]

3 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Jumping to wrong conclusions, I see. I was responding to khwaibah about the channel, not the show. 

Also wrong about O'Reilly. He is conservative, not "right wing".

right wing

ˈˌrīt ˈˌwiNG/

noun

 

1. 1.

   the conservative or reactionary section of a political party or system.

[Slip]

11 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

Probably not rich enough to bother trying to extort.

 

Plenty of wealthy people seem to survive the public eye. 

 

With his money he could have easily employed "assistants" to "help" him "relax" outside of work. But I think he enjoyed to thrill of the hunt at work; it worked for his boss.

 

 

 

I wonder just how they formed their opinion of him, other than from the gutter press.

 

James Murdoch made the call on this one.

 

Suspect it was a relatively easy and simple business decision.

https://www.theatlantic.com/news/archive/2017/04/why-was-bill-oreilly-really-fired/523614/

 

Quote

O’Reilly’s ouster is yet another reminder that the profit motive can itself be an agent of change. Money makes the world go round—and this can lead both to progress and to dizzying levels of hypocrisy.