“Rupert Murdoch is the man who founded it, and he is in the slow process of transitioning the control of the parent company over to his sons”.
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But by Tuesday evening, even the New York Post ― which, like Ailes, ultimately reports to Murdoch ― was reporting that Ailes’ “end is near”.
Roger Ailes is heading for the exit at Fox News Channel, the cable network beloved by American conservatives, with Rupert Murdoch and his sons in agreement that he should leave amid allegations of sexual harassment. But the tweet was nearly immediately taken down.
It would seem that the two parties are in the advanced stages of the negotiation process and this will eventually lead to his departure as the company chairman according to Susan Estrich, who is one of the lawyers for Roger Ailes.
“I think this situation could only solidify her as the face of Fox”, said Karen M. Turner, a journalism professor at Temple University and media critic. She added, “There is no agreement, there is no deal, and the review is ongoing”. “Gretchen Carlson’s allegations are false”, he wrote. “This defamatory lawsuit is not only offensive, it is wholly without merit and will be defended vigorously”.
Ailes, 76, has also always been at the center of GOP politics, and the timing of the discussions between Ailes and 21st Century Fox was remarkable, occurring on the second day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
In the wake of the allegations, Fox hired New York-based law firm Paul, Weiss to conduct an investigation into Ailes’ behavior.
All this, results from a sexual harassment suit which was filed by an ex- anchor, Gretchen Carlson against Mr. Ailes on July 6. Doocy is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit.
Carlson accused Ailes of asking for sexual favors and not renewing her contract after she refused his advances.
When Carlson, 50, filed her sexual-harassment suit against her now-former boss, she said in the same court filing her former morning co-host Steve Doocy was guilty of the same.
Fox News has since shared handwritten notes from Carlson to Ailes from late 2015 in which she said she’d love to remain at Fox, while asking for additional opportunities there.
The Daily Beast also reported, “Fox News confirmed to The Daily Beast editor-at-large Lloyd Grove on Tuesday that beleagured chairman and CEO Roger Ailes will depart the cable news network”.
21st Century Fox denied the claims Tuesday afternoon in a statement released on Twitter.
In Cleveland, the site of the Republican National Convention, Ailes’s fate was a ubiquitous topic of conversation.
Though a number of current and former Fox staffers have spoken out on Ailes’ behalf over the past two weeks, most are now staying silent about the deepening controversy.
Variety is independently reporting Ailes’ departure, with an anonymous source claiming an “official announcement” is “imminent”.
Ailes is a Republican power broker and a television legend.
Conservative author Ann Coulter sarcastically described Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly as “very brave” for “waiting until the last minute” to allege network honcho Roger Ailes had sexually harassed her.
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NY reported that Ailes had received the option of resigning or getting fired this week. Ailes maintains that Carlson’s contract ended because of her ratings – not because she resisted his sexual overtures.
