Negotiations are underway to oust Fox News Channel Chairman and CEO Roger Ailes, NPR’s David Folkenflik reports. Earlier today, Fox spokesperson Irena Briganti emailed reporters a list of glowing remarks Kelly has made about Ailes through the years. Lachlan and James Murdoch, executives at Fox parent News Corp., have long wanted the conservative Ailes out and have now jumped at the opportunity.
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Ailes’ exit could bring more chaos to Fox News.
Unlike a number of her Fox colleagues, including Sean Hannity and Greta Van Susteren, who have publicly defended their boss, Kelly had maintained her silence regarding Carlson’s accusations that Ailes canceled her show and fired her after she refused his sexual advances.
The cable networks division, of which Fox News is the jewel in the crown, posted revenue of $US3.94 billion in the March quarter, up 9.8 per cent, to underpin the company’s revenue and profit growth.
The Ailes ouster story took a confusing turn Tuesday afternoon when The Drudge Report first published an agreement indicating that Ailes would walk away with million and then pulled the supposed agreement.
It would also contain a consulting contract through 2017, Drudge reported. Ailes has flatly denied Carlson’s claims.
“I guess she waited for him to be out before she spoke up”, Coulter said, adding that it was “very courageous of Megyn to wait until the last moment”.
Meanwhile, Fox staffers frantically refreshed their Twitter feeds, checking for the latest information.
Fox News owner 21st Century Fox maintained that, “Roger is at work”.
That investigation was launched after former anchor Gretchen Carlson filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Ailes.
James Murdoch, Mr Murdoch’s younger son and chief executive, was pushing for Mr Ailes to go as soon as possible, those people said.
UPDATE #4: CNN’s Dylan Byers reports that Rupert Murdoch will be in New York City next week. Shortly after that, 21st Century Fox, the parent company of Fox News, offered a complete contradiction to Grove’s report.
The most explosive part of Sherman’s report involved Kelly, Fox’s 9 p.m. host. Representatives for Ms. Kelly didn’t respond to an emailed request for comment. The law firm hired by 21st Century Fox is Paul, Weiss. The Republican National Convention, which got under way in Cleveland this week, is likely to be a ratings blockbuster for Fox News.
A high-ranking source said that Ailes participated in the network’s daily 9 a.m. editorial call, and made no mention of the controversy, but did not participate in the daily 2:30 p.m. followup call.
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Boyle confirmed the account to NBC News and said, “I’ve shared my experience to support Gretchen Carlson’s courageous act and to hold Roger Ailes accountable for the disgusting and damaging way he’s treated women for decades”. The network provides about 20% of 21st Century Fox’s profit and is used by the company as a club in broader channel-carriage negotiations with pay- TV providers.
