Earlier today, NY reported that Megyn Kelly had told investigators from 21st Century Fox that Ailes had sexually harassed her ten years ago when she was a correspondent at the network.
Advertisement
The online Drudge Report posted a tweet about an exit package worth $40 million (36 million euros) for Ailes, but moments later deleted it.
The news comes after Fox News host Gretchen Carlson filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Ailes on July 6 after her contract at the cable news network was not renewed. The Wall Street Journal, a publication that was part of the same company as 21st Century Fox until mid-2013, likewise reported that he was in negotiations to exit the network. The law firm hired by 21st Century Fox is Paul, Weiss.
Such allegations provided a foundation for Lachlan, 44, and James, 43, to press for Ailes’s ouster, according to people at Fox and 21st Century Fox.
Rupert Murdoch and his sons James and Lachlan are said to be in agreement that Ailes must go. That being said, Rupert Murdoch and his heirs have reportedly been discussing an opportunity to get rid of Ailes for some time.
The brothers have made their stamp on the business in various ways – carrying out buyouts to trim costs and restructuring the global channels business. The suit in turn led to the company doing their own internal investigation into the matter. Fox News referred all calls to its parent. But Ailes’ imperial managing style has left Fox without any clear successor. Separately, Fox News on Tuesday sued Charter Communications Inc., alleging breach of contract. Carlson claimed to have been fired only after rejecting Ailes’ advances, and as allegations like this against powerful men so often do, Carlson’s claims opened up the floodgates for more than a dozen additional allegations.
NY magazine followed up with reports of other women who said they had been harassed by Ailes as far back as the 1960s. In the statement, she said that Ailes “has spent much of the last decade promoting and helping her to achieve the stardom she earned”.
You know if you want to play with the big boys, you have to lay with the big boys.
Company representatives for Fox News have resisted making definitive statements about Roger’s future; however, in a statement, the company said, “Roger is at work”. The former Fox anchor had described to Kelly being kissed against her will by Ailes during a private meeting.
Ailes is said to be seeking advice from a range of high-powered pals, including former NYC mayor Rudy Giuliani and Donald Trump.
Advertisement
There is no obvious successor to Mr. Ailes. One is that the elder Murdoch now shares control of his media empire with his two sons, and it appears they do not share their father’s deep loyalty to executives who help build that empire. He returned to TV in the early 1990s, as executive producer of Rush Limbaugh’s TV show and then as president of CNBC. Ailes and his attorneys have denied the sexual harassment allegations, including some that predated his start at Fox News.
