Roger Ailes stepped down as Fox News Channel’s chairman and chief executive in the wake of a sexual harassment scandal, ending his successful but controversial tenure at the helm of the cable news network he has built up over 20 years. 21st Century Fox said Thursday, Ju.
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Ailes’ departure is effective immediately and Rupert Murdoch himself is now the cable news channel’s chairman and acting CEO.
Former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson sued Ailes earlier this month, claiming sexual harassment. The New York Times reported on Wednesday that at least six other women told the lawyers that Ailes had behaved inappropriately toward them.
The company’s cable networks, led by the news channel, accounted for as much as half of 21st Century Fox’s revenue previous year and more than two-thirds of operating income.
In a letter to Murdoch, he initially said “I am proud of our accomplishments and look forward to continuing to work with you as a consultant in building 21st Century Fox”.
His compensation will be less than if he were fired for cause, said the person, who asked not to be named discussing private personnel matters. Murdoch said current Fox managers Bill Shine, Jay Wallace and Mark Kranz will help him run the company, which also includes the Fox Business Network, on a day-to-day basis.
“It’s easier to chase people away than attract them”, he said. “We take seriously our responsibility to uphold these traditional, long-standing values of our company”. – ReutersRoger Ailes, chairman and CEO of Fox News and Fox Television Stations, answers questions during a panel discussion at the Television Critics Association summer press tour in Pasadena, California July 24, 2006.
It is certainly true that starting up a national political news organization – even with the capital of a global media billionaire to back you up – is an arduous task. The succession plan is unclear. Fox, like all of the news networks, is riding high in the ratings in an election year but viewership is nearly certain to go down next year and bring new challenges.
“Today is about Trump, sometimes things change, we are in the middle of a year of fundamental change, I suspect that there will not be any great chaos that would change the format of the programming”, he said.
The alliance Rupert Murdoch and Ailes that officially broke apart on Thursday had resulted in one of the most successful channels in television history. Fox News has a relatively old audience – most of its prime-time viewers are over 65.
Like Murdoch, Ailes carried the mantle of founder and visionary.
Ailes was admired and envied for his talent management skills.
He plucked Kelly from obscurity and turned her into one of the biggest stars in TV. Network sources believe top spokesperson Irena Briganti is likely to exit the network with Ailes.
“Roger changed the face of media, not just television, ” said Jonathan Klein, the former president of CNN. “He’s leaving behind quite a legacy and it’s tough to find a another visionary like that in the business”. O’Reilly already has a side career as a best-selling author, while Hannity hosts a nationally syndicated radio show. On Tuesday, the magazine said that popular Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly had told investigators hired by Fox that Ailes “made unwanted sexual advances toward her” about 10 years ago.
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Ailes’ ouster ends a week of rampant speculation as to the future of Fox, its leadership and the conservative politics it has embraced in becoming a massively profitable media company.
