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United States News Title: Murdochs push for Ailes to leave Fox News Presenters could depart with network’s chief as sexual harassment claims mount Read next: US election ad spending boon a welcome respite for TV groups May 5, 2016 Roger Ailes and Rupert Murdoch Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Print this page 98 3 hours ago by: Matthew Garrahan and Anna Nicolaou 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. Sample the FT's top stories for a week Sample newsletter email Sample the FT's top stories for a week Receive a free daily email briefing containing the 3 top stories from one of our top news themes. Select the topic you are interested in: Email address: Invalid email By signing up you confirm that you have read and agree to the terms and conditions, cookie policy and privacy policy. Unsubscribe at any time. Free stories only last for 1 week. The timing and terms of the departure of the man who turned Fox News into a media and political powerhouse were unclear on Tuesday evening. Mr Murdoch, executive chairman of 21st Century Fox, the channel’s parent company, and Lachlan, his older son and co-chairman, would prefer to wait until after this week’s Republican convention, two people briefed on the matter told the Financial Times. James Murdoch, Mr Murdoch’s younger son and chief executive, was pushing for Mr Ailes to go as soon as possible, those people said. Late on Tuesday, the Drudge Report website said Mr Ailes had left Fox News with a $40m severance package. 21st Century Fox denied the report in a tweeted statement, saying: “Roger is at work. The review is ongoing. The only agreement that is in place is his existing employment agreement.” In 2012, the last year for which Mr Ailes’ pay was disclosed in the company’s proxy filing, he earned a total of $21m, including a $5m salary. The likely departure of the former aide to Richard Nixon who defied the odds when he launched Fox News 20 years ago could present a big problem for the Murdochs. Three of Fox News’ biggest stars — Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity and Greta Van Susteren — have clauses in their contracts that would allow them to depart if Mr Ailes were to leave the network, the two people briefed on the dispute said. This means a core team of on-air talent could follow Mr Ailes out the door. Mr O’Reilly said in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter last year that he had “no idea how the network would shake out if he [Roger Ailes] wasn’t here.” Mr Ailes has told associates he is furious at his treatment by the Murdochs. 21st Century Fox opened an internal investigation into him on July 6, after Gretchen Carlson, a former news anchor, filed a lawsuit alleging that he fired her after 11 years for refusing to have a sexual relationship with him. Mr Ailes has denied Ms Carlson’s claims and pushed to move the case into confidential arbitration. The executive’s downfall comes a year after he signed a fresh multiyear contract with Fox, at which time Rupert Murdoch said: “Lachlan, James and I are delighted that Roger will be leading key businesses for us and our shareholders for years to come, and he has our unwavering support.” From the archive Murdoch v Trump: Fox and The Hair Megyn Kelly’s clash with Donald Trump and the dividing lines drawn within the Fox News network and its Republican-leaning audience In another blow to Mr Ailes, New York magazine reported on Tuesday that Megyn Kelly, arguably Fox News’ biggest star, told lawyers leading the internal investigation that Mr Ailes had sexually harassed her a decade ago. Mr Ailes’ lawyer, Susan Estrich, denied the report. “Roger Ailes has never sexually harassed Megyn Kelly,” she said. “In fact, he has spent much of the last decade promoting and helping her to achieve the stardom she earned, for which she has repeatedly and publicly thanked him.” 21st Century Fox declined to comment on the report and Fox News referred queries to its parent company. The departure of Mr Ailes could have an impact on the Republican party. Supremely well connected, he has helped shape the Republican agenda for more than a decade. His channel’s blend of news and blistering opinion from its roster of prime-time hosts has made it a must-watch for conservative voters, and an important outlet for candidates hoping to reach the base of the party. The power struggle over Fox News will be closely watched by investors in 21st Century Fox, with the network contributing about a fifth of the group’s annual net income. Mr Ailes built Fox into the most watched and most profitable cable news network in the US. It has trounced CNN in the ratings for more than a decade, making it a must-have channel for cable distributors and allowing it to report $1.5bn in profits last year — nearly four times that of CNN, according to SNL Financial. Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread |
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