Fox News host Bill O'Reilly has lost advertisers amid controversy over the settlement of multiple sexual harassment claims, but his ratings haven't suffered.
The O'Reilly Factor, the leading cable-news network's top-rated show, airing weeknights at 8 ET/PT, averaged 3.7 million viewers Monday and 3.8 million Tuesday, up 14% from the same two nights last week.
The gains followed the New York Times' Sunday exposé on five settlements reached with Fox News contributors and staffers. Some of the deals were reached after last summer's ouster of the network's longtime chief, Roger Ailes, after similar complaints were lodged against him.
O'Reilly's audience last week ranged from a low of 2.3 million on Friday to 3.5 million on Wednesday. This week's ratings gains could be attributed to supporters rallying to his cause, or to detractors who wondered whether he would address the controversy on air. (He hasn't.)
But more than 40 advertisers, including Mercedes, five other carmakers and four major healthcare brands, have said they are suspending or dropping ads during O'Reilly's show due to the controversy.
The duration of O'Reilly's ratings bump and the length of the various advertisers' boycotts remain to be seen.
