The Murdochs have decided Bill OReillys 21-year run at Fox News will come to an end. According to sources briefed on the discussions, network executives are preparing to announce OReillys departure before he returns from an Italian vacation on April 24. Now the big questions are how the exit will look and who will replace him.
Wednesday morning, according to sources, executives are holding emergency meetings to discuss how they can sever the relationship with the countrys highest-rated cable-news host without causing collateral damage to the network. The board of Fox News parent company, 21st Century Fox, is scheduled to meet on Thursday to discuss the matter.
Sources briefed on the discussions say OReillys exit negotiations are moving quickly. Right now, a key issue on the table is whether he would be allowed to say good-bye to his audience, perhaps the most loyal in all of cable (OReillys ratings have ticked up during the sexual-harassment allegations). Fox executives are leaning against allowing him to have a sign-off, sources say. The other main issue on the table is money. OReilly recently signed a new multiyear contract worth more than $20 million per year. When Roger Ailes left Fox News last summer, the Murdochs paid out $40 million, the remainder of his contract.
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According to sources, Fox News wants the transition to be seamless. Executives are currently debating possible replacement hosts. Names that have been discussed include Eric Bolling, Dana Perino, and Tucker Carlson, who would move from his successful 9 p.m. slot and create a need for a new host at that time. One source said Sean Hannity is happy at 10 p.m. and would not want to move.
The Murdochs decision to dump OReilly shocked many Fox News staffers Ive spoken to in recent days. Late last week, the feeling inside the company was that Rupert Murdoch would prevail over his son James, who lobbied to jettison the embattled host. Its still unclear exactly how the tide turned. According to one source, Lachlan Murdochs wife helped convince her husband that OReilly needed to go, which moved Lachlan into Jamess corner. The source added that senior executives at other divisions within the Murdoch empire have complained that if OReillys allegations had happened to anyone else at their companies, that person would be gone already.
Spokespersons for 21st Century Fox and Fox News did not respond to requests for comment, nor did OReillys agent, Carole Cooper.
Poster Comment:
Things appear to be so convoluted at Fox that one can't be absolutely certain of what exactly has happened. As the news filtered down it looked like Bill wanted to get his hands on Megyn, but then many perhaps have.
I consider Tucker Carlson to be the absolute best host on Fox at present.
If Billy has a problem being around attractive gals, perhaps they can use him on the highly obnoxious 'The View'.