Rupert Murdoch takes over Fox News as Roger Ailes resigns

However, Ailes has not agreed to the allegations. The Murdoch sons may also seek to make a statement by reaching outside the current Fox News culture.

Mr Murdoch paid tribute to Ailes as 21st Century Fox confirmed his departure. Murdoch, 85, disrupted his vacation plans in the south of France, returning from St. Tropez to deal with the corporate shake-up.

There was talk about an exodus of Fox talent with Ailes; Bill O’Reilly has mused about retirement and reportedly he and Sean Hannity have the ability contractually to leave if Ailes is gone.

Mr. Ailes will get an exit package worth more than $40 million, according to a person familiar with the matter, and will be a consultant for Mr. Murdoch.

Ailes, who resigned under pressure Thursday amid accusations of sexual harassment, was a strong manager who inspired both loyalty and fear.

Ailes’ resignation came the same day that The New York Times reported on an internal investigation conducted by Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison that took statements from at least six other women who described inappropriate behavior by Ailes. “I am confident that everyone at Fox News and Fox Business will continue as the standard setters that they are, and that the businesses are well positioned for even greater success in the future”.

In his resignation letter to Murdoch, Ailes failed to indicate he’d done anything wrong.

“It appears to be a holding action”, said Joe Peyronnin, a journalism professor at Hofstra University and former CBS News executive. “He is the best fit”.

Ms Carlson, who worked for the network for 11 years, alleges that he proposed having a sexual relationship with her and he instructed her to turn around in his office so he could look at her backside.

In addition to the complaint presented by Carlson, this week Fox News channel anchor Megyn Kelly, who on July 12 said she had also been the victim of “unwanted sexual advances” by Ailes approximately 10 years ago. Ailes has denied those incidents as well. Scoring over CNN for the last 14 years, the network is highly valued by Murdoch.

Mr. Ailes’s imprint is all over Fox News, media executives say. And I love him personally.

Murdoch’s sons Lachlan and James, the chairman and CEO of 21st Century Fox, tacitly acknowledged the allegations when they wrote, “we continue our commitment to maintaining a work environment based on trust and respect”. Rupert Murdoch takes over as acting CEO. There have been reports that she gave her own account of being sexually harassed by Ailes.

Her statements probably had a major impact on the decision to part ways with Ailes. Fox News has a relatively old audience – most of its prime-time viewers are over 65 years old.

At about 4 p.m. on Thursday, Fox News staff members gathered in the basement newsroom at the network’s headquarters.

Carlson reacted to the news on Twitter by thanking those who have supported her during the ordeal.

A former top adviser to Republican presidents Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, Mr. Ailes launched Fox News in 1996 with Mr. Murdoch, and brought deep ties to the Republican establishment.

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