Is the Founding CEO of Fox News, the Infamous Roger Ailes, About to Be Fired? Report Says Yes.
How Many Accusations of Sexual Harassment Does It Take To Fire A Fox News CEO?
The man who wrote the book on Fox News chief Roger Ailes, Gabriel Sherman, today says the founding CEO of the right wing cable news network that celebrates its 20th anniversary this year is about to be fired.
Sherman, author of The Loudest Voice in the Room: How the Brilliant, Bombastic Roger Ailes Built Fox News–and Divided a Country, and a contributing editor at New York Magazine, today says it’s not a matter of if, but when.
In “Murdochs Have Decided to Remove Roger Ailes — the Only Question Now Is When,” Sherman says “Roger Ailes’s tenure as the head of Fox News may be coming to an end.” He writes that the founder of Fox News’ parent company, Rupert Murdoch and his sons Lachlan and James, who run 21st Century Fox “have settled on removing the 76-year-old executive, say two sources briefed on a sexual-harassment investigation of Ailes being conducted by New York law firm Paul, Weiss.”
“After reviewing the initial findings of the probe, James Murdoch is said to be arguing that Ailes should be presented with a choice this week to resign or face being fired. Lachlan is more aligned with their father, who thinks that no action should be taken until after the GOP convention this week. Another source confirms that all three are in agreement that Ailes needs to go.”
All this centers around a sexual harassment case brought by Gretchen Carlson, a former co-host of the network’s popular morning show, “Fox & Friends.” Carlson’s contract expired last month, and in early July she filed a sexual harassment lawsuit. Six other women have also come forward, as Sherman reported July 9. Â
Ailes wields tremendous power, so the very idea of unseating him is huge. It’s likely he holds many cards that will, as Karoli Kuns at Crooks and Liars writes, make sure it will get “ugly.”
Some responses from Twitter:
Washington Post’s Dave Weigel:
CNN’s media reports Brian Steltzer breaks the news:
More:
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Image by Sgt. Christopher Tobey via WikimediaÂ