Report: Murdochs Planning To Remove Roger Ailes From Fox News, Debating Timing

[Colorado Media Newsroom]

From All Access:



NEW YORK MAGAZINE's GABRIEL SHERMAN is reporting that RUPERT MURDOCH and his sons LACHLAN and JAMES have decided to remove ROGER AILES from the helm of FOX NEWS, citing two sources with knowledge of the investigation of AILES' sexual harassment charges by law firm PAUL, WEISS.

One source told the magazine that LACHLAN and RUPERT MURDOCH believe that AILES, Chairman and CEO of FOX NEWS and Chairman of FOX TELEVISION STATIONS, INC., should be removed but only after the Republican National Convention this week, while JAMES MURDOCH is pushing for the company to offer AILES a choice of resigning or being fired this week, and another source confirmed that all three MURDOCHS are in agreement that AILES will be let go.

AILES has been accused by former anchor GRETCHEN CARLSON of sexual harassment, and PAUL, WEISS' investigation is also looking into whether other FOX NEWS employees have been pressured by AILES to support him.

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[Colorado Media Newsroom]

From All Access:



The latest revelation in the sexual harassment case against FOX NEWS Chairman/CEO ROGER AILES is another report from NEW YORK MAGAZINE's GABRIEL SHERMAN which says that one of the network's biggest stars, anchor MEGYN KELLY, told investigators from law firm PAUL, WEISS that AILES had sexually harassed her about 10 years ago.
SHERMAN reports that two sources have confirmed to him that KELLY, who has been silent in public about the case filed against AILES by former anchor GRETCHEN CARLSON, told the PAUL, WEISS investigators that AILES had made unwanted sexual advances towards her. SHERMAN previously reported (NET NEWS 7/18) that RUPERT MURDOCH and his sons LACHLAN and JAMES have agreed that AILES must be removed from FOX NEWS but differ on the timing and manner; SHERMAN added that lawyers for the network's parent company 21ST CENTURY FOX have given AILES the choice of resigning by AUGUST 1st or being fired.
A statement from AILES' attorney SUSAN ESTRICH responded, "ROGER AILES has never sexually harassed MEGYN KELLY. In fact, he has spent much of the last decade promoting and helping her achieve the stardom she earned, for which she has repeatedly and publicly thanked him."
As the investigation widens, FOX has given employees a waiver of non-disclosure agreements so that they may tell the investigators what they have seen and experienced. Meanwhile, reports at various news sources with varying claims of confirmation of support indicated that AILES is leaving the network, with one report via MATT DRUDGE speculating about a $40 million settlement and claiming to be sourced from a document, but DRUDGE later pulled the story after FOX apparently confirmed and then rescinded its confirmation of the report.

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