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| Roger Ailes Is Negotiating His Departure as Chairman of Fox News | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Roger Ailes’s tenure as the head of Fox News appears to be over. | Roger Ailes’s tenure as the head of Fox News appears to be over. |
| Mr. Ailes and 21st Century Fox, Fox News’s parent company, are in the advanced stages of discussions that would lead to his departure as chairman, Susan Estrich, one of Mr. Ailes’s lawyers, said in an interview on Tuesday. | Mr. Ailes and 21st Century Fox, Fox News’s parent company, are in the advanced stages of discussions that would lead to his departure as chairman, Susan Estrich, one of Mr. Ailes’s lawyers, said in an interview on Tuesday. |
| The development follows a sexual harassment suit filed July 6 against Mr. Ailes by a former anchor, Gretchen Carlson. The suit prompted 21st Century Fox to conduct an internal review. | The development follows a sexual harassment suit filed July 6 against Mr. Ailes by a former anchor, Gretchen Carlson. The suit prompted 21st Century Fox to conduct an internal review. |
| Since then, Mr. Ailes’s future at Fox News has been the subject of intense speculation, which increased on Monday with a report from New York magazine that the executives leading 21st Century Fox — Rupert Murdoch and his sons, James and Lachlan — had determined that Mr. Ailes must go. | Since then, Mr. Ailes’s future at Fox News has been the subject of intense speculation, which increased on Monday with a report from New York magazine that the executives leading 21st Century Fox — Rupert Murdoch and his sons, James and Lachlan — had determined that Mr. Ailes must go. |
| The sides continued negotiations on Tuesday on terms that could include Mr. Ailes’s staying on in a consulting role for Fox News. Ms. Estrich said nothing was finalized on what sort of continuing role he would have at the network. | The sides continued negotiations on Tuesday on terms that could include Mr. Ailes’s staying on in a consulting role for Fox News. Ms. Estrich said nothing was finalized on what sort of continuing role he would have at the network. |
| “Roger is at work,” 21st Century Fox said in a statement. “The review is ongoing. And the only agreement that is in place is his existing employment agreement.” | “Roger is at work,” 21st Century Fox said in a statement. “The review is ongoing. And the only agreement that is in place is his existing employment agreement.” |
| Mr. Ailes’s exit would be a humbling and startlingly swift fall from power for a man who started Fox News from scratch 20 years ago and built it into a top-rated cable news network and a critical profit center for 21st Century Fox. Along the way, Mr. Ailes, a former Republican operative, established Fox News as the leading media platform for conservative politics. He also minted prime-time stars like Bill O’Reilly, Megyn Kelly and Greta Van Susteren. | |
| The events leading to his ouster began when Ms. Carlson, who had been an anchor in Fox News’s afternoon lineup, filed a lawsuit saying she had been fired from her weekday afternoon show on Fox News after rebuffing sexual advances from Mr. Ailes, 76. Ms. Carlson accused Mr. Ailes of ogling her in his office and calling her “sexy.” She also said she had been sexually harassed by her former “Fox and Friends” co-host, Steve Doocy. | The events leading to his ouster began when Ms. Carlson, who had been an anchor in Fox News’s afternoon lineup, filed a lawsuit saying she had been fired from her weekday afternoon show on Fox News after rebuffing sexual advances from Mr. Ailes, 76. Ms. Carlson accused Mr. Ailes of ogling her in his office and calling her “sexy.” She also said she had been sexually harassed by her former “Fox and Friends” co-host, Steve Doocy. |
| When asked about the culture at Fox News in an interview with The New York Times last week, Ms. Carlson, 50, said: “Everyone knew how powerful Roger Ailes was. I certainly felt intimidated by that.” | When asked about the culture at Fox News in an interview with The New York Times last week, Ms. Carlson, 50, said: “Everyone knew how powerful Roger Ailes was. I certainly felt intimidated by that.” |
| She said that during a meeting last fall to discuss her concerns that she was being treated unfairly, Mr. Ailes told her, “I think you and I should have had a sexual relationship a long time ago, and then you’d be good and better and I’d be good and better.” | She said that during a meeting last fall to discuss her concerns that she was being treated unfairly, Mr. Ailes told her, “I think you and I should have had a sexual relationship a long time ago, and then you’d be good and better and I’d be good and better.” |
| Her description of sexual harassment and retaliation was followed by accounts of other women who said Mr. Ailes acted inappropriately in professional settings from the mid-1960s to the late 1980s. But more than a dozen Fox anchors and on-air personalities have spoken in support of Mr. Ailes. Several questioned Ms. Carlson’s motives and wondered why she had waited until she was dismissed to file a sexual harassment lawsuit. | Her description of sexual harassment and retaliation was followed by accounts of other women who said Mr. Ailes acted inappropriately in professional settings from the mid-1960s to the late 1980s. But more than a dozen Fox anchors and on-air personalities have spoken in support of Mr. Ailes. Several questioned Ms. Carlson’s motives and wondered why she had waited until she was dismissed to file a sexual harassment lawsuit. |
| Mr. Ailes was unequivocal in his response on the day Ms. Carlson’s lawsuit was filed. | Mr. Ailes was unequivocal in his response on the day Ms. Carlson’s lawsuit was filed. |
| “Gretchen Carlson’s allegations are false,” he wrote in a statement. “This is a retaliatory suit for the network’s decision not to renew her contract,” which he attributed to ratings he called “disappointingly low.” | “Gretchen Carlson’s allegations are false,” he wrote in a statement. “This is a retaliatory suit for the network’s decision not to renew her contract,” which he attributed to ratings he called “disappointingly low.” |
| He added, “This defamatory lawsuit is not only offensive, it is wholly without merit and will be defended vigorously.” | He added, “This defamatory lawsuit is not only offensive, it is wholly without merit and will be defended vigorously.” |
| One Fox News personality who has been notably absent from supporting Mr. Ailes has been Ms. Kelly, Fox’s prime time anchor. Ms. Kelly has participated with investigators, and told them Mr. Ailes had made advances toward her in the past, according to two people briefed on the matter. (Ms. Kelly’s accusations were first reported by New York magazine.) Other employees have also told the investigators about alleged harassment from Mr. Ailes, one of these people said. | One Fox News personality who has been notably absent from supporting Mr. Ailes has been Ms. Kelly, Fox’s prime time anchor. Ms. Kelly has participated with investigators, and told them Mr. Ailes had made advances toward her in the past, according to two people briefed on the matter. (Ms. Kelly’s accusations were first reported by New York magazine.) Other employees have also told the investigators about alleged harassment from Mr. Ailes, one of these people said. |
| In a statement, Ms. Estrich, Mr. Ailes’s lawyer, said, “Roger Ailes has never sexually harassed Megyn Kelly. In fact, he has spent much of the last decade promoting and helping her to achieve the stardom she earned, for which she has repeatedly and publicly thanked him.” | In a statement, Ms. Estrich, Mr. Ailes’s lawyer, said, “Roger Ailes has never sexually harassed Megyn Kelly. In fact, he has spent much of the last decade promoting and helping her to achieve the stardom she earned, for which she has repeatedly and publicly thanked him.” |
| Her revelations to investigators contrast with comments she made earlier about the Fox News chairman. In an interview two months ago, before a prime-time special that Mr. Ailes orchestrated, she said: “I have loved working for Roger Ailes. He’s taken very good care of me here.” | Her revelations to investigators contrast with comments she made earlier about the Fox News chairman. In an interview two months ago, before a prime-time special that Mr. Ailes orchestrated, she said: “I have loved working for Roger Ailes. He’s taken very good care of me here.” |
| “The number of times he’s had my back, given me opportunities, stuck his own neck out there to protect me, I feel very grateful to him,” she continued. “And I feel loyal to him.” | “The number of times he’s had my back, given me opportunities, stuck his own neck out there to protect me, I feel very grateful to him,” she continued. “And I feel loyal to him.” |
| On the day Ms. Carlson’s lawsuit was filed, 21st Century Fox issued a statement saying it had “full confidence” in Mr. Ailes but had initiated an internal review of the accusations. “We take these matters seriously,” the company said. | |
| It subsequently hired the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison to conduct an internal investigation. Lauren S. Nussbaum, a spokeswoman for Paul, Weiss, declined to comment. | It subsequently hired the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison to conduct an internal investigation. Lauren S. Nussbaum, a spokeswoman for Paul, Weiss, declined to comment. |
| Fox News has been the No. 1-rated cable news station for 15 years, and it has never done better than this year: Through June, it is having its highest-rated year. In October, Fox News will celebrate its 20th anniversary, a milestone executives have been proudly discussing for months. | Fox News has been the No. 1-rated cable news station for 15 years, and it has never done better than this year: Through June, it is having its highest-rated year. In October, Fox News will celebrate its 20th anniversary, a milestone executives have been proudly discussing for months. |
| But even as Fox News has long been controversial, and an occasional source of embarrassment to other parts of 21st Century Fox, it has been ruthlessly good for business. Fox News represents about 20 percent of all earnings at 21st Century Fox, generating more than $1 billion. | But even as Fox News has long been controversial, and an occasional source of embarrassment to other parts of 21st Century Fox, it has been ruthlessly good for business. Fox News represents about 20 percent of all earnings at 21st Century Fox, generating more than $1 billion. |