Early on Monday morning, word got out that Fox News Channel chairman and CEO Roger Ailes was about to get pushed out of the network he largely created. Now comes word that one of the most epic falls in recent journalism history is nearly complete. Multiple outlets report that Ailes is indeed finished at the fair and balanced network, with the only sticking point being the manner of his departure.
Soon after former reporter Gretchen Carlson sued Ailes for sexual harassment, Fox News parent 21st Century Fox asked New York law firm Paul, Weiss to conduct an internal investigation of the matter. According to Gabriel Sherman of New York Magazine, who first broke the story that Ailes was about to get the ax, the Paul, Weiss probe quickly expanded into a broader review of Ailes’ management style.
Apparently, the lawyers were not only alarmed about allegations that Ailes had harassed other women, but also reports that Ailes was strong-arming Fox News employees to publicly support him. They were particularly outraged when Neil Cavuto wrote a column for Business Insider that denounced Carlson’s claims as “sick.” To Paul, Weiss, that column falls in the category of intimidation by proxy, since Cavuto is senior vice president and managing editor at Fox News. This sort of behavior doesn’t look good with lawyers, judges, or juries.
It’s no secret that Ailes has been in the doghouse of Rupert Murdoch’s sons, Lachlan and James, for some time. However, the preliminary results of Paul, Weiss’ probe apparently convinced all three Murdochs that Ailes had to go. The only debate was over timing. However, late Tuesday afternoon, Ailes lawyer Susan Estrich told The New York Times reported that Ailes was about to step down as chairman and CEO. She added that the two sides were negotiating a deal that called for Ailes to stay on as a consultant for the balance of his contract.
Publicly, Fox News denied that its boss was on the way out. It even went as far as to trot out Howard Kurtz to issue that denial while Donald Trump was being coronated as the Republican presidential nominee. Watch here (hat tip to Talking Points Memo).
But that was before the New York Post put out its own report that Ailes was about to go. This is important, since the Post and Fox News are corporate cousins. You may recall that three years ago, Murdoch’s News Corporation split into two separate companies. Most of the film and television interests, including Fox News, became 21st Century Fox. The print interests, including the Post, became a reconfigured News Corporation. Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch are co-chairmen of both companies.
Rupert and Lachlan initially wanted to wait until after the Republican convention to take any action against Ailes. However, James, who is CEO of 21st Century Fox, wanted Ailes out right away. From the looks of it, James’ view prevailed after word got out that Megyn Kelly claimed she’d been harassed as well. According to Sherman, 21st Century Fox lawyers gave Ailes an ultimatum–resign by August 1 or be fired. Apparently Ailes decided to jump before getting pushed–and not even the highest ratings in Fox News’ history could save him. It’s rather ironic that Ailes’ apparent departure falls close to Fox News’ 20th anniversary.
The obvious question–if Ailes falls, what does that mean for Fox News? Well, it’s very possible that its days as a Republican agitprop machine are numbered. James is known to be somewhat more liberal than his father, and was very displeased with Fox News’ constant hectoring of the Obama administration. If he can persuade his father and brother to reinvent Fox News as a more neutral news organization, frankly that can only be a good thing.
See ya, Roger. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.
