Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Fox News Roger Ailes has resigned from the network, a position he’s held since 1996. Executive chairman and founder of News Corporation Rupert Murdoch will step in as interim Acting CEO of Fox News and Fox Business.
“Roger Ailes has made a remarkable contribution to our company and our country,” said Murdoch. “Roger shared my vision of a great and independent television organization and executed it brilliantly over 20 great years.”
Additionally, Murdoch said, “It is always difficult to create a channel or a publication from the ground up and against seemingly entrenched monopolies. To lead a flourishing news channel, and to build Fox Business, Roger has defied the odds.”
With Ailes standing down, he will serve as a consultant for parent company 21st Century Fox, according to a letter he wrote to Murdoch obtained by Drudge:
Dear Rupert,With your support, I am proud that we have built Fox News and Fox Business Channels into powerful and lucrative news organizations that inform our audience and reward our shareholders. I take particular pride in the role that I have played advancing the careers of the many women I have promoted to executive and on-air positions. Many of these talented journalists have deservedly become household names known for their intelligence and strength, whether reporting the news, fair and balanced, and offering exciting opinions on our opinion programs. . Fox News has become Number 1 in all of cable because I consistently identified and promoted the most talented men and women in television, and they performed at the highest levels.
Having spent 20 years building this historic business, I will not allow my presence to become a distraction from the work that must be done every day to ensure that Fox News and Fox Business continue to lead our industry. 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.
I am proud of our accomplishments and look forward to continuing to work with you as a consultant in building 21st Century Fox
All the best,
Roger.
Lachlan and James Murdoch released a statement of their own about Ailes resignation:
We join our father in recognizing Roger's remarkable contributions to our company. Our talented Fox News and Fox Business colleagues, up and down the organization and on both sides of the camera, have built something that continues to redefine the cable news experience for millions of viewers. We are enormously proud of their accomplishments. For them, as well as for our colleagues across our entire organization, we continue our commitment to maintaining a work environment based on trust and respect. We take seriously our responsibility to uphold these traditional, long-standing values of our company.
Ailes’ departures comes after former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson made allegations of sexual harassment against the CEO. Yesterday Cortney touched upon reports that Ailes had harassed host Megyn Kelly, though these weren't verified.
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