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Fox News parent Twenty-First Century Fox Inc announced
on Wednesday it had parted ways with the star cable news host,
ending his more than 20-year career, following the allegations
from a number of women.
O'Reilly' severance, totaling the equivalent of one year of his
salary, would mark the latest multimillion-dollar payment by Fox
News related to men accused of sexual harassment.
The New York Times reported on April 1 that Fox and O'Reilly had
paid five women a total of $13 million to settle harassment
claims. O'Reilly said in a statement at the time that he had
settled only to spare his children from controversy.
O'Reilly, who has been off the air on vacation since April 11,
said in a written statement on Wednesday he was proud of his
"unprecedented success" at Fox.
"It is tremendously disheartening that we part ways due to
completely unfounded claims. But that is the unfortunate reality
many of us in the public eye must live with today," O'Reilly
said in the statement.
In July, the company paid former head of Fox News, Roger Ailes,
a severance package of about $40 million, following allegations
of sexual harassment.
Ailes in his resignation letter did not indicate he did anything
wrong.
O'Reilly's show, "The O'Reilly Factor," has been the most
watched program on Fox News and was coming off the highest-rated
first quarter in its history, averaging 4 million viewers,
according to Nielsen.
O'Reilly will be replaced in his prime-time lineup by Fox host
Tucker Carlson.
(Reporting By Jessica Toonkel; Editing by Tom Brown)
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