Embattled Fox News chief Roger Ailes is leaving the channel immediately and 21st Century Fox co-chairman Rupert Murdoch will take over his title at the Fox News Channel, the company announced on Thursday.
In a statement, Murdoch said, "Roger Ailes has made a remarkable contribution to our company and our country. Roger shared my vision of a great and independent television organization and executed it brilliantly over 20 great years.
"Fox News has given voice to those who were ignored by the traditional networks and has been one of the great commercial success stories of modern media.
"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," he said.
Ailes had been under pressure because of allegations of sex harassment that first arose in a lawsuit filed by former anchor Gretchen Carlson after her contract was not renewed.
Murdoch's statement continued, "His grasp of policy and his ability to make profoundly important issues accessible to a broader audience stand in stark contrast to the self-serving elitism that characterizes far too much of the media.
"I am personally committed to ensuring that Fox News remains a distinctive, powerful voice. Our nation needs a robust Fox News to resonate from every corner of the country.
"To ensure continuity of all that is best about Fox News and what it stands for, I will take over as chairman and acting CEO, with the support of our existing management team under Bill Shine, Jay Wallace and Mark Kranz."
Lachlan Murdoch and James Murdoch, the executive chairman and CEO, respectively, of 21st Century Fox, released a statement saying, "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."
In a letter from Ailes to Rupert Murdoch posted on the Drudge Report, Ailes said he would be continuing to work with the Murdoch family "as a consultant in building 21st Century Fox."
"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," Ailes wrote.
"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," he continued.
"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."
The New York Daily News cited New York Magazine national affairs editor Gabriel Sherman to report Ailes "will take a $60 million golden parachute to leave the company behind."
Sherman tweeted, "Payout will be over a period of time that includes consulting."
TPM reported that after Carlson's initial complaint, and reports that Fox superstar Megyn Kelly also had claimed harassment, more than 20 women joined the chorus.
"The legal team for Carlson, who is suing Ailes in New Jersey court for sexual harassment and retaliation, told the Guardian US that women have called and emailed the office in droves since Carlson's suit was filed two weeks ago," the report said. "Her legal team didn't detail the women's allegations beyond saying they stem from Ailes' current role as CEO of Fox News and reach as far back as his tenure as a producer on 'The Mike Douglas Show' in the 1960s."
The Daily Mail said still undecided was the length of time that Ailes will work as a consultant.
The Mail also reported that former Fox anchor Laurie Dhue "is in the process of writing a book 'in which she will candidly discuss her years at Fox News and her interactions and communications with Mr. Ailes.'"
The report said that project will cover her "involuntary departure" from Fox.
WND reported, too, when there was an explanation about why Kelly may have remained mostly silent while others on the network were taking sides on the claims by Carlson against Ailes.
Kelly might have had the same experience.
"Kelly's refusal to join in Ailes' orchestrated defense has led to speculation about why," New York Mag said at the time. "Now we have the answer. According to two sources briefed on parent company 21st Century Fox's outside probe of the Fox News executive, led by new York-based law firm Paul, Weiss, Kelly has told investigators that Ailes made unwanted sexual advances toward her about ten years ago when she was a young correspondent at Fox. Kelly, according to the sources, has described her harassment by Ailes in detail."
Kelly has not been completely silent on the issue. In a video embedded by USA Today, she explained how Ailes was her mentor.
"He's also a friend. I depend on him for friendship and sane, honest advice. He gives you advice on personal life, who you are and how you're translating on television," she said.
The issue had divided the Fox team, with some on-air personalities supporting Ailes, others criticizing.
The Murdochs tasked a New York law firm with investigating the allegations, but no official report has been released.
Ailes denied the accusations.
In an earlier statement, he said, "Gretchen Carlson's allegations are false. This is a retaliatory suit for the network's decision not to renew her contract, which was due to the fact that her disappointingly low ratings were dragging down the afternoon lineup. When Fox News did not commence any negotiations to renew her contract, Ms. Carlson became aware that her career with the network was likely over and conveniently began to pursue a lawsuit. Ironically, Fox News provided her with more on-air opportunities over her 11 year tenure than any other employer in the industry, for which she thanked me in her recent book. This defamatory lawsuit is not only offensive, it is wholly without merit and will be defended vigorously."
When Carlson, 50, filed her sexual-harassment suit against her now-former boss, she said in the same court filing her former morning co-host Steve Doocy was guilty of the same.
The full complaint is available here.
The Daily Mail reported Carlson said she was let go on June 23 for refusing to have sex with Ailes. She worked for the network for 11 years, serving as co-host in the popular morning "Fox & Friends" show and as a host of her own afternoon news broadcast.