Last January, six months after Fox News ousted its chairman amid a sexual harassment scandal, the network’s top-rated host at the time, Bill O’Reilly, struck a $32 million agreement with a longtime network analyst to settle new sexual harassment allegations, according to two people briefed on the matter — an extraordinarily large amount for such cases.
Although the deal has not been previously made public, the network’s parent company, 21st Century Fox, acknowledges that it was aware of the woman’s complaints about Mr. O’Reilly. They included allegations of repeated harassment, a nonconsensual sexual relationship and the sending of gay pornography and other sexually explicit material to her, according to the people briefed on the matter.
It was at least the sixth agreement — and by far the largest — made by either Mr. O’Reilly or the company to settle harassment allegations against him. Despite that record, 21st Century Fox began contract negotiations with Mr. O’Reilly, and in February granted him a four-year extension that paid $25 million a year.
All of this occurred after Megyn Kelly left the news outlet and they were attempting to convince the public that they were cleaning up "the workplace culture."
Apparently the Murdoch family huddled together and decided it made better business sense to extend O'Reilly's contract than to risk losing him, despite these numerous allegations and setttlements.
Clearly not a great business decision since they were forced to kick him out only four months later.
Someone on Twitter wanted to know just what could somebody do to another person that would cost 32 million dollars to cover up?
That is a good question, but not one I am sure I really want to know the answer to.
I have virtually NO doubt that the workplace sexual harassment is continuing at Fox News and that new allegations are forthcoming.
You just don't clean up a pigsty like that in such a short amount of time.
Source http://ift.tt/2hYyFgA
