Advertisement

Report says Bill O'Reilly's payout could be as high as $25 million

 
Bill O'Reilly lost his job at Fox News Channel after reports that five women had been paid millions of dollars to keep quiet about harassment allegations. 21st Century Fox issued a statement Wednesday that "after a thorough and careful review of the allegations, the company and Bill O'Reilly have agreed that Bill O'Reilly will not be returning to the Fox News Channel.  [Associated Press]
Bill O'Reilly lost his job at Fox News Channel after reports that five women had been paid millions of dollars to keep quiet about harassment allegations. 21st Century Fox issued a statement Wednesday that "after a thorough and careful review of the allegations, the company and Bill O'Reilly have agreed that Bill O'Reilly will not be returning to the Fox News Channel. [Associated Press]
Published April 20, 2017

Bill O'Reilly is leaving Fox News with a payout of up to $25 million, the equivalent of one year of his salary, the New York Times reports, citing two people briefed on the matter.

For 21st Century Fox, the network's parent company, payouts related to sexual harassment allegations at Fox News now total more than $85 million. The vast majority of that — up to $65 million in exit packages — is being paid to the men who were ousted from the network because of the harassment allegations.

O'Reilly, 67, was forced out of the network on Wednesday following the disclosure of a series of sexual harassment allegations against him and an internal investigation that unearthed more women with complaints about his behavior.

His ouster was a stunning departure for 21st Century Fox, which long stood by O'Reilly even as allegations and settlements started to add up. O'Reilly, who started at Fox News in 1996, was considered the network's top asset. His nightly program, "The O'Reilly Factor,'' generated high ratings and pulled in hundreds of millions in advertising revenues.

RELATED COVERAGE: Stock gains ground for parent of Fox News after O'Reilly firing

But pressure mounted on the company to take action after a New York Times investigation found that O'Reilly and the company had reached settlements with five women who had complained about sexual harassment or other inappropriate behavior by him. The agreements totaled about $13 million, the majority paid by him.

Earlier this year, the network extended O'Reilly's contract by four years. At the time, the company was aware of multiple allegations of sexual harassment against him and had even reached two settlements involving such complaints. His previous contract had been set to expire in 2017.

But the new contract provided the company with some protections. Those included a provision that O'Reilly could be dismissed if the company was made aware of other allegations against him or if new ones arose, according to the New York Times, which cited one person briefed on the matter. The contract also included provisions meant to get O'Reilly to address his behavior, the person said.

In addition, though the contract was extended, it also modified the company's financial commitment to O'Reilly if he was dismissed, so that he would receive a maximum of one year salary, according to two people, the New York Times reports. The people spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private negotiations.

The exact financial terms of O'Reilly's exit package are not known, but it is expected that the company will disclose them in future regulatory filings.

Last summer, Roger E. Ailes, the chairman of Fox News, left the network with an exit package worth $40 million after several women made sexual harassment allegations against him. The company has reached settlements with at least six women who accused him of sexual harassment, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Keep up with Tampa Bay’s top headlines

Keep up with Tampa Bay’s top headlines

Subscribe to our free DayStarter newsletter

We’ll deliver the latest news and information you need to know every morning.

You’re all signed up!

Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started.

Explore all your options

One was Gretchen Carlson, a former Fox News anchor. She sued Ailes last July and left the network with a $20 million settlement.

Ailes and O'Reilly have denied the allegations.