Bill O’Reilly, longtime political journalist, prime time television host, and avid enemy of Hip-Hop has been forcibly removed from Fox News in light of multiple sexual harassment accusations against him.
O’Reilly, host of one of the highest rated shows on Fox News, The O’Reilly Report was banished from Fox News after a long string of multiple sexual harassment case settlements was uncovered by an investigation from The New York Times.
21st Century Fox, Fox News’s parent company broke the news in a statement on Wednesday (April 19) that after reviewing the newly released information, a decision was made terminate O’Reilly.
“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,” it stated.
The Times’ investigation revealed that the Rupert Murdoch’s owned Fox News and 21st Century Fox stood behind ‘O Reilly even after reaching settlements with five women who complained about either sexual harassment or inappropriate comments and behavior by him. The settlements totaled to over $13 Million and even then, his contract was still extended.
In turn, it led to many women’s rights activists calling for his firing as well as over 50 advertisers abandoning his show, including Mitsubishi, Advil, and H&R Block among the many others. He denies all of the accusations against him.
O’Reilly has been a major part in the success Fox News since his arrival in 1996. Since then, he has maintained his now tarnished status of being one of the highest rated cable news hosts with his critical, patriotic, and yet often judgmental, racist, and biased brand of political and social commentary that often favored well with Republicans. The influential journalist made such a huge impact on the network that, according to The Times, he made Fox News $178 million in advertising revenue in 2015.
The 67-year old author of the book Killing Reagan was also infamous for his long history of being a painful thorn in the side of Hip-Hop. Over the years, he’s made critical and often inaccurate remarks against many artists and business in the culture including the likes of Cam’ron, Dame Dash, Common, Lupe Fiasco, Russell Simmons, Insane Clown Posse, and ironically, Ludacris for “degrading women” during his 2003 ad campaign with Pepsi.
Talib Kweli and many others expressed their pleasure for his removal after his year of antagonizing the often-scrutinized genre.
Alex Jones had to admit he’s fake news. Bill O’Reilly was fired. Milo was caught supporting pedophiles, fired. Hannity, you’re next.
— Talib Kweli Greene (@TalibKweli) April 19, 2017
This is the second notable figure to have been removed from Fox News since the dismissal of its former CEO Roger Ailes for, like O’Reilly, sexual harassment and sexual assault allegations.
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