Politics & Government

Reports: Roger Ailes on his way out at Fox News

By Kate Irby

kirby@mcclatchy.com

July 19, 2016 04:40 PM

In this Feb. 9, 2015 file photo, Roger Ailes attends a special screening of “Kingsman: The Secret Service” in New York. Ailes, the Fox News Channel network chief executive is being sued by former anchor Gretchen Carlson, who claims she was fired after refusing his sexual advances. The lawsuit was filed July 6, in Superior Court in New Jersey’s Bergen County.
In this Feb. 9, 2015 file photo, Roger Ailes attends a special screening of “Kingsman: The Secret Service” in New York. Ailes, the Fox News Channel network chief executive is being sued by former anchor Gretchen Carlson, who claims she was fired after refusing his sexual advances. The lawsuit was filed July 6, in Superior Court in New Jersey’s Bergen County. Charles Sykes Charles Sykes/Invision/AP
In this Feb. 9, 2015 file photo, Roger Ailes attends a special screening of “Kingsman: The Secret Service” in New York. Ailes, the Fox News Channel network chief executive is being sued by former anchor Gretchen Carlson, who claims she was fired after refusing his sexual advances. The lawsuit was filed July 6, in Superior Court in New Jersey’s Bergen County. Charles Sykes Charles Sykes/Invision/AP

Roger Ailes will leave Fox News, according to multiple reports, but it is unclear when the network’s founder, architect and CEO will depart.

Initially, the departure was announced Tuesday afternoon with a siren on the Drudge Report, and a story by The Daily Beast that said Ailes’ departure was confirmed by Fox to editor-at-large Lloyd Grove.

The Drudge Report later revised its headline to this:

Drudge also tweeted a document that appeared to be a separation agreement, that said Ailes would receive a $40 million buyout and his termination date would be July 22.

Fox tweeted, “Roger is at work. The review is ongoing. And the only agreement that is in place is his existing employment agreement.”

The Daily Beast modified its report to say that Fox had “walked back that confirmation” of Ailes’ departure.

But David Folkenflik of NPR said two sources at Fox were confirming the news.

The departure follows several sexual harrassment allegations by current and former female employees of Fox News, originally brought forward by Gretchen Carlson’s lawsuit. Carlson said in the lawsuit that Ailes made unwanted sexual advances towards her and would make comments about her appearance that were sexual in nature.

The news that Ailes had an ultimatum to resign or be fired by Aug. 1 was originally reported by New York Magazine’s Gabriel Sherman.

The conflicting reports on Tuesday came hours after claims surfaced that Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly said she had been sexually harrassed by Ailes 10 years ago.

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