Fox signed O'Reilly again knowing of harassment settlement

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Bill O'Reilly, the Fox News commentator forced to resign in April, agreed to a 32 million US dollars sexual harassment settlement in January, and the network's parent knew about the deal when it gave him a new contract the next month, the New York Times reported on Saturday.

The previously undisclosed agreement, at least the sixth involving O'Reilly or the company related to harassment charges against him, was "extraordinarily large" for such cases, according to the newspaper, which cited two people "briefed on the matter" as its sources.

21st Century Fox Inc acknowledged that it had been aware of O'Reilly's settlement with Lis Wiehl, a former Fox News legal analyst when it signed a contract extension with "The O'Reilly Factor" host in February.

Radio-TV personality Wendy Walsh (R) speaks with reporters alongside her attorney, Lisa Bloom, to discuss her allegations of sexual harassment by Fox News host Bill O’Reilly, during a news conference in Los Angeles, April 3, 2017. /Reuters Photo

The company "was informed by Mr. O'Reilly that he had settled the matter personally, on financial terms that he and Ms. Wiehl had agreed were confidential and not disclosed to the company," 21st Century Fox said in a statement emailed by spokesman Nathaniel Brown.

Neither O'Reilly or Wiehl could be reached immediately for comment.

But according to the Times, Rupert Murdoch and his two sons, Lachlan and James, as top executives of 21st Century Fox, decided in January to retain O'Reilly despite being made aware of the fresh complaints, the Times reported. The next month, the company gave O'Reilly a contract extension worth 25 million US dollars a year.

In April, after advertisers began to flee O'Reilly's show, 21st Century Fox parted ways with O'Reilly, ending the popular commentator's two-decade Fox News career.

In its statement on Saturday, the company said it acted in April "based on the terms of this contract," referring to the deal signed in February.

Demonstrators protest calling for the firing of Fox News Channel TV anchor Bill O'Reilly outside the News Corporation headquarters in New York City, April 18, 2017. /Reuters Photo

The Times reported on April 1 Fox or O‘Reilly had paid five women a total of 13 million US dollars to settle harassment claims, before news of the sixth deal emerged. The women either worked for the host or appeared as guests on his program, the paper reported.

O‘Reilly said in a statement at the time that he had settled only to spare his children from the controversy.

"The O‘Reilly Factor" was the top-rated show on Fox News. According to ad-tracking firm Kantar Media, it brought in 147.13 million US dollars in advertising revenue in 2016.

O‘Reilly's exit followed the departure of former Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes. He was forced to resign in July after being accused of sexual misconduct by a number of women, including former anchor Gretchen Carlson. Ailes, who died in May, had repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

"21st Century Fox has taken concerted action to transform Fox News," the company said on Saturday. Those steps include "installing new leadership, overhauling management and on-air talent, expanding training, and increasing the channels through which employees can report harassment or discrimination."

Source(s): Reuters