The Age of Information feels less like a blessing when so much of that information is of the negative variety. Things just keep getting worse for Fox News, whose big boss Roger Ailes has been in the middle of a media tempest after getting slammed with sexual harassment claims from fired host Gretchen Carlson, and it's all reportedly coming to a head tonight. When the dust settles, there is a bigger-than-expected chance that top network hosts Bill O'Reilly, Greta Van Susteren and Sean Hannity may leave the network.
There is an awful lot of dust coming off of this situation, though, so there's little telling when it could clear up. In the weeks since Roger Ailes was first accused - and those weeks have not been quiet ones, with Megyn Kelly also reportedly making claims against him - people on both sides of the aisle have come out to defend and decry him, with Bill O'Reilly, Greta Van Susteren and Sean Hannity all firmly in Ailes' corner. And there are apparently talks happening that could see the three exiting the network depending on how things go down with Ailes', as all three of their contracts have a stipulation embedded within that would allow them to walk away if Ailes is removed from Fox News, according to Financial Times (via TheWrap).
And if political reporter Matt Drudge is to be believed, motions are being made to take on this matter headfirst. (As well as something else about Kelly's claims.)
Any worry would be for naught if there was a chance that Roger Ailes would or could make it through it all unscathed, but such a chance is reportedly quite foregone by this point. Deadline is reporting Ailes' exit talks are currently underway, with Drudge's sources estimating he'll be leaving $40 million or so richer. The terms of the deal are supposedly going to be banged out by the end of the night, so we can probably expect an announcement about it very soon.
Losing just one of these names would be a blow to Fox News, which is experiencing a banner year in terms of ratings and popularity, with Bill O'Reilly as popular as ever. (It being a Donald Trump-filled election year certainly helped that out.) Not even Carlson's absence had a negative effect, oddly enough. It seems unlikely that all three would make a beeline for the door over this, but never underestimate the resolve of a Fox News analyst. You will lose more often than not.
Stay tuned, as we will more than likely have more news about Fox News' future quite soon.
