Two months after former Fox & Friends co-host Gretchen Carlson accused Fox News’ then-Chairman Roger Ailes of sexual harassment, the network has agreed to pay Carlson $20 million and make a “highly unusual public apology,” NPR’s David Folkenflik reports.
News of the settlement was first reported Tuesday morning by Vanity Fair; a source with knowledge of the settlement then confirmed the deal to David, and the company later issued a statement about it.
“We sincerely regret and apologize for the fact that Gretchen was not treated with the respect and dignity that she and all of our colleagues deserve,” 21st Century Fox says in part of that statement.
In another development at Fox News, longtime anchor Greta Van Susteren is leaving the network. The departure is immediate — she will not host tonight’s edition of her 7 p.m. ET show. As David notes, Van Susteren “had initially dismissed” the seriousness of Carlson’s allegations.
As for Carlson, she tweeted this morning, “I’m ready to move on to the next chapter in my life.”
I would be moving on in style with 20 million bucks!
So does this mean that the T & A show on Faux News will be over or will things go back to business as usual?
Wow….. $60M in separation agreements in last two months. Would love to get fired or leave that way.
Prediction: some small changes, not much else.
For 20 million bucks, old creepy Ailes could sexually harass me for a year!! Yuck!
Greta Van Susteren has also left the network. (or IS leaving)
Faux News sounds like it is in a mess.
Good for Carlson, but according to accusations this creep has been sexually harassing women for decades. It’s sad that people can get away with this and make so much money doing it for so long in our country.
@El Guapo
Two words: enabling infrastructure.
The combination of position and money goes a long way, but when you get support aimed at protecting you and serving your whims, that’s a new level. President Bill Clinton, Roger Ailes, David Letterman… all had people whose job it was to make them happy.
It is sad.
There is a difference when you actually work for someone.
@MoonHowler
Yes, indeed, a YUGE difference when somebody’s job
is at stake.
So much for conservative family values.
The best, most fascinating article I have read on this event is:
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/09/how-fox-news-women-took-down-roger-ailes.html
It’s long, but worth the read. What goes around comes around.