The right-wing Fox News host Bill O’Reilly has been axed by the channel’s parent company, 21st Century Fox, following claims of sexual harassment and payouts by either the channel or O’Reilly to 5 women totaling $13 million so as to cover up the accusations. After a New York Times investigation brought the payout claims to light, an ad boycott and protests outside the Fox News HQ placed further pressure on the parent company to drop the host.
O’Reilly, who denies the claims, was a host for Fox News since 1996. According to Media Matters, he has “helped set the bar for the normalization and dissemination of right-wing hatred”. In recent times, for example, he has described the European refugee crisis as a ‘dramatic Muslim invasion’ and hosted an uncredentialled ‘expert’ who perpetuated unevidenced fears about recent refugees in Sweden.
A dismal turnout is one of several concerns facing leader Paul Golding after another poor national event, as we identify a puzzling discrepancy around the…
