Fox Was Aware of Bill O'Reilly Harassment Settlement at Contract Renewal

By Joe Flint 

21st Century Fox was aware Bill O'Reilly had reached a settlement with a network analyst who had accused him of sexual harassment when the company renewed the star Fox News host's contract, the company said Saturday.

In a statement, the company said it "knew that a sexual harassment lawsuit had been threatened against him by Lis Wiehl, but was informed by Mr. O'Reilly that he had settled the matter personally" when it signed Mr. O'Reilly to a new four-year deal last February.

The settlement with Ms. Wiehl, a legal analyst for Fox News and a legal adviser to Mr. O'Reilly, was for $32 million, according to the New York Times, which first reported on the settlement Saturday.

Mr. O'Reilly has denied all alleged wrongdoing. A spokesman for Mr. O'Reilly issued a statement critical of the Times story, saying it contained false and defamatory material "obviously designed to embarrass Mr. O'Reilly and to keep him from competing in the marketplace."

In its statement, 21st Century Fox didn't confirm the amount of the settlement, saying it was reached "on financial terms that [Mr. O'Reilly] and Ms. Wiehl had agreed were confidential and not disclosed to the company."

Fox News and Mr. O'Reilly parted ways in April after the New York Times reported that he and Fox News had paid to resolve several harassment accusations against him over many years.

Ms. Wiehl didn't respond to a request for comment. In April, she said in an emailed statement to The Wall Street Journal that there was "no claim against Fox News or Bill O'Reilly" and that she was leaving the network to "devote herself to writing and other pursuits."

The settlement, reported by the Times on Saturday, is notable both for its apparent size and timing. It came as Fox News was already reeling from a string of sexual harassment claims against former network boss Roger Ailes.

Mr. Ailes, who denied the allegations, exited last summer and died earlier this year. 21st Century Fox launched a probe into Mr. Ailes's alleged misconduct and pledged to ensure a safe workplace for women. In September 2016, the company paid $20 million to settle a lawsuit with former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson, who had accused Mr. Ailes of sexual harassment.

"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 said in a statement at the time.

Federal authorities are investigating what 21st Century Fox knew about settlement payments from Fox News to Mr. Ailes's accusers -- as well as how those payments were made and who was involved, people familiar with the matter have said. 21st Century Fox has said it is cooperating fully with the probe.

The 21st Century Fox statement issued Saturday said Mr. O'Reilly's latest contract gave the company the right to dismiss him if it "was made aware of other allegations or if additional relevant information was obtained in a company investigation. The company subsequently acted based on the terms of this contract."

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

Since departing Fox News, Mr. O'Reilly has started his own online show. He recently returned to Sean Hannity's show on Fox News to promote his latest book.

21st Century Fox and the Journal's parent News Corp share common ownership.

Write to Joe Flint at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

October 21, 2017 23:07 ET (03:07 GMT)

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