• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup

2

The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting

3

Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less

1

After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup

2

The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting

3

Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less
Tech

Bill O’Reilly’s Career at Fox News Is Hanging by a Thread

By
Mathew Ingram
Mathew Ingram
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Mathew Ingram
Mathew Ingram
Down Arrow Button Icon
April 19, 2017, 10:31 AM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Bill O’Reilly is the star of the Fox News network’s top-rated show, The O’Reilly Factor, a show that just recently set a new industry record for the size of its audience. Despite this success, however, there are growing signs that the network may be looking to cut O’Reilly loose.

According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, the company is “preparing to cut ties” with the Fox News star after a wave of negative publicity that was triggered by news of more than a dozen sexual harassment allegations made against him by multiple former staffers. That news, in turn, led to an advertiser boycott of the show that may have helped force the network’s hand.

A number of media watchers noted that the matter-of-fact headline about cutting ties with O’Reilly appeared in the Journal, which like Fox, is owned by Rupert Murdoch. A final resolution on the fate of O’Reilly “could come as early as the next several days,” the paper reported. The board of directors of parent company 21st Century Fox (FOX) meets on Thursday.

New York magazine writer Gabriel Sherman, who has covered Fox News closely, said Murdoch’s sons James and Lachlan—CEO and co-chairman of 21st Century Fox respectively—want O’Reilly to go, but their father has been resisting.

The elder Murdoch has reportedly said he doesn’t want to fire O’Reilly because “it would appear he was forced into a decision by the New York Times.”

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

The storm of controversy over O’Reilly was touched off by a feature report in the Times on April 1, which described how Fox News had made financial payments to 15 former staffers after they made allegations of sexual harassment against the Fox host.

O’Reilly said the claims were unfounded, and that he settled the cases to avoid causing distress to his family. But after the Times story ran, new allegations arose making similar claims, and a series of advertisers started pulling their ad campaigns from the top-rated show.

The boycott started with automakers like BMW and Mercedes-Benz, but others quickly followed. Within a matter of days, more than 45 advertisers had said that they were pulling their ad spending from the O’Reilly show as a result of the allegations. Although most simply moved their campaigns to other Fox programs, it was still a very visible sign of discontent.

As the boycott gathered steam, O’Reilly announced that he was going on vacation, and that’s when the speculation started in earnest that he might not return.

The Fox star has made it clear that he isn’t prepared to go without a fight. His legal team released a statement saying the “brutal campaign of character assassination” that has been waged against him is part of a “smear campaign orchestrated by far-left organizations” bent on destroying him for political reasons.

Despite O’Reilly’s bluster, however, CNN’s Brian Stelter has pointed out that when O’Reilly signed a new contract with Fox recently, a number of reports said the deal gave the network more leverage over him than previous contracts. That could make it easier for Fox to cut him loose without having to engage in a long, drawn-out legal battle.

For many observers, the O’Reilly situation feels like a replay of last year’s ouster of former Fox chairman Roger Ailes, who was also the subject of multiple sexual harassment allegations from former Fox staffers like Megyn Kelly and Gretchen Carlson.

Towards the end, as Ailes was fighting to retain his position, the Murdoch family appeared to be split along very similar lines to the ones that exist now: James and Lachlan wanted to get rid of the Fox chairman, arguing that his presence was toxic for the network. But their father resisted—until at last a decision was finally made.

Similar wheels appear to have been set in motion for O’Reilly. If and when he ultimately leaves could trigger a significant realignment at the conservative news network as Fox scrambles to fill the void left by one of their star voices.

About the Author
By Mathew Ingram
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

‘Godmother of AI’ and tech entrepreneurs draw investors by pivoting from chatbots to ‘world models’ saying AI has to read the room, not just books
AIRobots
‘Godmother of AI’ and tech entrepreneurs draw investors by pivoting from chatbots to ‘world models’ saying AI has to read the room, not just books
By The Associated PressJune 24, 2026
2 hours ago
‘We are in agony’: Today Show host Savannah Guthrie begs public for help as reports surface her missing 84-year-old mom might be dead
North AmericaMedia
‘We are in agony’: Today Show host Savannah Guthrie begs public for help as reports surface her missing 84-year-old mom might be dead
By The Associated PressJune 24, 2026
2 hours ago
Asia’s defense boom is rewiring the global arms supply chain
Commentaryarms, weapons, and defense
Asia’s defense boom is rewiring the global arms supply chain
By Chris OberoiJune 24, 2026
3 hours ago
Institute's Global Conference at the Beverly Hilton Hotel,on May 6, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.
RetailSpaceX
Elon Musk was the world’s first trillionaire for 12 days
By Eva RoytburgJune 24, 2026
4 hours ago
President Donald Trump pictured in September 2025 signing an executive order that overhauled the H-1B visa program.
EconomyImmigration
Trump’s international student crackdown kicked off a domino effect that could shave nearly $500 billion off the economy
By Tristan BoveJune 24, 2026
5 hours ago
How Home Depot is rebuilding retailing with AI
NewslettersCIO Intelligence
How Home Depot is rebuilding retailing with AI
By John KellJune 24, 2026
7 hours ago

Most Popular

After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
Success
After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 23, 2026
1 day ago
The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting
Economy
The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting
By Jacqueline MunisJune 24, 2026
17 hours ago
Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less
Retail
Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less
By Nick LichtenbergJune 24, 2026
9 hours ago
Ray Dalio just finished a 10-day trip to China. He says global leaders know America 'doesn’t have what it takes to fight to maintain its empire'
Asia
Ray Dalio just finished a 10-day trip to China. He says global leaders know America 'doesn’t have what it takes to fight to maintain its empire'
By Nick LichtenbergJune 24, 2026
10 hours ago
Current price of oil as of June 23, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 23, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 23, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of gold as of June 23, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of gold as of June 23, 2026
By Danny BakstJune 23, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.