The Murdoch family is reportedly fighting about top Fox News host Bill O’Reilly’s future at the network in the wake of accusations of sexual harassment against him, New York Magazine reported Tuesday, citing unnamed sources.
O’Reilly is currently away on vacation, his longest in years, and the family is “leaning toward” announcing he will not be back on air, according to the report. James and Lachlan Murdoch are of the opinion that O’Reilly needs to go, sources apparently told the publication, but their father, Rupert, is not so sure.
“The three are fighting,” an unnamed source told New York Magazine.
Part of the reason Murdoch is resistant is that he doesn’t want it to look like he was “forced into a decision by The New York Times,” the report continued.
This report comes on the heels of dozens of companies pulling out of advertising on O’Reilly’s show after it came to light that several sexual harassment cases against him had been settled. The revenue lost, along with other factors, has made the idea of letting O’Reilly go look better and better, an unnamed source told the publication.
“It’s worse than Glenn Beck,” they reportedly said.
A spokesperson for Fox News did not immediately respond to TPM’s request for comment on the report.
The accusations against O’Reilly have also prompted protests outside the network and petitions to fire him.
Just watched 480,000 petitions calling for Bill O'Reilly's termination be delivered to @FoxNews office in NYC pic.twitter.com/55IIMZfQp1
— Militia Etheridge (@MaryEmilyOHara) April 18, 2017