Media mogul Rupert Murdoch said Monday that “nothing’s happening at Fox News,” despite the departure of two top executives and top host Bill O’Reilly.
The comment came during an ambush interview with the BBC’s Amol Rajan, who asked Murdoch if he was worried about the ongoing federal investigation of 21st Century Fox and the class action racial discrimination suit against Fox News.
The British regulatory agency Ofcom on Monday heard from Wendy Walsh, who has accused O’Reilly of sexual harassment, as part of its review of 21st Century Fox’s potential takeover over of Sky.
“Do you have any concerns about what Ofcom might say about what’s happening at Fox News?” Rajan asked Murdoch.
“Nothing’s happening at Fox News,” Murdoch replied, rolling up his passenger seat window.
He rolled down the window to continue: “It’s getting record ratings,” he said, “And so I’m not worried at all.”
“And you don’t think Ofcom are going to consider what’s happening at Fox News?” Rajan asked again.
“Nothing’s happening at Fox News,” Murdoch said. “Nothing, OK?”
“You lost three of your top people, that’s something, isn’t it?” Rajan asked. “These are sexual and racial harassment allegations.”
“Not the third person at all, nothing against him,” Murdoch said. “And the other two are quite separate, so goodbye.”
Top figures at Fox News — Roger Ailes, Bill O’Reilly, and Bill Shine — all lost their jobs over the past year, reportedly either as a result of their involvement in alleged sexual harassment, or the covering up thereof, at the network.
