Ailes’s Defenders
Several Fox News personalities, including Maria Bartiromo, Sean Hannity, Greta Van Susteren and Bill O’Reilly, voiced their support for Ailes in the days after the harassment suit was filed.
Ailes started Fox News at the behest of Murdoch, creating an alternative to more liberal competitors. While Fox News has been criticized for its partisan programming, it has used controversies such as the fight between anchor Kelly and presumptive nominee Donald Trump to build ratings. The network also draws a distinction between its opinionated prime-time programming, and more news-oriented shows during the day.
Fox News has been buoyed by record audiences during the primary season, momentum that’s expected to continue with the presidential candidacy of Trump, a real estate mogul and TV host. This year, Fox News is leading all basic cable channels in prime-time and total-day viewership for the first time in the network’s history. Fox averaged 2.18 million viewers a night in prime time through midyear, compared with 1.16 million for Time Warner Inc.’s CNN.
Uncertainty about Ailes’s future at Fox started last year after the elder Murdoch named his son James CEO and Lachlan co-executive chairman. The appointments led to confusing statements over whether Ailes would continue reporting to the elder Murdoch. Ultimately the company said he would report to all three.