Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox Inc. settled allegations that Fox News host Bill O’Reilly sexually harassed anchor Juliet Huddy, the New York Times reported.
In exchange for her silence and agreement not to sue the company, Huddy was paid a sum in the high six figures, the newspaper said, citing documents related to the matter as well as sources the newspaper didn’t identify.
Huddy said O’Reilly pursued a sexual relationship with her in 2011, and when she rebuffed his advances he tried to derail her career, according to a draft of a letter from her lawyers to Fox News that was obtained by Times.
Fox News didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. Lawnewz.com first reported on the agreement Monday.
The agreement followed the July ouster of Fox News chief Roger Ailes over claims of sexual harassment.
[RELATED: Andrea Tantaros wants Ailes, Bill O’Reilly to submit to a lie-detector test challenge’]
O’Reilly, whose contract expires at the end of this year, is the biggest ratings-getter at the network, serving as a lead-in for Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity. “The O’Reilly Factor” is Fox News’s tentpole show.
Fox has one of the most loyal audiences in cable TV and has pummeled CNN and MSNBC in the ratings since the presidential election in November.
(c) 2017, Bloomberg · Anousha Sakoui
