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Fox News Executive, Bill Shine, Departs Amid Turmoil With Fox News in Tumult, Another Executive, Bill Shine, Is Ousted
(about 4 hours later)
Fox News on Monday removed one of its most powerful executives, Bill Shine, another seismic shake-up at a network that remains in crisis mode as its owner, Rupert Murdoch, moves to steer it past the sexual harassment scandal that first engulfed it last summer. Fox News forced out one of its most senior executives on Monday, the latest aftershock of a sexual harassment scandal that has engulfed the television network and pressured its owners, the Murdoch family, into a painful and protracted public housecleaning.
Mr. Shine, a network co-president and a longtime lieutenant to its disgraced former chairman, Roger Ailes, was viewed by some employees as a symbol of Fox News’s old-guard leadership even as its parent, 21st Century Fox, pledged reforms to the company culture and a new era of civility in the newsroom. The exit of Bill Shine — a co-president at the network and a close ally of Roger E. Ailes, its former chairman — came nearly 10 months after Mr. Ailes was removed in the wake of numerous harassment allegations. Mr. Shine’s departure could portend big changes as the Murdochs move to retool a lucrative channel that has threatened to become an obstacle to their global business ambitions.
But there were signs that the pressure on 21st Century Fox might not let up soon. One veteran executive who was promoted on Monday, Suzanne Scott, has, like Mr. Shine, been cited in lawsuits as a figure who enabled and concealed Mr. Ailes’s harassing behavior toward women. Mr. Shine’s exit did little to quell a newsroom in tumult, however. Even as Mr. Shine was removed, another veteran executive with deep ties to Mr. Ailes, Suzanne Scott, was promoted. Ms. Scott, who is now the president of programming, has been cited in lawsuits against the network as a figure who enabled and concealed Mr. Ailes’s behavior.
The departure of Mr. Shine — who was selected by Mr. Murdoch, the executive chairman of 21st Century Fox, for his job last summer — is also likely to roil some of Fox News’s most recognizable stars, including Sean Hannity, a close friend of the ousted co-president. Mr. Hannity defended his friend last week on Twitter, saying that removing Mr. Shine would be “the total end of the FNC as we know it,” but he has been silent about the matter on Monday. Mr. Shine had been viewed by some employees as a symbol of Mr. Ailes’s tainted tenure amid a public pledge by the network’s corporate parent, 21st Century Fox, to reform its office culture. He was accused in several lawsuits of covering up Mr. Ailes’s behavior and dismissing concerns from women who complained about it. Mr. Shine and Ms. Scott deny any wrongdoing.
Mr. Shine’s exit comes 10 months after Mr. Ailes was toppled by a sexual harassment scandal, and less than two weeks since the departure of Bill O’Reilly, the one-time king of cable news whose reign abruptly ended after revelations in The New York Times that he and Fox News paid millions of dollars to five women who accused Mr. O’Reilly of harassment. Seen by the Murdochs as a steward rather than a visionary — Rupert Murdoch, in a meeting with executives, once referred to him as a “fine company man” — Mr. Shine was not considered a long-term leader for the network, despite his close relationships with marquee personalities like Sean Hannity.
Mr. Murdoch is often reluctant to make major personnel changes. But he is facing public and corporate pressures, including his desire to acquire the British satellite and television company Sky. That bid requires the approval of a British regulatory agency, which must determine if 21st Century Fox can act as a “fit and proper” owner. But Mr. Shine’s standing weakened in recent weeks as his name surfaced in new lawsuits against the channel and some advocacy groups called for his firing. Inside Fox News, Mr. Shine also advocated keeping Bill O’Reilly, even after The New York Times reported that Mr. O’Reilly, a popular prime-time host, had entered into multimillion-dollar settlements with women who had accused him of harassment. Mr. O’Reilly was fired almost two weeks ago.
“They’re definitely ‘cleaning house,’” said Andrew Gilman, the chief executive of the crisis communications firm CommCore Consulting Group. “And it sounds like the younger Murdochs are saying we’re willing to sacrifice some revenue and talent for a longer term view.” He was referring to Mr. Murdoch’s sons, Lachlan and James, who run 21st Century Fox. The string of major departures — at a network that for two decades had had little to no change in its senior ranks — has unsettled Fox News’s employees, from its prime-time stars to its rank-and-file staff. Mr. Hannity, who had recommended Mr. Shine for his first position at Fox News, said on Twitter last week that Mr. Shine’s removal would be “the total end of the FNC as we know it.”
Asked if this was effective strategy, Mr. Gilman said: “We won’t know if it’s effective until we watch ratings, revenue and profits over time. Fox is big enough and diverse enough that I think they can withstand the economic impact. Longer term, they’re saying, what do we want to stand for?” Mr. Hannity was mostly silent about the matter on Monday, although he posted a comment on Twitter affirming reports that he was not considering a departure from the network.
In announcing Mr. Shine’s departure, Mr. Murdoch praised the executive as “respected and liked by everyone at Fox News,” adding in a news release, “His contribution to our channel and our country will resonate for many years.” Mr. Murdoch, Fox News’s executive chairman, is facing pressure on multiple fronts, not least his own corporate aspirations. He is on the verge of acquiring a long-coveted prize, the British satellite and television company Sky, for his European media empire.
Mr. Murdoch also announced that Ms. Scott would become president for programming and Jay Wallace would become president for news. Jack Abernethy, who was a co-president with Mr. Shine, remains in his current position. But the deal must be approved by a British regulatory agency that will determine if 21st Century Fox can act as a “fit and proper” owner. The last time that Mr. Murdoch faced a major public outcry — during the hacking scandal at his British tabloid News of the World — he was stymied by regulators, who rejected an attempt to acquire Sky.
For months, Mr. Shine’s position seemed safe. He was promoted to lead Fox News with Mr. Abernethy after Mr. Ailes’s departure, and was seen as a source of stability in the news division at a turbulent time. The Murdochs are “definitely cleaning house,” said Andrew Gilman, the chief executive of the crisis communications firm CommCore Consulting Group.
But the dismissal of Mr. O’Reilly brought new scrutiny to the company, and some women’s groups called for Mr. Shine to be fired. Mr. Shine has denied all wrongdoing, as have Ms. Scott and Mr. Abernethy. Mr. Ailes and Mr. O’Reilly have also denied the allegations against them. Referring to Mr. Murdoch’s sons, Lachlan and James, who run 21st Century Fox, Mr. Gilman added, “It sounds like the younger Murdochs are saying, ‘We’re willing to sacrifice some revenue and talent for a longer-term view.’”
News of Mr. Shine’s departure was reported earlier by Gabriel Sherman of New York Magazine. The family has been willing to make sacrifices before: News of the World no longer publishes, and Rupert Murdoch let go one of his favorite executives, Rebekah Brooks, when she was caught up in that scandal (although he has since hired her back). Whether the Murdochs go further in changing over Fox News’s leadership is now a source of open speculation at the network.
With Mr. Shine out, the network is now under the day-to-day command of Jack Abernethy, who retained a title of co-president. Mr. Abernethy has also been cited as contributing to a toxic environment at Fox News. He has denied wrongdoing.
The network’s senior ranks still include other executives who worked closely with Mr. Ailes, including Dianne Brandi, the general counsel. On Monday, several employees pointed to the continued power of Mr. Abernethy, Ms. Brandi and Ms. Scott as evidence that the old guard at Fox News remains in charge.
Two employees invoked a phrase from President Trump in describing the attitude of some workers: “Drain the swamp.”
Five current Fox News employees, male and female, described the newsroom on Monday as being in a state of shock after learning of Mr. Shine’s exit. Workers there, speaking anonymously because they feared retribution, described a sense of continuing dread about the spate of new developments in a scandal that has stretched on for months.
Mr. Shine was a Long Island commuter who prided himself on his working-class roots, and friends considered him the newsroom’s closest embodiment of the average Fox News viewer. He had a knack for talent management and maintained a close friendship with Mr. Hannity, with whom he had worked before Mr. Hannity made the leap to cable-news prominence. The men frequently spoke by telephone.
It was Mr. Murdoch who selected Mr. Shine as a co-president last summer, after Mr. Ailes’s removal, and it was Mr. Murdoch who on Monday announced Mr. Shine’s exit in a memo to the staff.
“I know Bill was respected and liked by everyone at Fox News,” Mr. Murdoch wrote. “We will all miss him.”
In a subsequent public statement, Mr. Murdoch praised Mr. Shine even more, writing, “His contribution to our channel and our country will resonate for many years.”
Mr. Shine’s co-president position is considered open. Another executive, Jay Wallace, was promoted to president for news.
Mr. Murdoch concluded his note by underscoring the lucrative nature of the network. “Fox News continues to break both viewing and revenue records, for which I thank you all,” he wrote, adding, “I am sure we can do even better.”