A year ago this week advertisers began to bail on Fox News Channel’s biggest show. It was the beginning of the end for Bill O’Reilly‘s 20-year Fox career. On April 1, 2017, The New York Times reported O’Reilly and Fox had paid out $13 million to five women to settle sexual harassment suits. That led to protests, an advertiser boycott, and, 19 days later, O’Reilly was out.
Now a year later, O’Reilly is speaking up in support of another Fox News host, facing a similar predicament. At least 11 brands have said they will no longer advertise on Laura Ingraham‘s show.
O’Reilly says the Ingraham boycott “is being directed by powerful, shadowy radical groups.”
The tweet from @IngrahamAngle was ill-advised and Laura has apologized. But know this: the sponsor boycott is not some spontaneous uprising by companies. It is being directed by powerful, shadowy radical groups who want Laura Ingraham off the air.
— Bill O'Reilly (@BillOReilly) April 2, 2018
Ironically, it was O’Reilly’s departure that paved the way for Ingraham to get her own show. Her 2010 contributor deal included a clause that made her the primary fill-in for O’Reilly when he was off. O’Reilly was cut on April 19. Tucker Carlson moved to 8 p.m. on April 24. A few months later, Sean Hannity moved to 9 p.m. and Ingraham moved into the 10 p.m. slot.