So it’s not all bad news for Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly.
Apparently, among the Fox News faithful, a bit of sexual harassment is seen as a virtue (They DID turn out in droves for Trump).
According to recently released ratings, he news about O’Reilly’s legal troubles has raked in viewers, even as sponsors seem to be fleeing.
“The O’Reilly Factor” averaged more than 3.7 million total viewers and 652,000 in the key 25-54 demographic last week.
When compared to the same week in 2016, O’Reilly’s primetime program was up 28 percent in total viewers and 42 percent in the key demographic that advertisers covet most, according to Nielsen Research.
O’Reilly was also the top-rated basic cable show on Friday in both total viewers with 3.8 million and in the 25-54 demographic with 759,000 viewers. Those numbers also beat NBC’s “First Date” and Fox’s “Rosewood” on broadcast television.
Fox News’ parent company, 21st Century Fox has confirmed that they are investigating the claims of Wendy Walsh, an occasional guest who called in a complaint to the networks misconduct hotline last week.
21st Century Fox investigates all complaints and we have asked the law firm Paul Weiss to continue assisting the company in these serious matters,” the company said in a statement.
Paul Weiss is the same law firm hired by 21st Century Fox to look into sexual harassment claims against former Fox News Chairman and CEO Roger Ailes following a lawsuit filed by former host Gretchen Carlson.
It’s an interesting position Fox finds themselves in. More than 60 sponsors have pulled ads from O’Reilly’s “The O’Reilly Factor,” in protest of the charges against him, yet, he’s pulling in viewers.
How this plays out with the Murdoch family in the long term is going to keep the media buzz going for some time.
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