Paramount Global and former CBS chief Leslie Moonves have agreed to pay $30.5 million to settle allegations of insider trading and trying to hide sexual assault allegations, according to Attorney General Letitia James.

Moonves has to pay $2.5 million, which will be divvied up by CBS shareholders. Those shareholders will also get $24 million from Paramount, with the other $6 million going to "strengthening mechanisms for reporting and investigating complaints of sexual harassment and assault."

In addition, any stock trade by a senior Paramount executive will have to be approved by its chief legal officer.

Since the allegations against Moonves were first reported, former CBS parent ViacomCBS changed its name to Paramount Global.

The settlement is a result of an investigation by James' office that concluded CBS and top leadership knew of the sexual assault allegations against Moonves and hid them from "regulators, shareholders, and the public," with the help of an L.A. police department captain who tipped them off to a confidential sexual assault complaint and helped keep it from being made public.

James also said that a senior executive -- whom she identified as former Chief Communications Officer Gil Schwartz, had sold millions of dollars of CBS stock before the allegations were eventually made public, which she said constituted insider trading.

"Six weeks before the first article about the allegations became public, Mr. Schwartz sold 160,709 shares of CBS stock at an average weighted price of $55.08 for a total of $8,851,852. The stock dropped 10.9% from the day before the news broke to the trading day after," she said.

Also as part of the settlement, CBS has to institute harassment training and revamp its HR, providing biannual reports to the attorney general's office.

“CBS and Leslie Moonves' attempts to silence victims, lie to the public, and mislead investors can only be described as reprehensible,” said James. “As a publicly traded company, CBS failed its most basic duty to be honest and transparent with the public and investors."

She called CBS's and Moonves' actions "persistent and illegal conduct" that broke investor protection laws.

"We are pleased to resolve this matter concerning events from 2018 with the New York Attorney General’s office, without any admission of liability or wrongdoing," said CBS parent Paramount Global. "The matter involved alleged misconduct by CBS’s former CEO, who was terminated for cause in 2018, and does not relate in any way to the current company." ■

Fox News agreed to pay $1 million to end an investigation that began in 2017 after several employees complained about sexual harassment.

The settlement is the largest ever with the New York City Commission on Human Rights. It covers four violations of the city’s Human Rights Law, each carrying a $250,000 fine.

Former Fox News chairman Roger Ailes and anchor Bill O’Reilly left the network following sexual harassment allegations and the company has paid millions in settlement to employees, including $20 million to former anchor Gretchen Carlson.

In addition to the fine, the settlement forces Fox News to remove clauses requiring confidential arbitration of claims under the New York City Human Rights Law from employment contracts with employees including on-air talent for four years.

The network also agreed to provide all employees with a clear definition of “retaliation” and training for bystanders to intervene in incidents and to properly report any witnessed misconduct, according to The Daily Beast, which first reported the settlement.

“We are pleased to reach an amicable resolution of this legacy matter. Fox News Media has already been in full compliance across the board, but cooperated with the New York City Commission on Human Rights to continue enacting extensive preventive measures against all forms of discrimination and harassment,” Fox News said in a statement.

ViacomCBS said it has settled its dispute with former CBS chairman and CEO Les Moonves and will not have to shell out a $120 million severance package that had been placed in a trust after his termination, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing Friday.

Moonves stepped down in 2018 after allegations that he had sexually harassed several women at the company. 

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but according to a joint statement from ViacomCBS and Moonves, the costs of the settlement will be borne by a CBS contractor and Moonves will "contribute the entire settlement amount to various charities."

Back in 2018 CBS said that Moonves had agreed to donate about $20 million of his severance to several organizations supporting the elimination of sexual harassment in the workplace. 

The allegations were first outlined in a July 2018 piece in The New Yorker by Pulitzer Prize-winner Ronan Farrow, which said Moonves engaged in inappropriate behavior with several women including actress Illeana Douglas about 20 years ago. After that piece broke, several other women came forward, and in November of that year the New York Times reported that Moonves had paid a former accuser for years to keep her silence. 

CBS immediately conducted an investigation into those allegations and concluded that while harassment and retaliations weren’t “pervasive” at the broadcaster, the probe found other instances of unprofessional conduct and determined that the company’s policies did not do enough to prevent harassment and retaliation. 

Shortly after Moonves stepped down, CBS said it would not pay a $120 million severance package to the former executive because he was terminated for cause, pointing to the former executive's “willful and material misfeasance, violation of company policies and breach of his employment contract, as well as his willful failure to cooperate fully with the company’s investigation. Mr. Moonves will not receive any severance payment from the Company.”

Moonves fought that claim and filed for arbitration on Jan. 16, 2019 to get back the award.  

In the Friday SEC filing, ViacomCBS said that the disputes between the company and Moonves have been resolved and that on May 14, the parties dismissed the arbitration proceeding, adding that the assets in the trust that held the $120 million severance package, “will revert to the company in their entirety.”

A joint sexual harassment/assault lawsuit has been filed against Fox News and current and former employees--the former employee being Ed Henry--by Fox News guest Cathy Areu and former associate producer for Fox Business Network Jennifer Eckhart, both seeking compensatory and punitive damages.  

Fox said Areu's allegations are without merit and Henry's attorney said the accusations against him are fiction. 

"It is widely documented in the public record that Fox News has not only cultivated and fostered sexual harassment and misconduct, but has consistently accepted and rewarded it. Nevertheless, Fox News would have the public believe that it is a different place from the Fox News that was run by former disgraced chairman and CEO Roger Ailes," the suit says. "Unfortunately, it is actually worse."  

The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleges that former co-anchor of America's Newsroom Ed Henry "groomed, psychologically manipulated and coerced Ms. Eckhart into having a sexual relationship with him, and that, when she would not comply voluntarily, he sexually assaulted her on office property and raped her at a hotel where Fox News frequently lodged its visiting employees, thereby facilitating, whether knowingly or unknowingly, Mr. Henry’s conduct."

Henry was fired from Fox News July 1 over the June 25 Eckhart complaint, at the time saying it was over sexual misconduct alleged by a former employee and investigated by the company. 

Eckhart alleges that Fox knew Henry had engaged in sexual misconduct since 2017 and did not terminate him, only firing him when it realized it "was on the precipice of a public relations nightmare and wanted to get out ahead of this suit and be able to claim that it had done the right thing. It had not." 

“There were not sexual harassment claims against Ed Henry at Fox News prior to Jennifer Eckhart’s claim on June 25, 2020," a Fox News spokesperson said in response.

Areu said Henry sent her inappropriate sexual messages and images, but also alleged sexual harassment by Fox on-air talent Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson, Howard Kurtz and Gianno Caldwell.  

In a statement, Fox pushed back hard on the allegations against the last four, but essentially signaled Henry was on his own.  

“Based on the findings of a comprehensive independent investigation conducted by an outside law firm, including interviews with numerous eyewitnesses, we have determined that all of Cathy Areu’s claims against Fox News, including its management as well as its hosts Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity & Howard Kurtz and its contributor Gianno Caldwell, are false, patently frivolous and utterly devoid of any merit," said a Fox News spokesperson. "We take all claims of harassment, misconduct and retaliation seriously, promptly investigating them and taking immediate action as needed — in this case, the appropriate action based on our investigation is to defend vigorously against these baseless allegations. Ms. Areu and Jennifer Eckhart can pursue their claims against Ed Henry directly with him, as Fox News already took swift action as soon as it learned of Ms. Eckhart’s claims on June 25 and Mr. Henry is no longer employed by the network.” 

Henry said he will fight the allegations "with every fiber of my being," and tweeted this statement from his attorney, Cathy Foti: "The Me Too movement has helped bring to light a number of injustices in our society, and everyone that has suffered deserves to be heard. This is not one of those cases. the evidence in this case will demonstrate that Ms. Eckhart initiated and completely encouraged a consensual relationship. Ed Henry looks forward to presenting actual facts and evidence, which will contradict the fictional accounts contained in the complaint. That evidence includes graphic photos and other aggressively suggestive communications that Ms. Echkart sent to Mr. Henry."

Fox News has fired Ed Henry, according to an internal memo from Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott and Fox News Media president and executive editor Jay Wallace.

They told employees that they had received a complaint June 25 from a former employee involving "willful sexual misconduct in the workplace" in the past. They did not say what that misconduct was.

They said they suspended Henry immediately and hired an outside law firm to investigate the claim and, based on that investigation, he has now been terminated.

Fox says a rotating contingent of anchors will co-anchor America's Newsroom from New York alongside Sandra Smith for the near term.

"Fox News Media strictly prohibits all forms of sexual harassment, misconduct, and discrimination," Scott and Wallace said.

Henry was named co-anchor of America's Newsroom, Fox News Channel's 9 a.m.-12 p.m. weekday news block, in January 2019. Henry had been FNC's chief national correspondent and anchor of the weekend America's News HQ at 12-1 p.m.

Henry's resume includes Senate correspondent and senior editor at Roll Call and political analysis for C-SPAN and WUSA-TV. But it also included being forced to take some time off Fox's air back in 2016 after reports that the then-chief White House correspondent had had an affair with a Las Vegas hostess. He returned to the air several months later, but as a general assignment reporter.

Former CBS chairman and CEO Les Moonves has notified the company he intends to fight its board of directors’ decision last month to deny him his $120 million severance package, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

“On January 16, 2019, Mr. Moonves notified the company of his election to demand binding arbitration with respect to this matter,” CBS said in the SEC filing. “The company does not intend to comment further on this matter during the pendency of the arbitration proceedings.”

Moonves stepped down as CBS chairman and CEO in September, after several allegations of sexual harassment were levied at the former chief. A report in the New Yorker detailed allegations that Moonves harassed six women about 20 years ago. In November, the New York Times reported that the former CBS chief had paid one of his accusers for years to keep her silence. Moonves has denied any wrongdoing.

CBS conducted its own investigation of the allegations and in December released a statement that based on its findings it had grounds to terminate Moonves and would deny him the severance package. CBS claimed that Moonves violated company policies, breached his employment contract and failed to cooperate fully with the investigation.

The next step will be to select a third party arbitrator from the American Arbitration Association. While CBS and Moonves could settle, the criticism concerning how the company has handled sexual harassment allegations in the past and the high-profile nature of the case make that option unlikely for the broadcaster. 

The CBS Board of Directors said Monday that after an extensive investigation, it has determined that there are grounds to terminate former chairman and CEO Les Moonves for cause, a move that erases a $120 million severance package for the executive who left under a torrent of sexual harassment allegations in September.

The Board dropped its bombshell on Monday night, adding that its grounds to terminate include Moonves' “willful and material misfeasance, violation of company policies and breach of his employment contract, as well as his willful failure to cooperate fully with the company’s investigation. Mr. Moonves will not receive any severance payment from the Company.”

Moonves was first accused of sexually harassing six women in an extensively reported piece in the New Yorker by Pulitzer Prize-winner Ronan Farrow. In the July piece, Moonves was said to have engaged in inappropriate behavior, including unwanted kissing and touching, with those women -- including actress and writer Illeana Douglas -- about  20 years ago. 

CBS launched an immediate investigation into the allegations -- employing law firms Covington & Burling and Debevoise & Plimpton in August -- as well as looking into what some had called a culture of harassment at the company. 

Moonves denied the allegations and stepped down as chairman and CEO in September, with CBS pledging to donate $20 million of his exit package to charitable organizations. But in the wake of Moonves’ departure the allegations continued to pile up, with more and more women coming forward. In November, the New York Times reported that Moonves had paid one of his accusers for years to keep her silence. 

In its statement the board said its investigation concluded that while harassment and retaliations weren’t “pervasive” at CBS, the probe found other instances of unprofessional conduct and determined that the company’s policies did not do enough to prevent harassment and retaliation.

Related: 60 Minutes Boss Fager Leaving CBS News 

In addition, the board said the investigation found that resources devoted to CBS’ human resource function were “inadequate.” To help remedy that, the board said CBS has appointed a new Chief People Officer, is actively engaged in ways to enhance the HR function, and has retained outside experts to develop initiatives to promote a workplace culture of “dignity, transparency, respect and inclusion.”

“We would like to thank everyone who cooperated with the investigation and applaud CBS’ employees for remaining focused on their jobs during this very difficult time. We look forward to the people of CBS returning their full attention to the outstanding work that they do every single day,” the board said in its statement..

CBS has tapped former Time Warner chairman and CEO Richard Parsons to be its interim chairman, as the broadcaster searches for a replacement for ousted chairman and CEO Les Moonves and tries to recover from an embarrassing sexual harassment scandal.

Parsons, who was named Time Warner CEO in 2002 and became chairman in 2003, led the media giant through some of its roughest patches. Parsons was named to the CBS board of directors in the wake of the latest scandal, where Moonves was accused by several women of sexually harassing them over the course of his career. CBS has hired an independent investigator to look into the accusations. Former CBS chief operating officer Joe Ianiello was named interim CEO of the company after Moonves' departure. 

“Dick Parsons has a combination of deep industry knowledge and unmatched corporate and board experience,” said CBS’ Nominating and Governance Committee chair Candace Beinecke in a statement. “We are fortunate to have Dick in this leadership role.”

After retiring from Time Warner in 2008, Parsons has become the go-to executive to step in to lead companies through some tricky situations. Shortly after leaving the media giant Parsons was named chairman of Citibank, steering the financial services behemoth through the overall financial crisis until 2012. And in 2014, NBA commissioner Adam Silver tapped him as interim CEO of the NBA Los Angeles Clippers, after owner Donald Sterling was forced to sell the team after making a series of racist remarks. 

CBS also announced that Bruce Gordon and William Cohen, who have served on the board of directors since the broadcaster became a stand-alone public company in 2006, have decided to step down from their posts to focus on other personal and professional priorities.

“We have a distinguished and independent Board that is steadfast in its commitment to serve the best interests of all shareholders,” Parsons said in a statement. “I think I speak for all Board members when I say I look forward to learning more about CBS’ compelling opportunities and how we can help guide and support the Company’s growth.”

A CBS shareholder has launched a class-action suit against the broadcaster tied to the sexual harassment scandal involving several top executives -- including chairman and CEO Les Moonves -- claiming the company knew enforcement of its employee conduct standards was inadequate years before the most recent claims came to light.

News of the suit was first reported by The Hollywood Reporter. 

In July, TheNew Yorker reported that several CBS executives had sexually harassed, abused and assaulted female employees at the network over a period of years. One of the allegations was brought by actress and producer Illeana Douglas, who claimed that several years ago Moonves terminated a development deal she had with the network after she rebuffed his advances. In a statement in the New Yorker article, Moonves said there may have been times “decades ago” when he may have made some women uncomfortable by making advances, but that he has always adhered to the principle that “no means no” and that he has never misused his position to “harm or hinder anyone’s career.” CBS said it is conducting an investigation into the allegations and has hired two outside law firms to lead the probe.

News of the allegations played havoc with CBS’ stock price -- it fell 6% after the New Yorker article broke on July 27 and has been down another 1% since that date. That decline in stock price has hit investors hard, the suit claims.

In the suit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on Aug. 27, CBS shareholder Gene Samit pointed to company proxy statements filed over the past four years where CBS outlines its employee conduct code. Samit, who is seeking other CBS shareholders who have bought stock since 2014 to join him, says CBS’s board of directors certified its commitment to a bias-free and harassment-free workplace as part of those filings, when it knew it wasn't providing a safe environment for all employees. 

In addition, Samit, who is seeking unspecified damages, claims that CBS, Moonves and chief operating officer Joseph Ianniello made false and misleading statements and failed to disclose that executives, including Moonves, were engaging in widespread sexual harassment and that its enforcement policies to stop such action was inadequate.

“...The foregoing conduct, when revealed, would foreseeably subject CBS to heightened legal liability and impede the ability of key CBS personnel to execute the company’s business strategy," the suit states.

CBS declined to comment. 

CBS said it is in the process of hiring an outside counsel to look into sexual harassment allegations against its current chair and CEO Les Moonves, and has decided to postpone its annual meeting of shareholders on Aug. 10 as its investigation continues.

Moonves was the subject of a detailed New Yorker magazine article into a culture of sexual harassment at CBS. Six women came forward accusing Moonves of forcibly kissing or touching them over the past two decades. The article also depicts a culture of harassment at the network, citing 30 former and current employees who have alleged various forms of harassment and assault at the hands of other male employees in positions of power.

In a statement, CBS said no other action was taken on the matter at the board meeting today. CBS will announce a new date for the shareholders meeting at a later time.

CBS stock, down about 6% when the New Yorker article was published online Friday, dipped another 5% on Monday, closing at $51.28 per share. 

CBS stock plunged Friday after the company said it would open an investigation into claims in a New Yorker magazine article that its CEO Les Moonves engaged in inappropriate behavior with some employees over a period of decades.

The article, written by Ronan Farrow – who won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for public service for exposing allegations of sexual harassment and assault by former Miramax CEO Harvey Weinstein – is said to include allegations of unwanted kissing and touching that occurred 20 years ago, as well as many that occurred more recently. 

According to the article, six women have come forward, including actress and writer Illeana Douglas, who said she was sexually assaulted and then fired because she did not consent to Moonves's advances, and writer Janet Jones, who said Moonves forcibly kissed her during a business meeting. The article also depicts a culture of harassment at the network, citing 30 former and current employees who have alleged various forms of harassment and assault at the hands of other male employees in positions of power.

Moonves, according to a statement he issued to The New Yorker for the piece, admitted some mistakes, but denied misusing his position.

“Throughout my time at CBS, we have promoted a culture of respect and opportunity for all employees, and have consistently found success elevating women to top executive positions across our company," Moonves said in a statement to The New Yorker. "I recognize that there were times decades ago when I may have made some women uncomfortable by making advances. Those were mistakes, and I regret them immensely. But I always understood and respected—and abided by the principle—that ‘no’ means ‘no,’ and I have never misused my position to harm or hinder anyone’s career. This is a time when we all are appropriately focused on how we help improve our society, and we at CBS are committed to being part of the solution.”

The Hollywood Reporter first broke news of the New Yorker article, which prompted the CBS response. It had been rumored for months that Farrow was working on an expose of CBS corporate culture.  

CBS stock was down as much as 7.5% ($4.32 each) to $53.21 per share in early trading Friday. The stock began to claw back in later trading – it closed at $54.01 (down 6%, or $3.52 each) on July 27.

In a statement, CBS said it would investigate the claims.

“All allegations of personal misconduct are to be taken seriously,” CBS said in a statement. “The Independent Directors of CBS have committed to investigating claims that violate the company’s clear policies in that regard. Upon the conclusion of that investigation, which involves recently reported allegations that go back several decades, the board will promptly review the findings and take appropriate action.”

Moonves has been with CBS since 1995, becoming CEO in 2006 and was named chair in 2016. Through his leadership, CBS had a 15-year run as the most-watched broadcast network (a streak that was broken by NBC earlier this year), and has been a leader in extracting retransmission consent revenue from distributors.

Moonves has been locked in a battle with the broadcaster’s biggest shareholder – CBS vice chair Shari Redstone – over control of the company. Redstone had locked horns with Moonves over an attempt last year to recombine CBS with its former corporate sister Viacom – he was against it. While Redstone backed off on putting the two companies together, CBS sued National Amusements, the holding company for the Redstone family’s CBS and Viacom stock, in May to stop it from ousting board members or changing bylaws to push through its agenda. National Amusement counter-sued, claiming Moonves and CBS had no right to take away control. The trial over that matter is slated to begin in October.

In its statement, CBS acknowledged the “very public legal dispute.”

“While that litigation process continues, the CBS management team has the full support of the independent board members,” CBS continued. “Along with that team, we will continue to focus on creating value for our shareowners.”

U.S. District Court Judge George Daniels dismissed a harassment suit brought by former Fox News Channel host Andrea Tantaros against her former employer, claiming she failed to back up her allegations with actual evidence.

The dismissal comes days after Fox News named Suzanne Scott as CEO and a few days after the network settled a number of racial and gender discrimination lawsuits involving 18 current and former employees for $10 million. 

Tantaros filed the "digital harassment" suit against Fox News and its former chairman Roger Ailes and former president William Shine in April 2017, alleging that executives turned on the pressure after she filed a suit in August 2016 claiming sexual harassment by Ailes and former O’Reilly Factor host Bill O’Reilly. 

As part of the April suit, Tantaros claimed that Fox executives approved the hacking of her personal computer, physical surveillance and secretly recording her without her consent, using that information to harass her. Ailes, who resigned from Fox News in July 2016 in the wake of the Gretchen Carlson harassment scandal, died last May.  Shine, who was named in other harassment suits, resigned from the channel in May 2017. 

In his decision, Judge Daniels wrote that Tarantos failed to back up her digital harassment claims with evidence.

“Plaintiff’s amended complaint is based primarily on speculation and conjecture,” Judge Daniels wrote. “Moreover, she fails to adequately make out the basic elements of her claims.”  

Nancy Dubuc, stepping down as CEO of A+E Networks, is becoming CEO of Vice Media, succeeding founder Shane Smith.

Smith will become executive chairman of Vice, which has been challenged by disappointing revenue growth and accusations that women who work there have been subject to sexual harassment.

Under Dubuc, A+E was one of a handful of traditional media companies that invested in Vice. A+E also formed a joint venture with Vice to create the Viceland cable network, which is aimed at younger viewers.

Related: Nancy Dubuc to Leave A+E Networks

"Shane and the team at Vice have done what all of us aspire to do - build a brand and make content that people really care about,” said Dubuc. "Vice speaks to a generation that defines today’s cultural conversation, and the opportunity to partner with all of the incredibly creative people across the entire company was one of those rare moments in a career.”

Dubuc had been a candidate to run Amazon Studios, succeeding Roy Price, who departed amid sexual harassment claims.

She was also negotiating a new contract with A+E’s owners, Hearst and the Walt Disney Co., and those talks broke down.

Smith said that in his new role he would focus on strategic deals and content development.

Dubuc gives Vice an experienced chief executive with a proven record of running a media company and producing and distributing programming.

“Why Nancy Dubuc? Simply put, because rarely in business do you get to work in a perfect partnership,” said Smith.

“First off, she is better than me at everything," he added. "Second, it allows me to move to executive chairman, where I can concentrate on the only things that I am good at - content and deals. Thirdly, as we go forward Vice needs a best-in-class management team to harness all of this growth and control our own destiny, whether it be staying independent, strategically partnering with someone or going public.,” Smith added. “Lastly, I get to work with one of my best friends and media heroes. We are a modern day Bonnie and Clyde, and we are going to take all your money.”

Here is a memo Smith sent to Vice staffers:

As many of you have read, I have been in discussions with my friend, my partner, and board member Nancy Dubuc, to join the VICE family and become my successor as CEO.

While we tried our damnedest to have everything signed, sealed and delivered before sharing it with you and with the rest of the world, we seemingly can’t take a crap in this town without it leaking to the press.
Of course, as the bellwether for the modern media age, we should be no stranger to the rumors and speculation.

Today we put this speculation to rest and turn our focus toward executing our growth plans to maintain our hegemonic place atop the new media landscape which, in turn, will give us the ability to control our own destiny.

As founders, we take pride in the fact that we built an institution with some level of permanence, and while VICE has a strong foundation for the future, we realize that we need help for the next phase of our growth. We need to surround ourselves with the right people so our company, and our thousands of employees globally, can flourish.

In looking for a professional CEO, we are in need of one who can master; the content world, the digital world, the business world, and who is at the same time an operator extraordinaire. These people are obviously few and far between, but I believe we have found the absolute best in class with Nancy.

Nancy and I have spent much time deliberating on the best way for us to partner up in a shared mission of maximizing the great potential this company holds. She believes in VICE, she believes in our mission, and she believes in all of you.

Nancy has clearly proven herself with her stewardship of A&E Networks. As a partner, she’s helped grow VICELAND internationally and into the second fastest growing network in all of US cable among our audience.

Since joining our board, Nancy has been a trusted confidante whose every recommendation is driven by making the best programming possible. She has the rare combination of business and content chops, and an unparalleled record in running the daily operations of a sprawling global media company like our own.

A lot of people have been asking me what this means for me personally. Well, I have always said that I am good at two things, 1) creating content and 2) making deals, so that’s what I’m going to do. I will focus my energy on raising the bar for our content, and will serve as Executive Chairman of the Board.

Again, as I always say “I’Union fait la Force” or “together we are stronger.” This marks a new period in VICE’s history that will make us infinitely stronger. Nancy will run the company day to day from New York and we will work lock step with our partners, management, employees and board in making sure that VICE maintains its position as the leader of new media, and delivers on its commitment to 50/50 by 2020 as we work to become the most progressive workplace in the world.

This Friday we will be hosting a town hall in Brooklyn to welcome Nancy and introduce her to all of you. I hope that you will welcome her to the company with the same enthusiasm and open arms that I have.

Love S

Amazon confirmed Thursday (Feb. 15) that Transparent star Jeffrey Tambor will not return for the show’s fifth season in light of sexual harassment allegations, according to published reports.

Tambor, who won an Emmy Award for his portrayal of transgender character Maura Plefferman, was accused last November of sexual harassment by members of the Transparent team.

RELATED: Who's Next? Harrassment Charges Roil TV 

Amazon said Thursday that after an internal investigation of the matter, it decided to cut ties with the veteran actor as it moves forward with a fifth season of the show, according to several published reports.

In November Tambor told Deadlinethat he could not return to the show given its “politicized atmosphere.”

Tambor joins a list of high-profile actors, anchors, entertainers and execs who have been dismissed from shows due to sexual harassment allegations, including Kevin Spacey (Netflix's House of Cards), Matt Laurer (NBC's Today) and Louis C.K. (FX's Louie).

The #MeToo and Time’s Up movements — which started as an opportunity for women to speak out against shocking revelations of abuse in the workforce by men in power — have evolved into a clear mandate for better treatment and opportunities for women in across all business sectors, especially in the entertainment industry.

Read More: #MeToo: A Moment or a Movement?|Some On-the-Job Gender Training

In just the last few weeks, women have achieved a number of milestones have in front of and behind the camera:

• NBC in mid-January hired Libby Leist as its executive producer at Today, making her the first woman to lead the broadcast network’s morning show, which was rocked in November by the firing of popular host Matt Lauer amid allegations of sexual misconduct.

• The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences nominated a record number of women actresses, writers, directors and producers for Oscars in 2018. The official tally of 40 nominated women — tying 2016’s record — includes the first woman to receive a nomination for cinematography, Rachel Morrison for Mudbound.

• And, in a touch of irony, Variety has reported that Maria Contreras-Sweet, the Small Business Administrator under President Barack Obama, has the inside track on purchasing the beleaguered The Weinstein Co. production outfit, once headed by Harvey Weinstein, ousted on accusations of sexual misconduct. If she succeeds in purchasing the company, it would be led by a board with a majority of women.

“We’re experiencing a sea change — women and minorities are not interested in putting up with being in second place anymore,” Step Up: High Water creator Holly Sorensen told Multichannel News. “It’s as combination of Hollywood being willing and seeing the value of these stories both creatively and financially.”

A Movement in the Spotlight
Indeed, the movement toward greater representation and respect for women in Hollywood has taken root on entertainment’s biggest stages, from Oprah Winfrey’s inspirational and impassioned speech supporting those who have bravely spoken up against sexual abuse at the recent Golden Globe Awards — along with the symbolic black-dress protest at the event — to the all-woman lineup of presenters at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Even the biannual Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour was heavily influenced by the #MeToo movement as female actresses, directors and writers spoke eloquently about the need for a change in how business is conducted, particularly in light of the fact that only 28% of the current producers, directors and editors of scripted shows are women, according to Lifetime executive vice president and head of programming Liz Gateley.

The #MeToo movement will only be effective if it creates permanent change, Sarah Gertrude Shapiro, co-creator of Lifetime’s scripted series UnReal, said during the network’s TCA panel.

“What I want at the end of this ‘hashtag-MeToo’ moment is so much more than just a safe working environment for myself and for my colleagues,” she said. “ What I want is to get our shows on the air and to get rid of the assumption that female-created or run shows are going to be, quote-unquote, soft, and to get rid of the insistence that the female characters be, quote-unquote, likable … and also to get rid of the idea that you need a man above you or with you to run the show, because the woman is going to be too emotional or inexperienced, or any of the other stereotypes that are out there.”

Digital service YouTube has already committed to content that features women and minorities in front of and behind the camera, president Susanne Daniels told Multichannel News, with women producers behind YouTube Red’s original series Step Up!: High Water and Youth and Consequences. Programmers need to move away from hiring white men as showrunners if they are going to affect true change within the industry, she said.

“There are a lot more experienced white male directors in the category than are anyone else, so if you don’t make the effort it feels safer to go in that direction,” she said. “Working with someone else other than a white male director requires taking a chance and a risk because there aren’t as many options. The industry has to push from every end — we have to push from our end as executives, but we have to work with producers, studios and production teams that are willing to push from their end.”

Shows That Speak to the Moment
The #MeToo and Time’s Up movements have also spurred several creative projects on various networks. PBS has commissioned #MeToo, Now What?, a five-part series that will look to take the discussion regarding sexual harassment in the workplace to another level and to examine how the movement can be used to effect positive and lasting change.

Starz last Friday (Jan. 26) debuted #Thatsharrasment, a David Schwimmer-produced series of short films depicting real-life cases of workplace sexual harassment created in conjunction with The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network and the National Women’s Law Center.

On Tuesday (Jan. 30) E! will debut Citizen Rose, a documentary series that follows actress/producer Rose McGowan, whose initial accusations against Harvey Weinstein helped spark the #MeToo movement.

The movements signify an awakening to what’s been happening in the industry for some time, as well as the need to change the negative paradigm that exists in companies all over the world, McGowan said at E!’s TCA session. “I think it is a time of reckoning and a reset button,” McGowan said.

Added Citizen Rose executive producer Andrea Metz: “This is a global problem … what this message is about is that women don’t have to sit in silence any longer and sit in fear,” she said. “Rose has been brave enough to come forward, and I think we’re just going to see the messaging continue, and the conversation continue. And that’s what’s so important.”

Amidst the wave of stories behind the #MeToo movement, most empathetic, supportive men are trying to find meaning in this watershed moment, including the silent majority who know appropriate respectful behavior in the workplace is a no-brainer. But as the issue becomes a galvanizing force in the culture, most of us could still learn a thing or two about the broader — and more subtle — forms of sexual discrimination. Those transgressions are often made in the language we use and the way we speak to one another, says veteran journalist and author Joanne Lipman. In a timely book being released this week, That’s What She Said: What Men Need to Know (and Women Need to Tell Them) About Working Together (William Morrow), Lipman argued, “men can and must join the conversation” and she suggests things men can do in the workplace to bridge the gaping gender gap.

Related: #MeToo: A Moment or a Movement?|With #MeToo, TV Hits the ‘Reset Button’

In the well-researched book, Lipman, who served most recently as chief content officer of Gannett and editor in chief of USA Today, steers the conversation into the more relentless problems of language that permeate workplace culture from Hollywood to low-level, unglamorous jobs.

Lipman, former deputy managing editor of The Wall Street Journal, spoke with Mark Robichaux, editorial director of B&C and Multichannel News, about some of the most common communications challenges — and how to overcome them. Here’s an edited transcript.

MCN:Your timing for this book seems impeccable, although one assumes this has been on your mind for a while.
Joanne Lipman: This actually grew out of an article that I wrote in The Wall Street Journal more than three years ago out called, “Women at Work: A Guide for Men.” And the reason that I wrote the article, and subsequently the book, is because women talk about the issues that we face at work constantly — like being overlooked, or marginalized, or interrupted.

There are a lot of books and conferences for women, and so we talk to each other. What we don’t do is talk to men about these issues. And when women only talk to [each other], it’s only half of a conversation and it can at best solve only half of the problems. And really, we need men to join that conversation.

MCN:What kind of suggestions for closing the workplace gender gap do you offer in the book?
JL: Here’s an example of something that has happened to pretty much every woman: She has an idea in a meeting and it’s “crickets.” And then, five minutes later, a man repeats the exact same idea and he’s a genius. Everybody says, “Oh my gosh, Bob has a brilliant idea.”

So one of the things that I talk about is “amplification,” which is basically: A woman has an idea; somebody else in the room — could be a man or woman — repeats that idea and says, “Hey, Olivia had a great idea,” and gives her credit for it so that people understand it’s her idea.

MCN:How can women help each other in the office?
JL: Many women have trouble talking about their achievements in the workplace, in part because research shows it’s seen as bragging or being boastful.

So there’s a strategy called “brag buddies,” which is, I tell you my achievements, and you tell me your achievements. And each of us goes and brags about each other to the bosses. And it works particularly for women because the research shows that women are not as effective as men — even when they read from the same script — in, for example, asking for more money. But they are as effective or more when they advocate on behalf of others. So this brag buddies idea takes advantage of that because you’re advocating on behalf of somebody else.

MCN:How can a manager get a better handle on these issues?
JL: I think that at this point a lot of people understand that if you’re hiring you should have a diverse slate of candidates; it should not be all white men, for example. But what I’ve learned in reporting this was that that is not enough. You need to have a diverse slate of interviewers.

In other words, if you think you’ve got diverse candidates, but it’s a bunch of white men interviewing them, you’re still not going to come up with the best solution. This actually changed the way I manage. I brought that with me when I joined Gannett as chief content officer and editor in chief of USA Today. I brought with me that realization that when hiring people, make sure that I had a mixed group — ethnicity, gender, even age, just to get different perspectives. It was a highly useful tool that all managers should use.

MCN:Generally speaking, have men gotten better at picking up cues?
JL: It’s not just language — it’s how we think. There’s a lot of unconscious bias, which I talk about a lot in the book, which is the implicit bias in us. They are buried inside of us so deeply that we don’t even know they are there, and men have them as well as women. You can take a test on the internet called the implicit association test. I took the one for working women and I came out as moderately biased against working women. [Laughs.] So we all have these biases. The trick is to be more aware of them and overcome them.

Rep. John Conyers, ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, is the latest powerful figure to be hit by a sexual misconduct scandal.

Buzzfeed obtained documentation of the settlement of a 2015 wrongful dismissal complaint against Conyers, the longest-serving member of the House.

The Hill has been abuzz over the past several days after it was revealed some unnamed members of Congress had had to settle such claims.

The Buzzfeed report includes documents appearing to confirm Conyers's settlement of multiple allegations that he made sexual advances toward female staffers in his office.

Conyers denied to the AP that he had settled any such claims.

But the push for an investigation had already begun, with support from his own party.

“The reports about Congressman Conyers are as serious as they get," said Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.). "The Committee on Ethics should take up this matter immediately with a goal of promptly assessing the validity of the news account. This reported behavior cannot be tolerated in the House of Representatives or anywhere else.”

The Conyers story follows the admission by Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) that he had acted inappropriately on a USO tour. An ethics investigation of that incident will be conducted, a move Franken has said he supports.

Related: Sen. Franken Calls for Ethics Investigation of Himself

Conyers is a familiar name in communications circles given that Judiciary shares oversight of the sector, including antitrust, copyright, privacy, cameras in the court and network neutrality issues.

FX Networks and FX Productions are ending their association with Louis C.K., who had produced several shows for FX.

The decision follows a report in The New York Times Thursday (Nov. 9) about five women who described sexual misconduct by the comedian. He confirmed in a statement Friday (Nov. 10) that the accounts given by the women were true. 

Related | broadcastingcable.com:Louis C.K. Confirms Charges in 'NYT' Report Are True

“We are cancelling the overall deal between FX Productions and his production company, Pig Newton," FX said in a statement Friday. "He will no longer serve as executive producer or receive compensation on any of the four shows we were producing with him – Better Things, Baskets, One Mississippi and The Cops.”

C.K. also had a hit with Louie.

“As far as we know, his behavior over the past eight years on all five series he has produced for FX Networks and/or FX Productions has been professional,” FX said. “However, now is not the time for him to make television shows. Now is the time for him to honestly address the women who have come forth to speak about their painful experiences, a process which he began today with his public statement.”

Related: FX Says It Has Received No Harassment Allegations Against Louis C.K

Added the network, “FX Networks and FX Productions remain committed to doing everything we can to ensure that all people work in an environment that is safe, respectful and fair, and we will continue our review of all of these productions to ensure that was and is the case.”

Following a report that comedian Louis C.K. had behaved improperly with a number of women, FX Networks, which has produced five shows with him, said it had received no allegations against him in the eight years they have worked together.

In a story posted online Thursday (Nov. 9) by The New York Times, five women accused Louis C.K. of sexual misconduct. Before the story was published, a premiere of his movie I Love You, Daddy was canceled and an appearance on CBS's The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on was postponed.

Afterward, HBO pulled Luckie Louie, a series Louis C.K. starred in, and his comedy specials from its video on demand service. He was also dropped from a live special, Night of Too Many Stars: America Unites for Autism, set to air Nov. 18

The accusations come at a time when charges of sexual harassment in the entertainment business are being levied at top executives, agents and actors. The wave began with accusations against producer Harvey Weinstein and has led to the departure of Amazon Studios chief Roy Price and the firing of Kevin Spacey from Netflix’s House of Cards.

Related: Weinstein TV Production Business Shaken Amid Harassment Scandal

FX, which airs Louis C.K.’s series Louie, issued a statement after the NYT story broke. It said: “We are obviously very troubled by the allegations about Louis C.K. published in The New York Times today. The network has received no allegations of misconduct by Louis C.K. related to any of our five shows produced together over the past eight years. FX Networks and FXP take all necessary actions to protect our employees and thoroughly investigate any allegations of misconduct within our workplace. That said, the matter is currently under review.”

There were no signs that FX had severed ties with Louis C.K., and the network would not comment beyond the statement.

Louis C.K. and his spokeman have declined to comment.

FX is part of 21st Century Fox, which also owns Fox News Channel.

Fox News chair Roger Ailes was removed from his post last year after allegations of sexual harassment. The company also took top-rated host Bill O’Reilly off the air after reports that he paid several women to settle harassment charges.

Related: James Murdoch Says Fox Sent Strong Signal With Ailes, O'Reilly Dismissals

21st Century Fox is reportedly under investigation for not properly reporting those payments to women.

CNN has slated a prime time town hall meeting on sexual harassment in the growing wake of accusations by dozens of people against powerful media figures.

The special, Tipping Point: Sexual Harassment in America, will air at 9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 9.

The town hall will feature Gretchen Carlson, the former Fox News Channel anchor, and Anita Hill, both of whom leveled allegations of harassment against high-profile men.

Also appearing on the show will be #MeToo founder Tarana Burke and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), who is backing harassment-related legislation.

The special will air on CNN, CNN en Español, CNN International, and will be carried by CNN’s SiriusXM Channel 116 and the Westwood One Radio Network and stream live for subs at CNNgo and via mobile apps.

NPR CEO Jarl Mohn has declined his invitation to join the Cable Hall of Fame as he deals with the broadcaster's sexual harassment issues.

The Cable Center said Mohn made the decision "to focus all of his efforts on NPR."

UPDATE: NPR CEO Jarl Mohn to Take Medical Leave 

Mohn, the former head of E! Entertainment, has been criticized for the way sexual harassment allegations against NPR’s news chief, Michael Oreskes, were handled.

Oreskes resigned last week but some staffers said management, led by Mohn, did not respond quickly or forcefully enough to complaints about Orsekes's behavior and are now seeking Mohn’s dismissal.

RELATED: Cable Center Announces 2018 Cable Hall of Fame Class

“We understand and support Mr. Mohn’s decision regarding his nomination,” Jana L. Henthorn, president and CEO of The Cable Center, said in a statement. “We are looking forward to the celebration, which will be held on April 4, for the first time in New York City at the Ziegfeld Ballroom.”

Mohn’s inclusion in the 2018 Hall of Fame class was announced on Oct. 31.

NPR's issues are part of a wave of sexual harassment allegations across the entertainment and media business that began with reports that studio head Harvey Weinstein of The Weinstein Co. had for decades engaged in inappropriate behavior with women. The disclosures have led to the firing or resignation of a number of top executives, agents and actors.

Several cable networks have distanced themselves from working with political TV pundit Mark Halperin after reports that he allegedly sexually harassed several women while at ABC News.

MSNBC has pulled Halperin from his on-air contributor role for such shows as Morning Joe after CNN reported Wednesday that five women had accused Halperin of sexual harassment while he worked at ABC News more than a decade ago.

“We find the story and the allegations very troubling. Mark Halperin is leaving his role as a contributor until the questions around his past conduct are fully understood,” said an MSNBC spokesman. 

HBO Thursday also pulled the plug on a 2016 election project based on a yet-to-be-published book co-authored by Halperin. "HBO is no longer proceeding with the project tied to the untitled book co-authored by Mark Halperin and John Heilemann on the 2016 Presidential election," the network said in a statement. "HBO has no tolerance for sexual harassment within the company or its productions."

Showtime is also weighing its options on whether to bring back its politcal documentary series The Circus, which Halperin has co-hosted for two seasons. "During Mark’s time working with us, we have not seen nor have there been allegations of any untoward behavior," said Showtime in a statement. "We are aware of these reports and will continue to evaluate all options should we decide to move forward with another season of The Circus. There is no tolerance for sexual harassment within Showtime and its productions.” 

An Amazon Studios TV project produced by The Weinstein Co., from David O. Russell and starring Robert De Niro and Julianne Moore, will not continue in light of Harvey Weinstein’s sexual harassment imbroglio.

The project did not have a title and had not begun production. A statement from Russell, De Niro and Moore said the pricey series would not move forward elsewhere.

Related: Weinstein TV Production Business Shaken Amid Harassment Scandal

“We support Amazon’s decision as, in light of recent news and out of respect for all those affected, we have decided together that it is best to not move forward with this show,” the three said in the joint statement.

Weinstein was fired last week and, over the weekend, was ousted from the Motion Pictures Academy of Arts and Sciences. Separately, Amazon Studios chief Roy Price was suspended indefinitely last week over a sexual harassment allegation.

Not much is known about the Russell project, a drama. Amazon reportedly had signed on for two seasons at $160 million.

Amazon is moving forward with another Weinstein Co. TV project, The Romanoffs, without the involvement of Harvey Weinstein. Matthew Weiner is behind that drama.

Weinstein was cofounder of The Weinstein Co., with his brother Bob, and had served as co-chairman.

Amazon Studios head Roy Price was put a leave of absence after the producer of one of Amazon Prime's best-known shows accused him of sexually harassing her.

Amazon Studios's COO, Albert Cheng, was named interim chief.

Isa Hackett, executive producer of Man in the High Castle, based on her father Philip K. Dick’s book, said Amazon Studios chief Price asked her to attend an Amazon staff party and repeatedly and insistently propositioned her, according to an interview in The Hollywood Reporter.

The allegations come after Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein was fired because of his sexual harassment of many actresses and other women over the years. Those activities had been largely hushed up until stories broke last week in The New York Times and The New Yorker.

Related: Weinstein TV Production Business Shaken Amid Harassment Scandal

Hackett told THR she went public partly because she was inspired by the women who had the courage to come forward to accuse Weinstein, a powerful show business executive who threatened to ruin people’s careers.

Related: WGAE: Sexual Harassment Is 'Hallmark' of Industry

Hackett said she reported Price’s behavior to Amazon executives immediately, and an outside investigator was brought in to talk to her and Amazon executives. After that, she didn’t see Price at any events involving Man in the High Castle and another show she’s producing for Amazon, anthology series Electric Dreams.

When the accusations first arose, Amazon told The Hollywood Reporter in a statement: “We take seriously any questions about the conduct of our employees. We expect people to set high standards for themselves; we encourage people to raise any concerns, and we make it a priority to investigate and address them. Accordingly, we looked closely at this specific concern and addressed it directly with those involved."

Price declined to comment, according to the paper.

Under Price, Amazon has been building up the video content available to Amazon Prime members, becoming a stronger competitor to Netflix and Hulu.

Fox News Channel has fired back against a lawsuit by former employee Andrea Tantaros against the network and several of its employees, asking a U.S. District Court in New York to dismiss the complaint and sanction Tantaros's lawyer.

That came in a memorandum of law filed in support of FNC's motion for sanctions against attorney Judd Burstein, who is representing Tantaros, who claimed sexual harassment by late Fox News chief Roger Ailes and a campaign of digital harassment and surveillance.

Related: Tantaros Says Fox News Execs Approved Digital Harassment

In the memo, Fox News said the complaint read like a the plot of a TV drama, with claims of hacking, phone tapping andcoded messages via a "sock puppet" social media account.

It called the complaint a work of fiction and the allegations of systematic harassment, surveillance and criminal conduct "outrageously and flagrantly false."

Related: Fox News Channel Being Investigated for Settlement Payments

Fox says the allegation of criminal conduct was simply a ploy to grab headlines and inflict "maximum damage" on the company.

He said Tantaros's lawyer either did not sufficiently vet his client's claims or knew they were a hoax.

The motion was filed on behalf of Fox News Channel, William Shine (who has left the company) and executive Irena Briganti, and it seeks sanctions on both Burstein and Tantaros.

FNC also said Tantaros' original complaint was improperly filed with the court, rather than the arbitration forum required by Tantaros's contract.

Specifically, Fox wants the court to (1) make Burstein and Tantaros pay the court costs of litigation fees and expenses; (2) dismiss the complaint with prejudice (meaning it can't be repaired and refiled); (3) require Tantaros to bring any future claims related to her employment to arbitration; and (4) refer the attorney's conduct to "disciplinary authorities."

Fox News Channel stayed hot on the weekly ratings front, finishing last week as the most watched cable network, according to Nielsen.

FNC averaged 2.8 million viewers for the week of April 3 to April 9 to take the top spot for the 11th time in the past 12 weeks, according to Nielsen. MSNBC was second with 1.6 million viewers, followed by USA Network’s 1.5 million viewers and HGTV’s 1.4 million watchers.

Related: The News Keeps Making News

TBS, ESPN and CNN tied for fifth with 1.1 million viewers, followed by Investigation Discovery and History with 1 million viewers each and Discovery with 999,000 viewers, said Nielsen.

FNC was also the most watched cable network on a 24-hour basis for the 14th consecutive week, said Nielsen. USA Network was the choice among adults 18-49 during the week.

Related: Fox News Channel, Ailes, Shine Named in New Sexual Harassment Lawsuit

Five episodes of The O'Reilly Factor starring Bill O'Reilly ranked in the top 10 most watched shows of the week, but advertisers began pulling commercials from the show following a New York Times article outlining several sexual harassment complaints against O'Reilly, who the network on Tuesday (April 11) said would be taking a vacation.

Most Watched Cable Shows April 3-9, 2017

DateTelecastNetworkTotal Viewers

 4/6        Hannity                                          Fox News                4.8 million

4/6         Shepard Smith Reporting                 Fox News                4.5 million

4/3         WWE Monday Night Raw                   USA                       3.9 million

4/3         WWE Monday Night Raw                   USA                       3.8 million

4/7         The O’Reilly Factor                          Fox News                 3.8 million

4/4         The O’Reilly Factor                          Fox News                 3.7 million

4/6         The O’Reilly Factor                          Fox News                 3.6 million

4/3         The O’Reilly Factor                          Fox News                 3.6 million

4/5         The O’Reilly Factor                          Fox News                 3.6 million

4/3         WWE Monday Night Raw                    USA                      3.5 million

Source: Nielsen

Fox News Channel has named Amy Listerman as chief financial offier and executive vice president of finance and accounting, effective May 1.

Listerman replaces Mark Krantz, who retired in August and is reportedly cooperating, in exchange for immunity, with investigators looking into whether payments the network made in sexual harassment cases against it were accounted for properly.

FNC is also under fire because of harassment complaints against Bill O’Reilly, who hosts the network’s highest-rated primetime hour. Advertisers have been pulling their ads from the show, raising question about the future of that program.

Related > Report: Fox Settled O’Reilly Sexual Harassment Claim Last Summer

Before joining Fox News, Listerman had been with Scripps Networks Interactive, where she had been senior vice president and CFO of advertising sales and head of advertising sales data strategy.

Read more at broadcastingcable.com.

Fox News Channel is reportedly under investigation for the way it handled payments to women who accused the network of sexual harassment.

During a hearing on Wednesday, the lawyer for former Fox News anchor Andrea Tantaros, who has sued the network, said another one of his clients had received a grand jury subpoena in a matter related to Fox News, according to The New York Times.

The lawyer, Judd Burstein, told the Times he believed federal investigators were looking at whether Fox News structured sexual harassment settlement claims by paying them as salaries, so they wouldn’t have to be reported.

The investigators were from the securities fraud division of the U.S. Attorney’s office, according to Burstein.

Read more at broadcastingcable.com.

Former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson has settled her sexual harassment suit against ousted Fox News chairman Roger Ailes, with 21st Century Fox paying what some estimate is an eight-figure sum.

Carlson had filed suit against Aliles in July, alleging he had repeatedly made sexual advances to her during her career at the channel, and fired her in June because she refused to sleep with him. While Ailes denied the charges, several other women have come forward since Carlson’s suit making similar allegations. Ailes resigned later that month after Fox conducted an internal investigation into the matter.

According to people familiar with the settlement, Fox will foot the entire bill. Ailes reportedly walked away from Fox with about $40 million when he resigned, essentially the remainder of his employment deal with the company, which was set to expire in 2018.

Carlson sued Ailes in part to avoid an arbitration clause in her contract with Fox, according to several reports. Ailes’s lawyers tried to have the case dismissed initially because they believed it violated that clause, but those efforts have obviously been abandoned.

“21st Century Fox is pleased to announce that it has settled Gretchen Carlson’s lawsuit,” the company said in a statement.  “During her tenure at Fox News, Gretchen exhibited the highest standards of journalism and professionalism. She developed a loyal audience and was a daily source of information for many Americans. We are proud that she was part of the Fox News team. We sincerely regret and apologize for the fact that Gretchen was not treated with the respect and dignity that she and all of our colleagues deserve.”

According to Vanity Fair, citing people familiar with the matter, 21st Century Fox will pay Carlson $20 million in the  settlement. The NewYork Times also reported Tuesday that Fox is in settlement talks with other women at the network.

"I am gratified that 21st Century Fox took decisive action after I filed my Complaint. I'm ready to move on to the next chapter of my life in which I will redouble my efforts to empower women in the workplace," Carlson said in a statement. "I want to thank all the brave women who came forward to tell their own stories and the many people across the country who embraced and supported me in their #StandWithGretchen. All women deserve a dignified and respectful workplace in which talent, hard work and loyalty are recognized, revered and rewarded."

Fox News Channel responded to former anchor Andrea Tantaros’s sexual harassment lawsuit by saying her complaint is filled with falsehoods and should be resolved in arbitration.

In a filing with New York State Supreme Court, Fox News said “Tarantos is not a victim; she is an opportunist.”

Related:Ailes, Fox News Channel Hit With Another Sexual Harassment Suit

Former Fox News chairman Roger Ailes was forced out of his post after former anchor Gretchen Carlson filed a sexual harassment lawsuit. Parent company 21st Century Fox launched an investigation that turned up other women with similar complaints.

Tarantos’ lawsuit named Fox News and several other senior executives at the network.

Read more at broadcastingcable.com.

Fox News Channel and former chairman Roger Ailes have been hit with another sexual harassment suit.

Anchor Andrea Tantaros filed a complaint in New York State Supreme Court and named Fox News Channel and several of its executives, including Ailes, recently named co-president Bill Shine, programming head Suzanne Scott, counsel  Dianne Brandi and public relations chief Irena Briganti.

Ailes resigned last month following a similar sexual harassment lawsuit filed by former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson and an investigation by parent company 21st Century Fox that turned up complaints by other female Fox News staffers. Fox News said it does not comment on pending litigation.

Tantaros said in the suit, “Fox News masquerades as a defender of traditional family values, but behind the scenes, it operates like a sex-fueled, Playboy Mansion-like cult, steeped in intimidation, indecency, and misogyny.”

Tantaros also charged that Ailes did not act alone. “He may have been the primary culprit, but his actions were condoned by his most senior lieutenants, who engaged in a concerted effort to silence Tantaros by threats, humiliation and retaliation,” her suit said.

She added that 21st Century Fox’s top execs, Rupert, James and Lachlan Murdoch, “have been misleading the public into believing that they are taking action. In fact, they have done the opposite.”

In the suit, Ailes is accused of making inappropriate comments like “turn around so I can get a good look on you” -- a request so common at Fox News it was referred to as “The Twirl” -- and “I bet you look good in a bikini.”

“Perhaps the most shocking encounter of all,” the suit said, “was a Spring 2015 meeting between Tantaros and Fox News senior xxecutive, defendant William Shine, during which Tantaros sought relief from Ailes’s sexual harassment. In response, Shine told Tantaros that Ailes was a ‘very powerful man’ and that Tantaros ‘needed to let this one go.’ Yet, after Ailes was revealed to be a sexual predator and forced to resign, Shine was promoted to co-president of Fox News. Shine’s inexplicable elevation sends the message that it will be ‘business as usual’ at Fox News when it comes to the treatment of women.”

Read more at broadcastingcable.com.