Former Fox News Channel and CNN White House correspondent Ed Henry has filed suit against CNN and NPR, as well as a number of journalists employed by each, alleging defamation and invasion of privacy.

The suit followed one filed earlier last week by Henry against Fox News and its CEO, Suzanne Scott, alleging defamation.

Fox News fired Ed Henry in June 2020 after it received a complaint from a former employee involving "willful sexual misconduct in the workplace" in the past. They did not say what that misconduct was. Henry has said the allegations were false and he was "blindsided" by the firing.

Henry conceded that he had a sexual relationship with his accuser, Jennifer Eckhart, also a Fox employee (Fox Business Network), but that it was consensual. Eckhart sued Henry alleging rape.

Also Read: Ex-News Corp. Exec Padden: Fox News Is Damaging America

In the suit, Henry alleges NPR and CNN made false or misleading statements about him.

"NPR stands behind David Folkenflik’s reporting and will vigorously defend it against this meritless claim," said Isabel Lara, NPR executive director of media relations. "Millions of Americans trust NPR to provide accurate information about the world and their communities every day; we take this responsibility very seriously."

A day after the New York Times revealed CBS paid yet another hefty sexual harassment settlement, CBS said it as selected 18 organizations to receive the $20 million award that was part of its former chairman and CEO Les Moonves’ separation agreement.

The Times said Thursday (Dec. 13) that CBS paid a $9.5 million settlement to actress Eliza Dushku after it found she was subject to several instances of sexual harassment while on the set of weekly series “Bull” and had been wrongly terminated because she complained of the abuse. 

The $20 million award was deducted from Moonves’ separation package, a $120 million award that has come under fire as allegations that he had abused several women throughout his career in the TV business have piled up.

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According to CBS, the $20 million will go toward supporting the elimination sexual harassment in the workplace, with each organization representing a different critical approach, including efforts to change culture and improve gender equity in the workplace, train and educate employees, and provide victims with services and support.

The list of organizations to receive funds are:

- Catalyst

- Collaborative Fund for Women’s Safety and Dignity (Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors)– re-granting

- Free the Bid

- Freedom Forum Institute – Power Shift Project

- Futures Without Violence

- Girls for Gender Equity / ‘me too.’ Movement

- International Women’s Media Foundation

- National Women’s Law Center

- New York Women’s Foundation – re-granting

- Press Forward

- Producers Guild of America Foundation

- RAINN

- STRIVE International

- Sundance Institute’s Momentum program

- TIME’S UP Entertainment

- TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund

- Women in Film Los Angeles

- Women’s Media Center

CBS will give a portion of the grant to two organizations, the Collaborative Fund for Women’s Safety and Dignity (through Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors) and the New York Women’s Foundation, in order to disburse smaller grants to additional organizations.

CBS worked with advisory firm RALLY, an issue-driven communications firm, to determine the criteria for the grants and develop a strategy that will support new and existing work. The resulting strategy takes three approaches to creating safer and more equitable workplaces: increasing the number of women in positions of power, promoting education and culture change, and supporting victims of harassment and assault.

Both the Collaborative Fund for Women’s Safety and Dignity and the New York Women’s Foundation will be announcing Request for Proposals (RFPs) for organizations to apply for additional funds. 

Fox News Channel was hit with another lawsuit by a woman claiming she was treated improperly by the network and its former chairman Roger Ailes.

The new suit was filed by Julie Roginsky, a paid on-air contributor to Fox News since 2011. It names Fox, Ailes and network co-president Bill Shine as defendants.

The suit comes nearly a year after Ailes was forced out of his powerful position because of a series of sexual harassment complaints, which the network has spent at least $30 million settling.

Related > Fox News Anchor Gretchen Carlson Files Suit Against Roger Ailes

Over the weekend, The New York Times published a story outlining a number of complaints that have also been made against Bill O’Reilly, the host of FNC’s top-rated shows. The Times said O’Reilly and the network have paid out $13 million in settlements.

Fox News and its parent, 21st Century Fox are being investigated to see if they properly disclosed to shareholders that these payments were made.

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

In her suit, filed Monday in New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan, Roginsky alleges that FNC and Ailes discriminated against her “on the basis of her gender by making her deserved promotion to a regular spot hosting The Five contingent upon having a sexual relationship with Ailes."

“Fox News and Ailes thereafter retaliated against Plaintiff when she refused to have a sexual relationship with Ailes," the suit states. "Shine aided and abetted the discrimination and retaliation by Fox News and Ailes by failing to take reasonable measures to protect Roginsky from, and condoning, the unlawful conduct.”

Read more at broadcastingcable.com.

Lawyers for former Fox News Channel anchor Gretchen Carlson, who has sued Fox News chairman Roger Ailes for sexual harassment, said they want Ailes to deny the charges under oath.

Ailes on Wednesday released a statementcalling Carlson’s accusations “false” and “defamatory.” He said that Carlson’s contract was not renewed because ratings were disappointing, not because she refused any alleged improper advances.

Carlson’s attorneys released a statement Thursday spelling out what they said were the ratings changes for Carlson’s FNC show, The Real Story With Gretchen Carlson. They said that despite being moved to a tough time slot and getting insufficient support and promotion, the show's ratings went up, and Carlson was successful.

Visit broadcastingcable.com to read the statement from Carlson’s legal team of Nancy Erika Smith and Martin Hyman.

Former Fox News Channel anchor Gretchen Carlson has filed suit charging that she was fired after being sexually harassed by Fox News chairman and CEO Roger Ailes.

Carlson is seeking compensatory and punitive damages.

The suit, filed in Superior Court of New Jersey, charges that Ailes fired the 50-year-old Carlson because she refused to sleep with him and reported disparaging treatment in the newsroom.

Update:Fox Launches Internal Review of Ailes Allegations

She was let go the day her contract expired — June 23 — despite her show, The Real Story With Gretchen Carlson, being the leading cable news program in its afternoon time slot, the suit says.

"We believe that the evidence will confirm that Gretchen was fired from Fox & Friends for speaking up about demeaning and discriminatory behavior on and off the set," said Nancy Erika Smith of Smith Mullin, who is representing Carlson.

The complaint describes an exchange with Ailes during a meeting last September in which Carlson said she tried to discuss ongoing discriminatory treatment.

"I think you and I should have had a sexual relationship a long time ago and then you'd be good and better and I'd be good and better," Ailes allegedly told Carlson at the time, according to the complaint, which said he added that "sometimes problems are easier to solve" that way.

Read more at broadcastingcable.com.