Roger Ailes built Fox News into the most-watched cable news channel in the country but when the 77-year-old television executive died last May, he’d already been forced to resign his post amid a multitude of sexual harassment allegations.
Twenty women so far this year have come forward with accusations against Ailes, notes Shapiro.
In fact, one week before Ailes’ death, 21st Century Fox disclosed that it had paid $45 million in costs “related to settlements of pending and potential litigations” involving sexual harassment charges against Fox’s former chief executive, reports Rebecca Shapiro, with $20 million alone going to former “Fox and Friends” host Gretchen Carlson who sued Ailes for inappropriate behavior and “sexual harassment spanning decades.”
Viewers were outraged the the academy’s decision to honor Ailes, and they shared their thoughts on Twitter.
Hey #Emmys, Please don't put Roger Ailes on the same list as Gwen Ifill, ever. #NotBuyingIt
— Jen Siebel Newsom (@JenSiebelNewsom) September 18, 2017
Roger Ailes was included in the "In Memoriam" tribute because of his lifetime of achievement as a producer of racism. #EMMY2017
— Andy Kindler (@AndyKindler) September 18, 2017
Don't sell him short. There was also the sexism, the sexual harassment, the black ops, the toxic perversion of fact… https://t.co/2OGP6Z5BTj
— Kim Masters (@kimmasters) September 18, 2017
