After 20 years of broadcasting on Fox News Channel, Bill O'Reilly is leaving in the wake of sexual harassment scandals. As a conservative, I should be sad. O'Reilly has become a staple in conservative news reporting, touting his No-Spin Zone to all of his viewers who watched him question his interviewees and guests like it was a murder investigation. He was bold and brash, unafraid to give his opinions.
But every star has a downfall, and it'll be nice to see Fox News without him.
There are several reasons why I've grown tired of O'Reilly in the last few years. First and foremost, let's talk about those sexual harassment allegations.
A New York Times investigation found five women who were paid by O'Reilly or the parent company of Fox News not to take him to court or make the allegations public. In total, these women received $13 million in payouts. While O'Reilly still insists that these accusations "have no merit," why would you pay five women $13 million for allegations in which you claim you had no part? It doesn't make sense. Sure, the firestorm of publicity would still have ravaged his reputation. But $13 million is a lot to spend keeping five women quiet about something you insist you didn't do.
While I wish Fox News Channel would have done something sooner instead of paying off these women, there is still a sliver of hope that O'Reilly will finally be held accountable for his words and actions. This won't come in the form of payoffs, and he can't hide behind the news network any longer. There must be a stronger message sent from the company that they will not tolerate any behavior of this kind. Sexism, misogyny, and other forms of discrimination should not be tolerated on the set or platform of any news network, especially one with as much influence and viewership as Fox News.
But even before these allegations came to light, The O'Reilly Factor was becoming increasingly intense. While he was never one to beat around the bush, there is much to be said about letting people have their say. In the later years of his show, O'Reilly cut off his interviewees more frequently, leaving many viewers with a half-baked explanation or viewpoint to consider. It seemed like he was more interested in hearing himself talk than considering what his guests had to say.
Good news aims to cover all angles, presenting different sides to every situation. Instead of persuading viewers of only one perspective, good news reporting seeks to educate and provide information vital for viewers to come to their own conclusion. While this is becoming rarer in mainstream media outlets, its importance cannot be ignored, and anchors like O'Reilly must be held accountable--both on-air and outside of the studio.
My hope is that as Fox News brings in more news anchors, show hosts and reporters, they will consciously create a culture shift. This happens from the top and trickles its way down. The executives can no longer tolerate inappropriate behavior or sexism of any kind, and they must not support it through payoffs or by turning a blind eye.
It will be nice to see fresh personalities such as Tucker Carlson and The Five take over the hour left vacant by O'Reilly, and I hope that Jesse Watters is promoted soon, too. But my biggest hope is that the viewer base of Fox News will see beyond O'Reilly's influence and recognize that this is much more than a "character smear." This is a rampant problem that conservatives can no longer ignore.
