We’ve already coated the largest controversies in MSNBC historical past; now it’s time to stroll down the Fox Information corridor of disgrace.
Fox Information ranked because the most-watched cable channel — information or in any other case — in 2024. And but it has been the topic of relentless criticism, particularly relating to allegations of biased and inaccurate reporting.
However Fox Information has additionally had particular controversies and scandals which have disgraced the community. Listed here are our picks for the worst.
2009: Glenn Beck claims Barack Obama has hatred of white individuals
In a Fox and Mates look in July 2009, Fox Information commentator Glenn Beck stated he thought then-President Barack Obama was racist and had proven himself to have a “deep-seated hatred for white individuals or the white tradition,” because the Related Press reported on the time.
“I’m not saying he doesn’t like white individuals,” Beck added, seemingly contradicting himself. “He has an issue. This man is, I imagine, a racist.”
Seven years later, Beck advised The New Yorker he had outgrown these beliefs, saying he had completed “lots of freaking out” about Obama however that the ex-president had made him a greater man.
“There are issues distinctive to the African-American expertise that I can not relate to,” Beck added on the time. “I needed to hearken to them.”
2015: Fox Information apologizes for false claims about “no-go zones” for non-Muslims in Europe
Fox Information had Fox Report host Julie Banderas apologize in January 2015 for the community’s anchors and visitors repeating false claims that there have been “no-go zones” that banned non-Muslims in England and France, as The New York Instances reported on the time.
David Cameron, then the U.Okay. prime minister, stated he “choked on [his] porridge and … thought it should be April Fools Day” when he heard one such declare, per The Guardian.
“Over the course of this final week, we now have made some regrettable errors on air relating to the Muslim inhabitants in Europe, notably with regard to England and France. Now this is applicable particularly to discussions of so-called ‘no-go zones,’ areas the place non-Muslims allegedly should not allowed in and police supposedly gained’t go,” Banderas stated on air, in what she referred to as a correction. “To be clear, there isn’t any formal designation of those zones in both nation and no credible info to assist the assertion that there are particular areas in these nations that exclude people primarily based solely on their faith.”
2016: Roger Ailes resigns amid sexual harassment allegations
In July 2016, Roger Ailes resigned as Fox Information’ chair and chief government weeks after former Fox and Mates cohost Gretchen Carlson alleged that he fired her after she refused to have intercourse with him. The resignation additionally got here days after then-The Kelly File host Megyn Kelly advised investigators that he had harassed her. Ailes denied the allegations.
The Murdoch household, house owners of then-parent firm twenty first Century Fox, had reportedly given Ailes an ultimatum to resign or be fired, per The Guardian.
“Inside simply two weeks of her submitting a lawsuit towards Roger Ailes, Gretchen Carlson’s extraordinary braveness has brought about a seismic shift within the media world,” Carlson’s attorneys stated in an announcement upon Ailes’ exit. “We hope that each one companies now perceive that ladies will now not tolerate sexual harassment and respected corporations will now not defend those that abuse ladies.”
2017: Invoice O’Reilly resigns after sexual harassment settlements come to gentle
In April 2017, Fox Information ousted The O’Reilly Issue host Invoice O’Reilly after The New York Instances reported that he and the corporate had paid settlements totaling about $13 million to 5 ladies who had accused him of sexual harassment or different inappropriate conduct — and after an inner investigation uncovered different reviews — per the Instances. Greater than 50 advertisers had ditched the present within the days main as much as O’Reilly’s exit, the newspaper added.
“After a radical and cautious overview of the allegations, the corporate and Invoice O’Reilly have agreed that Invoice O’Reilly is not going to be returning to the Fox Information Channel,” twenty first Century Fox stated in an announcement on the time.
2018: Laura Ingraham mocks Parkland taking pictures survivor David Hogg
In March 2018, The Ingraham Angle host Laura Ingraham tweeted that then-high college senior David Hogg, one of many survivors of the Parkland college taking pictures, was whining about being rejected by 4 schools to which he utilized.
Within the ensuing controversy, corporations like Nestle, Hulu, TripAdvisor, and Wayfair pulled their advertisements from Ingraham’s program, per NPR. The TV anchor tweeted an apology, writing, “I apologize for any upset or damage my tweet brought about him or any of the courageous victims of Parkland.”
Hogg responded, “I’ll solely settle for your apology provided that you denounce the best way your community has handled my associates and I on this combat. It’s time to like thy neighbor, not mudsling at kids.”
2020: Fox Information reaches settlement with household of slain DNC staffer Seth Wealthy over false story
In November 2020, Fox Information reached a settlement with the Joel and Mary Wealthy, the mother and father of murdered Democratic Nationwide Committee staffer Seth Wealthy, after they sued the community over a false Could 2017 Fox Information story alleging that Seth had leaked 1000’s of DNC emails to WikiLeaks throughout the 2016 presidential marketing campaign, per NPR. The New York Instances reported Fox Information paid the Wealthy household hundreds of thousands of {dollars}.
“The settlement with Fox Information closes one other chapter in our efforts to mourn the homicide of our beloved Seth, whom we miss each single day,” Joel and Mary stated in an announcement on the time of the settlement, per NPR. “We’re happy with the settlement of this and sincerely hope that the media will take real warning sooner or later.”
2021: Fox Information agrees to $1 million settlement after NYC Fee on Human Rights investigation
In June 2021, Fox Information agreed to pay $1 million to settle a New York Metropolis Fee on Human Rights investigation into “reviews alleging a tradition of pervasive sexual harassment and retaliation on the community,” because the fee stated in a press launch.
The fee stated its the civil penalties represented “the very best ever ordered for violations below the NYC Human Rights Regulation” and that the settlement represented “the primary of its type towards a significant information community by a civil rights enforcement company within the nation.”
2023: Fox Information agrees to $787.5 million settlement in Dominion Voting Methods case
In April 2023, Fox Information agreed to pay Dominion Voting Methods $787.5 million to keep away from a trial after the voting machine firm filed a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit towards the community. Dominion claimed Fox Information had peddled conspiracy theories that the corporate’s voting machines had switched votes for Donald Trump to votes for Joe Biden.
“Fox knew the reality,” Dominion claimed in its filings, per the Related Press. “It knew the allegations towards Dominion have been ‘outlandish’ and ‘loopy’ and ‘ludicrous’ and ‘nuts.’ But it used the facility and affect of its platform to advertise that false story.”
In an announcement concerning the settlement, Fox stated, “We’re hopeful that our resolution to resolve this dispute with Dominion amicably, as an alternative of the acrimony of a divisive trial, permits the nation to maneuver ahead from these points.”
2023: Tucker Carlson is ousted and an offensive textual content message of his involves gentle
In Could 2023, The New York Instances revealed an offensive textual content message Tucker Carlson despatched a producer in January 2021, whereas he was nonetheless a Fox Information star. Within the textual content, Carlson recalled watching a video of “a bunch of Trump guys” beating up an “Antifa child.”
“It was three towards one, at the least. Leaping a man like that’s dishonorable clearly. It’s not how white males combat,” Carlson wrote within the textual content, per the Instances. “But immediately I discovered myself rooting for the mob towards the person, hoping they’d hit him tougher, kill him.”
That textual content message prompted alarm amongst Fox board members as the corporate handled the Dominion Voting Methods lawsuit, and that textual content and different “inner points” satisfied firm management that Carlson needed to be let go, the Instances added. Carlson was ousted from Fox Information and his present Tucker Clarkson Tonight was abruptly canceled in April 2023.
2024: Sexual assault allegations towards Pete Hegseth change into public
In November 2024, The Washington Submit reported that Donald Trump’s presidential transition group had been notified that Pete Hegseth, a Fox Information star who was Trump’s decide for protection secretary, had been accused of sexually assaulting a girl in Monterey, California, in 2017.
Based on an announcement from Hegseth’s lawyer and paperwork obtained by the Submit, Hegseth denied that the encounter was non-consensual however paid an undisclosed quantity (later revealed to be $50,000, per the Related Press) to the lady out of worry of shedding his Fox Information job. The town of Monterey stated in an announcement on the time that its police division investigated a sexual assault allegation towards Hegseth however filed no prices.
The New York Instances later reported that Hegseth’s mom despatched him a 2018 e-mail that accused him of mistreating ladies, writing, “On behalf of all the ladies (and I do know it’s many) you could have abused not directly, I say … get some assist and take an trustworthy take a look at your self.” In an interview, his mom advised the Instances she regretted that e-mail and that her accusations have been unfaithful.
In case you or somebody you recognize is the sufferer of sexual assault, contact the Rape, Abuse & Incest Nationwide Community‘s Nationwide Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). In case you or a beloved one are in fast hazard, name 911.