By David Bauder, Television Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --Fox News Channel founder Rupert Murdoch on Friday appointed two longtime Fox executives as the new co-presidents of the news network as it restructures after last month's departure of Roger Ailes following sexual harassment allegations.
Both Jack Abernethy and Bill Shine were with Fox News when it started in 1996. Shine, who had been one of Ailes' top deputies, will run the editorial operations for Fox News and its sister Fox Business Network. Abernethy had left the news channel to run Fox's stable of 28 local stations and he'll keep that job, while overseeing the business operations of the two networks. Both will report to Murdoch, who will continue to oversee things as executive chairman.
The moves sent a signal to Fox News viewers that despite a scandal that has widened since Ailes' resignation, they shouldn't worry that their favorite network is abandoning them.
Fox also announced Friday that its chief financial officer, Mark Kranz, will retire. Faced with a drumbeat of publicity about the treatment of women at Fox, Murdoch announced the promotion of Suzanne Scott to be the executive in charge of Fox News' daytime and prime-time programming.
"While this has been a time of great transition, there has never been a greater opportunity for Fox News and Fox Business to better serve and expand their audiences," Murdoch said.
Murdoch's son Lachlan, in a recent earnings call for parent company 21st Century Fox, said that he expected no change in Fox's editorial direction. Friday's announcement also tamped down speculation that there would be a housecleaning of top Fox executives.
There was no immediate comment from 21st Century Fox on Friday about what the announcement meant — if anything — about the status of an investigation by the law firm Paul, Weiss into Fox's operations that started after former anchor Gretchen Carlson filed a lawsuit against Ailes.
Since Ailes' resignation, New York magazine reported that a former booker for the network, Laurie Luhn, alleged that she'd been sexually harassed by Ailes over a period of 20 years at the network. Another former Fox anchor, Andrea Tantaros, said she was let go after she complained about unwanted sexual comments from Ailes; Fox said she was terminated for failing to get network approval of a book she had written.
In both of those cases, questions were raised about how much Shine and other executives at Fox knew about what was going on with Ailes. Shine has denied knowledge of any wrongdoing.
A lawyer representing Tantaros did not immediately return a call for comment on Friday.
“Scandal” cast will reunite for online script reading for hurricane relief in western North Carolina
The cast of ABC's hit political drama "Scandal" may need to brush up on their snappy, speedy delivery known as "Scandal-pace," because they're reuniting for a good cause. Its stars including Kerry Washington, Tony Goldwyn and Bellamy Young will take part in a live virtual script reading on Nov. 17 to raise money for hurricane relief in western North Carolina.
Beginning Friday, fans can go online and donate to reserve a spot for the online reading. Proceeds will benefit United Way of North Carolina. Everyone who donates will be able to take part in a virtual pre-event with the cast and Shonda Rhimes will give an introduction.
Additional guest stars will also be announced. The online fundraising platform Prizeo is also holding a contest where one person who donates online via their site will be selected to read a role from the script with the actors. The winner should not worry about the "Scandal"-pace, assured Young over Zoom.
"Whomever the lucky reader is can read at whatever pace they want," she said.
Young, who played Mellie Young, the first lady and later Republican presidential nominee on "Scandal," was born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina. She came up with the idea for the effort with a friend and took it to her fellow "Scandal" actors, who all jumped on board. Young said this is the first script reading the cast has all done together since the show ended after seven seasons in 2018.
Which episode they will be reading has not been announced yet.
Young said it's "been devastating" to see so many parts of her hometown badly damaged by Hurricane Helene, which ravaged western North Carolina one month ago.
To research the best use for donations, Young spoke with numerous political leaders, including North... Read More