Taking the Shine off of Fox News?
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Roger Ailes walked out of Fox News for the last time 10 months ago.
The aftershocks are still being felt.
When Ailes was let go from Fox News amid a number of sexual harassment allegations, his CEO job was never filled. 21st Century head Rupert Murdoch took over running Fox News and the company named two co-presidents to run the day to day operation. Bill Shine and Jack Abernethy took the jobs and now Shine could be the next to walk the plank at Fox News.
Shine has been at FNC since day one, he was a friend and confidant of Roger Ailes. Some say he helped Fox News and Ailes cover up some of the misconduct going on inside the network.
Shine's name has popped up in a number of lawsuits against Fox News.
Rumors are swirling that Shine could soon be joining Roger Ailes and Bill O'Reilly on the outside looking in.
New York Mag's Gabriel Sherman writes that privately, Shine is expressing concern about his future at the network.
According to three sources briefed on the conversations, Shine has told friends he recently asked Rupert’s sons James and Lachlan — the CEO and co-chairman, respectively, of network parent company 21st Century Fox — to release a statement in support of him, but they refused to do so.
The sources said Shine made the request because of withering press coverage of Fox News in recent weeks.
Fox News host Sean Hannity thinks someone inside the network is trying to get Shine sacked.
When pressed, Hannity would not give up the name. A Fox News insider tells FTVLive that it's Abernethy. "Those two can't stand each other," the source said to FTVLive.
If Shine is pushed out, Hannity thinks it will be the end of Fox News "as we know it."
Some say that is exactly the point.
Fox News has been viewed by many as a white men's club that functioned off sexual harassment and racial conduct. Fox's parent company 21st Century is trying to change it, but is finding it hard to do so.
There are some inside Fox News that think that Bill Shine will survive this and keep his job. "He knows too much for them to fire him," said a Fox News insider to FTVLive.
But, if the company is willing to ax Roger Ailes and Bill O'Reilly, do you really think they are scared of Bill Shine?
Credit has to be given to 21st Century for taking the steps they are taking. They have shown that they really are trying to change the culture at Fox News. Now granted, it took a boatload of lawsuits to do it, but at least they are now sailing in the right direction.
The question now looms, will Bill Shine still be the skipper of the ship?
Stay tuned.....
