Rupert Murdoch calls allegations of sexual misconduct at Fox News 'largely political'

REUTERS / Gus Ruelas

Rupert Murdoch.

• Rupert Murdoch called the series of sexual harassment allegations made against men at Fox News "largely political" in a recent interview.
• Several prominent Fox News employees were ousted in recent years over sexual misconduct allegations, including former CEO Roger Ailes, and hosts Bill O'Reilly and Eric Bolling.

In an interview about the Disney-Fox deal with Sky News on Thursday, media mogul Rupert Murdoch called the series of sexual harassment allegations at Fox News in recent years "largely political."

Several high-profile men at Fox News were ousted in the past two years after sexual misconduct allegations, including former Fox News CEO Roger Ailes, and hosts Bill O'Reilly and Eric Bolling.

"That's all nonsense," Murdoch said, when asked whether sexual harassment allegations had harmed Fox News. "There was a problem with our chief executive, sort of, over the years, outside incidents. Soon as we investigated it, it was out of the place in hours. Well, three or four days. And there's been nothing else since then."

"But that was largely political, because we're conservative," Murdoch continued. "Now, of course, all the liberals are going down the drain. NBC is in deep trouble. CBS, their stars."

Murdoch, who currently is executive co-chairman of 21st Century Fox, did not go into further detail on NBC and CBS. For context, NBC fired "Today" host Matt Lauer in November after a series of sexual misconduct allegations were made against him; CBS fired Charlie Rose in November over sexual misconduct allegations.

Murdoch's comments on sexual misconduct at Fox News addressed only the allegations Ailes faced. He neglected to mention that O'Reilly and Bolling were also ousted over alleged sexual misconduct.

Watch the full interview over at Sky News.