Fox News said Tuesday it settled a sexual harassment lawsuit by former news host Gretchen Carlson against cable channel boss Roger Ailes for a reported $20 million, and apologised for her treatment on the job. A statement offered no details on the settlement, but the magazine Vanity Fair, citing sources familiar with the case, said Fox would pay the multi-million dollar sum to the journalist and former Miss America.
The statement by the parent firm 21st Century Fox said, "We sincerely regret and apologise for the fact that Gretchen was not treated with the respect and dignity that she and all of our colleagues deserve." The New York Times also reported the $20 million figure and said Fox was in settlement talks with other women who had come forward with harassment claims after Carlson's lawsuit.
The lawsuit led to the resignation of the politically powerful Ailes, a confidante of media magnate Rupert Murdoch who helped build Fox into a leader in cable news. In the statement, Carlson said she was "gratified" with the settlement and added, "I'm ready to move on to the next chapter of my life in which I will redouble my efforts to empower women in the workplace."