But I guess humans forgot all about that.

Well, for $9M, I’d have fought the claim if this was absolutely true and the limit of it, as you say, since, long term (as we now see) what the consequences of continually paying off such “weak” claims are.

But that is just me. Maybe if I was making $10s of millions maybe I’d look at it differently, as I might not miss that much, and what I’d continue to make would be a nice salve for the hurt reputation and integrity.

Similarly, I too thought Bill Cosby couldn’t have done what was claimed. Yet, here we are with several making claims. Maybe they are all spurious lies from a bunch of “whores”, I have no idea.

We don’t really know celebrities as people, we only know their persona / brand, which is cultivated.

I’d like to think Bill O’Reilly is not “one of those guys”, but I don’t know – not to validate the claims either.

But, if I was an advertiser, given what is known, and the pattern, it just doesn’t seem worth the fight, without personally knowing Bill O and the claimants, to have a more informed view.

Your responses to several of the comments are all beside the point. Even though you are making logical and coherent arguments you miss the broader picture, which is that none of the women who are bringing the charges were in any way physically assaulted, for if they had been a mere payment to keep quiet would have resulted in a criminal going free. That they may have felt uncomfortable, feared the loss of job advancement, and were otherwise emotionally denigrated and objectified, does not in any way give them cause to in effect blackmail Fox News.

What this shows is that they were simply after the money, like any whore. To quote Vivian in Pretty Woman:

I say when. I say how…I want my money and I want to get out of here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_etHqPGUJk

Indeed.

A good example is trump’s accusations of obama wire tapping him, a short while ago.

Many here jumped on the band wagon of declaring obama guilty, despite scant evidence.
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“‘Christians & Reps probably need to start mobilizing in response’ – Tom G
Why should Christians mobilize a response?” – Bill

Right. For many here the knee jerk reaction is go on defensive for the team.

Too many view through the lens of their team / tribe.

“It has been disheartening to see supposedly good Christians defend so much bad behavior by so many bad people, arguing that everyone in the tribe must defend the behavior or let the other tribe win.” – Eric Erickson
https://patriotpost.us/opinion/48656
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Or, as David French comments on the consequences of this reflexiveness to defense, draws from the many scandals conservative “leaders” have encountered…

“Make no mistake, there are conservative “fighters” who are men and women of integrity. Fox News still has a number of journalists and pundits whom I trust and admire. But when we ask for fighters first, and we elevate aggression over truth and competence, we ask for exactly the kind of scandals we’ve endured.
Moreover, the degradation to our culture far outweighs any short-term, tribal political benefit.”
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/446913/bill-oreilly-roger-ailes-fox-news-mike-flynn-tomi-lahren-conservative-celebrity-culture-character
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Or, more succinctly from Peggy Noonan…
“Being loyal isn’t being a lickspittle.”
https://www.wsj.com/articles/republicans-learn-the-limits-of-loyalty-1492727591
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Seen a few men who “flirted” at work (even married ones!). Always thought they were playing with fire.

Many on the left mocked Pence’s approach with women in business. Whereas, O’Reilly, at best, chose to skirt the edges of propriety (given what we see reported so far).

Money, fame, and power are attractive to the wrong kinds of people like moths to a flame.

These same qualities can affect the holder’s own ego. Can only imagine how much “latitude’ one thinks they then have. (We saw with trump where that can lead).

Takes some good character to avoid these errant forks in one’s path.
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“The new ad world is not necessarily leftist but a conservative cannot be a total graceless person.” – DirtyJobsGuy

Right. Add to the mix that O’Reilly was/is a “spokesperson” for a political side that purports to hold higher standards does make him a target for the left media.

Some comments seem like they want to blame the msm and their bias.

Yet, it should be no surprise whatsoever that the msm would seek and publish what they find that hints at hypocrisy.

No different than how “conservative” media seeks and exposes such on its targets, which we cheer on.

This overall is not necessarily a bad thing.
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“$9m and $4m are awfully big sums to settle meritless lawsuits. I don’t think many employment litigators would suggest settling at such numbers unless the plaintiff had a very strong case.” – y81

Yes, O’Reilly is a target, but notwithstanding, that IS serious money to be paying for someone who is innocent.
.

“If it were that easy, there would be a lot more female millionaires than there are. Big companies litigate. They litigate long and hard.” – y81

There is definitely a David vs Goliath dynamic with how this would proceed if brought to court. The financial resources are overwhelmingly on the side of Fox and O’Reilly.

Evidently, Fox and O’Reilly thought the court proceedings, in each case, would cost them more in business revenue and legal fees, than the payout.

That they kept paying seems troublesome, if the claims are as frivolous as he/they claim, because, at some point, the calculation has to consider that each successive payout creates the image / controversy that they were / are trying to avoid in the first place, if they are innocent. (to say nothing of the skew in payouts, and the perception that leaves)

Of course, if he is guilty, then there is no way he or Fox would want it aired in public.

Ultimately, advertisers look at this and the 3, 4, or 5 women involved (and the new accusations) and have to wonder if they can really “ride it out” like they have in the past.

Not saying O’Reilly is guilty, btw, but just looking at the factors involved and the perceptions they leave behind.

…I predict that FOX will pretty quickly morph into some type of imitation of MSNBC or CNN, hemorrhage viewers, and then rather quickly sink beneath the waves.

For your edification and enlightenment here is the latest Fox babe who either sees dollar signs or is a leftist stooge, or both.

Hannity is now in the cross hairs. (And please don’t impute any untoward meaning to my use of “cross hairs” in the context of an inappropriate sexual allegation. Not that a smarmy NY lawyer and ambulance chaser would stoop such a thing. Right?)

https://lanterns.buzz/page_blog_post.cfm?s=foxxx-sean-hannity-accused-of-sexual-harrasment

My thoughts exactly.

Here’s Rush Limbaugh’s take on this:
http://www.westernjournalism.com/limbaugh-advertisers-never-target-left-right/?utm_source=Email&utm_medium=THENewVoiceEmail&utm_campaign=can&utm_content=2017-04-21

Why do advertisers never target non-conservative companies or people? Has anyone organized a boycott of the Clinton Global Initiative based on the sexual harassment of multiple women by President Clinton? Nope. Nada. No way.

What we have seen in the O’Reilly case is the politics of personal destruction on a grand scale.

Can’t stand smarmy, arch Leftist Shep Smith, and a lot of the other FOX commenters are not particularly bright. The FIVE is not very good–a pretty mindless LCD rehash of the same things over and over again. Juan Williams is a not very convincing leftist sock puppet, and the returned Lefty Bob Beckel is a really arrogant and obnoxious windbag.

Hannity is just too strident and a very predictable Johnny one note.

FOX does have a few heavy hitter expert commentators like Amb. Bolton and their retired military commentators, but far too many of the rest are third stringers, with not much expertise or subject knowledge.

I’ve watched O’Reilly off and on and, as with the rest of FOX, I’ve certainly noticed a slide to the Left.

Nonetheless, O’Reilly is an adult, and a pretty savvy one at that, a good observer with lots of experience. I like the fact that he’s “old school,” and I suspect that a lot of his audience was old school too, and they won’t be happy at his dethronement.

Did O’Reilly do all the largely unnamed things he’s accused of?

I don’t know, but in today’s climate women can accuse men of doing anything and get a believing audience and a payday, and even the harmless casual comment or twitch of an eyebrow can be inflated into some sort of sexual attack.

My guess is that, behind this all, is the reported concerted attempt by many different forces on the Left to knock the influential O’Reilly off the air, using these charges as the excuse.

O’Reilly was the main attraction at FOX, and with him gone and the younger Murdochs taking a reportedly more active management role, I predict that FOX will pretty quickly morph into some type of imitation of MSNBC or CNN, hemorrhage viewers, and then rather quickly sink beneath the waves.