Fox News Names Its First Female CEO

Suzanne Scott just made history at 21st Century Fox, where she has been named CEO of Fox News and FOX Business Network, reports CNN. She is the first-ever female CEO at Fox News Channel and the only female CEO at a major news channel currently. She was formerly president of programming for both networks. The promotion comes as Fox struggles to right itself with female employees and viewers in the wake of highly publicized sexual abuse lawsuits. In September 2016, Former Fox & Friends host Gretchen Carlson settled a landmark sexual-harassment lawsuit against the late Roger Ailes, former Fox News chairman and CEO, and 21st Century Fox Corp. for $20 million. Other women eventually came forward and told similar stories of abuse. The scandal felled Ailes, talk show host Bill O’Reilly, and Fox co-president Bill Shine.

Scott, 52, will report to 21st Century Fox founder Rupert Murdoch and to 21st Century Fox chairman Lachlan Murdoch. “Suzanne has been instrumental in the success of Fox News and she has now made history as its first female CEO," Lachlan Murdoch said in a statement. "Her vision and innovation have helped create some of the most popular and lucrative primetime programs on cable." Scott is a 22-year veteran at Fox News and has overseen such programming staples as Hannity and Fox & Friends. Last fall, Scott added 20 hours of live programming to the network's schedule that included more female anchors on shows such as The Daily Briefing w/Dana Perino, per USA Today. Her long tenure and experience put her in a uniquely qualified position to understand the culture and the mission of the company, observes Forbes. (More Fox News stories.)