Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Fox Fires Brian Lewis

Brian Lewis
UPDATE 5PM 8/21/13: The decision by Fox News chief Roger Ailes to fire his top communications executive, Brian Lewis, was due in part to the fact that Lewis had been leaking information to the author of a forthcoming book about Ailes and Fox News, two sources with knowledge of the situation told POLITICO.

Earlier Posting....

Brian Lewis, a Fox News Channel veteran executive considered the right-hand man to Roger Ailes, was working on his separation agreement Tuesday after having been fired and escorted from his office last month over what insiders are calling financial issues and other performance problems, TheHollywood Reporter has learned.

"After an extensive internal investigation of Brian Lewis' conduct by Fox News, it was determined that he should be terminated for cause, specifically for issues relating to financial irregularities, as well as for multiple, material and significant breaches of his employment contract," a company spokesperson said Tuesday. "He was terminated for cause on July 25."

Lewis, who had been a top executive since Ailes founded the powerful cable news network 17 years ago, was most recently EVP Corporate Communications, overseeing public relations not only for Fox News but also the Fox Business Network, Fox Television Stations and 20th Television.

Lewis also was senior adviser to Ailes, who was handpicked by Rupert Murdoch to create Fox News as its founding CEO. Today, Ailes also is chairman of Fox Television Stations. Before his firing, Lewis often was a spokesman for Ailes.

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