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Luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz told BuzzFeed News on Monday it pulled advertisements from Fox News's hit show The O'Reilly Factor after several women claimed they were sexually harassed by the show's host, Bill O'Reilly.
"We had advertising running on The O'Reilly Factor (we run on most major cable news shows) but it has been reassigned in the midst of this controversy," a Mercedes-Benz spokesperson told BuzzFeed News. "The allegations are disturbing and, given the importance of women in every aspect of our business, we don't feel this is a good environment in which to advertise our products right now."
The New York Times reported this weekend that five women received $13 million to settle sexual harassment allegations against the 67-year-old O'Reilly. He denies the claims have any merit.
On Monday, radio host Wendy Walsh said that O'Reilly had promised to make her a network contributor after numerous guest appearances on The O'Reilly Factor in 2013. She went on to say that he "got very hostile, very quickly" when she declined his invitation to his hotel room following a dinner at the Bel Air hotel.
It's unclear if other advertisers will follow Mercedes-Benz's lead.
BuzzFeed News reached out to 28 companies or organizations whose advertisements appear on O'Reilly's show. Most didn't immediately return a request for comment. A few seemed to be walking a tightrope on whether or not to redirect their advertising dollars — O'Reilly's show is one of the most viewed on cable television.
Trivago, a travel website which also advertises during the Fox News show, told BuzzFeed News it is "constantly reviewing our media buys to ensure we do not support any behavior that contradicts Trivago's corporate values. We are currently reviewing the information available." A spokesperson said the company would not further discuss media strategy publicly.
Zulily, an online retailer, told BuzzFeed News they place advertisements with networks "based on audience demographics, not on specific programs."
And weight loss and nutrition company Jenny Craig told BuzzFeed News it condemns all forms of sexual assault, but refused to publicly comment on its advertising strategy.
"What I can tell you is that we are constantly evaluating our media buys to maximize the efficiency of our corporate investment and effectively reach our target audience," a Jenny Craig spokesperson said.
A spokesperson for Chevrolet told BuzzFeed News the company had not purchased national advertising on Fox News since the last quarter of 2016, but it is likely a dealer bought an ad.
Lexus told CNN that they purchase "a wide ranging media package," and that it takes "our duties as a responsible advertiser seriously."
We will continue to monitor the situation and will take any appropriate action through our media buying partners," the Lexus statement reads.
Fox News did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
After the revelations, Kevin Lord, the company's new executive vice president of human resources, sent an internal memo urging employees to report concerns about inappropriate behavior to upper management.
This is not the first time Fox News has faced allegations of men using power and influence to elicit sex.
Former Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes was forced out last year after an internal investigation found that women faced rampant harassment at the network. A new lawsuit was filed against him earlier Monday.
from BuzzFeed - USNews http://ift.tt/2nxGGdl
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