Fox chief Ailes quits after harassment suit

21st Century Fox opened an internal investigation into Ailes on July 6 after Gretchen Carlson, a former news anchor, filed a lawsuit alleging he fired her after 11 years for refusing to have a sexual relationship with him, a claim Ailes denies.

Carlson's lawyers have said that more than 20 women have contacted them to report similar harassment by Ailes, experienced either first-hand or by individuals they knew.

Ailes's resignation is effective immediately and Murdoch will take over the roles of chairman and acting chief executive of Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network, the company said in a statement, which made no mention of the lawsuit or its review of the allegations.

Murdoch - who is executive chairman of 21st Century Fox, the channel's parent company - and Lachlan, his older son and co-chairman, were reportedly waiting until after this week's Republican convention to announce the decision, which came on the event's last of four days.

Ailes - a former aide to Richard Nixon - launched Fox News 20 years ago and signed a fresh multi-year contract with Fox in 2015. The right-leaning Drudge Report website said Ailes had left Fox News with a $40 million severance package, with 21st Century Fox denying the report in a tweeted statement.

Murdoch moved in 2015 to hand over more control of operations to his two sons.

Three of Fox News' biggest stars - Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity and Greta Van Susteren - reportedly have clauses in their contracts that would allow them to depart if Ailes leaves the network.

Ailes built Fox into the most watched and most profitable cable news network in the US, reporting $1.5 billion in profits last year.

jbh/gsw (AFP, AP)