A renowned professor wants Fox executives to be fired for the evidence in the lawsuit

Fox News Should re-establish the Fox News Image: Jeffrey A Sonnenfeld Explains the Investigation into the Flavor-Fox News Case

That’s according to Jeffrey A Sonnenfeld, the renowned professor and senior associate dean for leadership studies at the Yale School of Management. Sonnenfeld told CNN Tuesday that the revelations in the lawsuit are cause for serious concern because they show that Fox News knowingly peddled election lies to it’s audience.

Sonnenfeld warned that a lack of action by the board could cause more legal exposure to Fox. “Murdoch ‘only’ controls 39% of the company so any of the 61% of the shareholders can sue for misconduct, failure of management oversight, and conscious inadequate diligence,” he explained.

Sonnenfeld, who has advised hundreds of CEOs and recent US presidents, said the board should take immediate action, including the removal of high-ranking personnel, such as Fox News chief executive Suzanne Scott, from their roles.

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Sonnenfeld said that the board has a duty to remove such officials for proven malfeasance, because the outlets reputation was damaged as a result.

“The investigation should be completed with a report to the shareholders by May 1 indicating what disciplinary actions will be taken,” he said. If board members are still protected, the directors and officers insurers should be contacted, according to Sonnenfeld.

Fox Corp. CEO Paul Murdoch, Fox News, Suzanne Scott, and the Murdochs: The Story of Two Disruptive CEOs

Spokespeople for Fox Corp and Fox News, which have claimed Dominion has cherrypicked quotes to use against them, did not respond to requests for comment. Fox News has previously said it was “proud” of its 2020 election coverage, which is a statement that only grows more remarkable by the day.

The owners have the duties of loyalty and diligence that don’t go to the management. “By silently going along with misconduct about which they are aware, all directors, including Paul Ryan, are guilty of complicity through their complacency.”

“I agree with everything he said,” said Minow, vice chair at ValueEdge Advisors. She would tell the board members to contact the largest shareholders to get suggestions for new independent directors.

Minow also recommended Fox News immediately move to settle its case with Dominion, “even if it means changing the name from News to Not News and daily free ads 10 times a day in prime time for 10 years about the integrity and reliability of Dominion.”

As Folkenflik noted, “If you’re Rupert, you can’t fire Rupert. And you’re not going to fire [Fox CEO] Lachlan is a person. Also,Murdoch. So who are you going to chop?”

The Murdochs are starting Suzanne Scott to take the fall for what happened, Ben Smith, the editor-in-chief who writes a Sunday night media column, said Wednesday.

Murdoch has been facing many serious and embarrassing matters in his media empire. His newspaper, the News of the World, was caught up in the phone hacking scandal. In 2016 a sexual harassment lawsuit was brought against Fox News founder Roger Ailes. Bill O’Reilly was caught in his own sexual harassment scandal.

Murdoch decided to sever ties with top personnel in each case. According to a source who used to work in Murdoch-world, his pattern has been to throw a lot of money at it and then try to get it to go away. Murdoch has to cut ties with Scott to be able to get rid of him over the course of his decades at the helm of one of the world’s biggest media empires.

“Looking back to previous scandals, Murdoch and the companies have tended to try to pay early and quietly to make things go away, or they ignore them thinking they’re so big they can ride things out,” Folkenflik said. “And then when things really come to a head, they try to cauterize the wound at the lowest level possible.”

“If he threw [Scott] over, he would only do it because he thought he needed to cauterize the wound before it goes higher,” Folkenflik added. His record is that. That’s what he does. It can be editors. It can be executives. It can be stars. He is not tossing himself over the side.

Folkenflik said that every senior executive who takes a Murdoch position knows it is the ultimate fall position. It is a part of the job. You’re very well paid. It can be fun and interesting. If you fall out of favor with the sun king, or it is to his benefit, that’s part of the equation.”