Ousted Fox president Shine told female exec her male colleague's sexual harassment was a 'necessary evil'

A Fox News executive who complained to ousted co-president Bill Shine about how her male colleague’s treatment of women at the company was told “[the colleague] was a necessary evil,” New York Magazine’s Gabriel Sherman reports.

Shine was ousted Monday amid ongoing revelations of “a culture of sexual assault” that’s permeated Fox News since 1996, when former chairman Roger Ailes first founded the network. Ailes resigned in July 2016 after former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson came forward with allegations of sexual harassment by the chairman. In the wake of Carlson’s lawsuit, as many as 20 women came forward to accuse Ailes of sexual misconduct or harassment. Ailes departure was followed by Fox News heavyweight Bill O’Reilly, who departed the company last month.

Both men reportedly received tens of millions of dollars to step down from the company.

Now, a third Fox News heavyweight has left the building.

Reports of Shine’s imminent departure began circulating last week, when Sherman reported 21 Century Fox chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch was considering axing the co-president. Amid speculation, host Sean Hannity tweeted a statement in support of Shine.

“Gäbe i pray this is NOT true because if it is, that’s the total end of the FNC as we know it. Done. Best Sean,” Hannity wrote.

But despite the encouragement from his friend Hannity, Shine reportedly felt the Murdoch’s support waning.

“Rupert isn’t fighting for me,” Shine said, according to Sherman. He also reportedly asked Murdoch’s sons Lachlan and James to issue statements in support of him, a request the brothers refused.

Shine will be replaced by Suzanne Scott, who Sherman reports has a history of enforcing “Ailes’s dictums, including his mini-skirt dress code for on-air women.”