Roger Ailes’s Exit Is Unlikely to Erode the Fox News Citadel

Will Fox News’s prime-time lineup remain intact? Will the network’s ratings fall back to earth after this wild presidential election? Who could possibly replace Roger Ailes?

Breathless, yes, but Fox News’s seemingly unassailable position as the most powerful cable news channel was rocked this week by the news that Ailes, the only leader the network has ever known, was negotiating his exit as chairman after accusations of sexual harassment. No matter how unseemly his departure, Ailes will leave Fox News in strong shape. Thanks to an election year that has been a boon for all cable news channels, the network has never had higher ratings. And on July 20, as confusion swirled about the leadership of the network, many financial analysts told investors that the huge profits it delivers for 21st Century Fox were in no danger of suddenly disappearing.