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Friday, April 7, 2017

O'Reilly's No-Ad Zone

Before he cut to his first commercial break of the night on Thursday, Fox News host Bill O'Reilly teased a series of segments that would come, he said, "after these messages." But after only a one minute-long ad, O'Reilly was back on the screen, according to CNN.

The lone commercial to air during that break -- from the life insurance company Coventry Direct -- was one of only seven spots to run during Thursday's edition of "The O'Reilly Factor," providing tangible evidence that a widening advertising boycott against the top-rated program has taken effect.

Nearly 60 companies have dropped ads on the "Factor." This follows a New York Times report last week revealing that O'Reilly and his employer had reached settlements totaling $13 million with five different women who accused the host of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior.

The hour-long show typically runs as many as 40 different ads.   "The Factor" generated more than $178 million in ad revenue in 2015, according to Kantar Media.

A Fox News spokeswoman did not respond to CNN for a request for comment. Paul Rittenberg, the network's executive vice president of advertising sales, said earlier this week that the ad buys of the clients to raise concerns about "The O'Reilly Factor" "have been re-expressed into other FNC programs."

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