Huh? Francis, a former TV child star who had been with Fox for eight years, had reportedly been working without a contract for roughly a year. According to Francis, she agreed to wait until the next contract negotiation in 2019. He paid for it. He got a call and he said that my serviceswere no longer needed on the air and I said, Well, they cant mean theshow in 10 minutes because we all know youcant get an anchor in thechair that quickly. You know, Im gonna just go over and sit in myliving room for my second show. Stephen Battaglio writes about television and the media business for the Los Angeles Times out of New York. The Wide Shot brings you news, analysis and insights on everything from streaming wars to production and what it all means for the future. What happened. Francis then revealed her research into the network's pretty staggering gender pay gap, she said. SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER, FIRST TAKE, Chris Wallace Wishes He'd Moderated THIS Debate Instead of Messy First One (Video). But on Oct. 7, 2020, she abruptly stopped appearing on either network. Its a twist for the cable channel, which regularly airs criticism of the billionaire investor and Democratic donor. We now have more insight into what happened to Melissa Francis at Fox News. Perhaps no figure gets more attention in conspiracy circles than George Soros, the billionaire investor and Democratic donor. She attempted to take a picture of the teleprompter screen but was not able to capture it before it faded. In an interview with The Washington Post, Francis said that when she was first offered the promotion to Outnumbered in 2017, she was given a negligible increase in compensation, which was below $1 million a year and below what similar hosts were making. He is also the author of three books about television, including a biography of pioneer talk show host and producer David Susskind. Conspiracies about George Soros at this point are boilerplate for any right-wing conspiracy, she said. Im not advocating, Im telling you to mentally prepare. Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy. We parted ways with Melissa Francis over a year and a half ago and her allegations were entirely without merit, the Fox News spokesperson says. I pursued the path that I am supposed to follow. And then if they want me not ontomorrow, whatever it is,thats fine, she told Kelly. Francis, 49, a former child actress and Harvard University graduate who had covered financial news for CNBC, was first hired by Fox in 2012 as an anchor for Fox I talked to the show staff afterward and they were like, We werent told anything. The enormous pay-out, which is on par with the huge settlements that Fox News gave a number of female employees who alleged sexual misconduct from former CEO Roger Ailes and ex-star Bill OReilly, was first reported by The Washington Post on Sunday. She Has An Ivy League Education. And all of a sudden, everything went dead in my living room, just lights out, everything dead. Since she hosted a show on both Fox News and Fox Business and was a co-host of one of the most highly-rated shows on the network, she considered it reasonable to request a pay increase. We have also fully cooperated with the New York State Department of Labors investigation and look forward to the completion of this matter.. A former TV child actress, Francis joined Fox News Media in 2012 as an anchor for Fox Business and, in 2017, was given the opportunity to serve as a permanent co-host of the Fox News midday roundtable show Outnumbered. We partedways with Melissa Francis over a year and a half ago and her allegationswere entirely without merit. The New York State Department of Labor is investigating Fox News over gender discrimination and retaliation complaints made by former host Melissa Francis, who This is, thisis how were doing this. Want to Buy One for $25,000? Im not sure we need to bring George Soros into this, said co-host Melissa Francis. Thats how the world works, Brandi responded, according to Francis. TheWrap could find no evidence that any legal case was filed outside of Fox News. McCarthy used his speech in NYC to slam President Joe Biden for doing "nothing" to address the nation's financial crisis. Market Realist is a registered trademark. This week, after sources said that Childers People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Melissa Francis filed a separate complaint with the New York State Labor Department, which is still pending. In 2017, Bill OReilly, the networks biggest star at the time, personally paid $32 million to a contributor on his show who accused him of coercing her into a sexual relationship. A human resources executive for Fox didnt respond to Francis pay disparity complaint either, and the company didnt grant her lawyer a disclosure of other Fox News stars salaries. Fox News paid Melissa Francis $15 million after pay disparity claim - The Washington Post https://t.co/77Y7eSIQx4. Women make less. Under the leadership of CEO Suzanne Scott, the network has implemented annual, mandatory in-person harassment prevention training, created an entirely new reporting structure, more than tripled the size of our HR footprint, started quarterly company meetings and mentoring events, as well as implemented a zero-tolerance policy regarding workplace misconduct for which we engage outside independent firms to handle investigations.. WebListen to article. When that day came around, Francis said she was ready to go on air when a message popped up on her teleprompter reading: Youve been canceled.. Ms. Television journalist and commentator Melissa Francis at Fox Studios on March 18, 2015, in New York City. News host Melissa Francis has left Fox News, according to a report by TheWrap. I was doing the noon show and the four oclock show from home, I was on every night. Fox News paid anchor Gretchen Carlson $20 million to settle her sexual discrimination lawsuit against the company in 2016. During the broadcast, the former House speaker claimed that the main reason for violence at protests is the George Soros-elected, left-wing, anti-police, pro-criminal district attorneys who refuse to keep people locked up. Melissa interjected, saying, Im not sure we need to bring George Soros into this. Melissa Francis, a Fox News anchor, then said, Im not sure we need to bring George Soros into this. The Breitbart article, which was published on Thursday, quickly Francis alleges to have brought forth information that showed the network was not paying their female employees adequately. Fox News Says Melissa Francis Isnt Fired but Shes Been Off Air Since Filing Gender-Pay Complaint Her lawyer stated that the abrupt cancellation was 100% due to In an interview with the Post, Francis said her concerns that men were paid far more than women at Fox News were dismissed when presented to Dianne Brandi, a former top executive at the network who allegedly said, Women make less. Fox News paid the former Outnumbered co-host a $15 million settlement after taking her off air. You know, things life was continuing as normal., Francis lawyer clarified that during this time she was still under her original contract with Fox and had yet to sign a new contract.. These changes are being made independent of any other ongoing matter.. Listen above via SiriusXMs The Megyn Kelly Show. Francis climbed the ranks at Fox, initially joining Fox Business as an anchor in 2012, having previously covered business news for CNBC. Francis, who was working from a studio the network had set up at her house during the COVID lockdown, was preparing to do an upcoming newscast when she read on the Teleprompter that she wasnt needed anymore, she said on the SiriusXM radio program,The Megyn Kelly Show.. After being told another pregnancy might kill her, Melissa and Wray made the decision to have another child, their daughter, Gemma, via surrogacy. The Los Angeles Times, however, reported that Francis was actually locked in a gender-based pay discrimination dispute with the company, which had gone into arbitration when she was removed from the airwaves. The Times reported that Francis' complaint specifically said she was underpaid compared to her male colleagues, something the Fox News spokesperson did not comment on, saying the matter was confidential. As co-host of one of the networks biggest shows, Outnumbered, Francis wasnt seen on her regular time slots for weeks until in late October 2020 it was announced that, after nine years with the company, she had been pushed out of the network. But in November 2020, she handed in her resignation. But Friday, she was finally able to share her story with former Fox colleague, Megyn Kelly. Did Melissa file an arbitration against Fox? Kelly asked. Fox News has since expanded its human resources department and made it easier for employees to file complaints. In November 2019, Dianne Brandi, a former executive vice president for legal and business affairs for Fox News, told Francis that her new contract wouldnt include a pay bump. The Daily Beast has learned this week that New Yorks labor department has an ongoing investigation into Francis complaints about pay disparity and allegations that the network retaliated against her for raising those claims. She determined that men were paid more than their female counterparts in similar roles on the network. Im not advocating, Im telling you to mentally prepare. Francis lawyer asked Fox News to disclose the salaries of other Fox News on-air stars, which the company refused. At age 16, she worked at a fast-food spot while still a high school student. Last October, Francis was pulled off both her regular co-hosting slot on midday roundtable show Outnumbered and her own mid-afternoon Fox Business Network program. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. 2 In 2022 Most Valuable Blockbuster Tournament. This is, this is how were doing this. She filed for arbitration in early 2020. FOX News Media has worked tirelessly to completely change the company culture over the last five years, a spokesperson said of Scott back in July. The New York State Department of Labor is investigating Fox News over gender discrimination and retaliation complaints made by former host Melissa Francis, who exited the conservative cable network last year amid a pay dispute, The Daily Beast has learned. Back in late October 2020, it was rumored that Francis had then filed a gender-based pay discrimination claim that was in arbitration with Fox regarding the matter. Age discrimination, How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Rainn Wilson, Landmark Fox News defamation trial is delayed until Tuesday, Fox News and Dominion head to trial in a potentially historic $1.6-billion defamation case, Regal to reopen Pasadenas former ArcLight theater, MoNique sues CBS, Paramount for millions in profits from The Parkers. At the time, her salary was less than $1 million, and she believed it was much less than the salaries her peers were earning, she told the Post. Have a tip we should know? The report of the payment to Francis, who did not respond to a request for comment, is a setback for the companys efforts to improve its workplace image hurt by the revelations that its former chief executive Roger Ailes sexually harassed female employees. Francis recalled that one day, despite the ratings for her shows being through the roof, her lawyer got a call from Fox letting him know that her time with the network was over. An arbitrator asked Fox News for the salary information, setting an Oct. 7 deadline which turned out to be Francis last day on the air. Currently, Melissa is the co-host of After The Bell weekday afternoons with David Asman. SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER, FIRST TAKE, Fired Fox News Host Ed Henrys Defamation Lawsuit Against Network Dismissed, Fox News Shannon Bream Presses Lindsey Graham to Explain the Pivot on His Proposed Nationwide Abortion Ban, Fox News Says Melissa Francis Isnt Fired but Shes Been Off Air Since Filing Gender-Pay Complaint, KTLA Viewers Angry Over Abrupt Exits of Weekend Anchors Mark Mester and Lynette Romero: It Was a D Move. We parted ways with Melissa Francis over a year and a half ago and her allegations were entirely without merit, a Fox News spokesperson told HuffPost. "Ms. Francis filed a charge with the New York State Department of Labor because Fox News has not changed and continues to discriminate and retaliate against women, including those who seek equal pay for equal work," Kevin Mintzer, Francis' attorney, said. Wow,' she added. Contrary to Fox News false claims about a new era, what happened to Melissa shows that sexism and retaliation are still prevalent at the network. Black Teenager Shot in Kansas City, Missouri. Fox News reportedly agreed to pay former anchor Melissa Francis approximately $15 million to settle a dispute over her claims of a gender pay gap at the She is a commentator for the Fox Business Network (FBN) and Fox News (FNC). Email us. But the newspaper reported that Francis had filed a gender-based pay discrimination complaint against the company which had gone into arbitration when she was taken off the air. 2:19. Former Fox News host Melissa Francis received a settlement of roughly $15 million from the network after complaining about gender-based pay discrepancies and We continue to cooperate with the Department of Labor, and we look forward to receiving the findings of their investigation.. A former child star as an actress, Melissa, as an adult, is now well known for her career as a television news anchor, journalist and commentator for the Fox Business Network (FBN) and Fox The truth is that she has already been interested in The Daily Beast has learned that New Yorks labor department is probing her claims. Let me just ask you for just for the record. Melissa Francis Biography. They called out of the blue called Kevin and let him know that I my on-air services were no longer needed, Francis said. Her lawyer stated that the abrupt cancellation was 100% due to her pay dispute. The network has also increased the number of female managers, which include Fox News Media Chief Executive Suzanne Scott. Francis had been working at the network without a contract for almost a year when she was pulled from her regular slot co-hosting Outnumbered and a Fox Business Network program in October last year, The Los Angeles Times reported. Francis was under the assumption that Brandi was no longer employed at the company and was shocked to be told that she would be conducting the meeting. She also recounted a conversation she had with former Fox News executive vice president for legal and business affairs Dianne Brandi in Nov. 2019. Fox claimed that her sudden disappearance from the airwaves was due to program changes related to the election, but her camp reportedly thought otherwise. Fox News continues to deny her allegations. During the interview, she cited Dianne Brandi, a once popular Fox executive, as the leader of her salary negotiations. I have a robotic camera so I dont have the power to turn any of it on and off. And all of a sudden, everything went dead in my living room, justlights out, everything dead. Fox News has also cited its recent recognition as a Great Place to Work-Certified company as proof of the many cultural changes Scott has implemented during her tenure. Five years later, Francis was hired by Fox News to co-host Outnumbered and continued to co-anchor a show on Fox Business. Over the last six years, Fox News has undergone a comprehensive overhaul of its entire workplace culture including tripling the size of its HR department, promoting more women in the executive ranks, elevating women in on-air host positions, as well as launching multiple mentoring programs and employee resource groups for women, the company said in a statement. We have also fully cooperated with the New York State Department of Labors investigation and look forward to the completion of this matter., Kevin Mintzer, Francis attorney, says that the former Outnumbered co-host filed the labor complaint not for herself but for the women of the company who remain behind.. Her most recent tweet, from Oct. 18, said, Trump will win. We have also fully cooperated with the New York State Department of Labors investigation and look forward to the completion of this matter.. We have also fully cooperated with the New York State Department of Labors investigation and look forward to the completion of this matter.. Brandi took a voluntary leave of absence from running the Legal department at Fox in 2017 following the fallout of sexual harassment allegations made by numerous hosts against Fox founder Roger Ailes. I agree with TheWrap's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and provide my consent to receive marketing communications from them. 2023 Deadline Hollywood, LLC. In November 2017, Fox gave Francis a promotion, making her a permanent co-host of Outnumbered. The fine grouped four separate "willful and wanton" violations that each carried a maximum penalty of $250,000. Melissa Francis Before joining FBN, Melissa worked at CNBC. Kevin Mintzer, Melissa Francis lawyer, declined comment on the news of the settlement, but shared with HuffPost Francis motivation behind filing the complaint. A Fox News spokesperson at the time attributed it to the company revamping its daytime programming. However, Brandi quietly remained with the network in a different capacity. Those claims in my view, 100% led to her being taken off the air without question,he told Kelly. "These changes are being made independent of any other ongoing matter.". When Francis was passed over for a salary raise as part of her new contract negotiation in November 2019, she brought up the data she had compiled. tips@mediaite.com. So the lights go on. Wow, she recalled. What happened to Melissa Francis? Or to keep it anonymous, click here. Its just a fact. Fox News, in a statement to The Daily Beast, disputed that exchange. Fox News Is Accused of Hiding George Soross Influence, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/18/technology/fox-news-george-soros.html, anticonservative villain by a loose network of activists and political figures on the right. Fox News reps would not comment further on the hosts future or the status of any complaint. Francis was also a regular contributor on Tucker Carlsons prime-time show. The Daily Beast reported that the NYS Department of Labor launched a probe in March into Francis' claims of pay disparity and that the network retaliated against her for raising the claims. Earlier this year, the New York City Commission on Human Rights fined Fox News $1 million for violations of laws protecting against sexual harassment and job retaliation. The Times reported Francis unexplained departure on Oct. 22, 2020, at which time Fox News said she remained an employee at the company. Francis filed a charge with the New York State Department of Labor because Fox News has not changed and continues to discriminate and retaliate against women, including those who seek equal pay for equal work, Francis attorney, Kevin Mintzer, told The Daily Beast while confirming the probe. We will refrain from further comment until that investigation has concluded., The news that New Yorks labor department is investigating Fox News comes just a few months after the network settled with New York Citys Commission on Human Rights for $1 million over what the government deemed a pattern of violating the NYC Human Rights Law. The settlement represented an effective admission to retaliating against staffers over sexual misconduct and discrimination claims. Melissa Francis, who quietly disappeared from Fox News in October 2020, received a $15-million settlement after she filed a gender-based, pay-disparity claim against the network. Melissa Francis, who quietly disappeared from Fox News in October 2020, received a $15-million settlement after she filed a gender-based, pay-disparity claim against the network. A formal complaint was filed by the commission in December 2018. May 26, 2015. 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