Lawyers Say Carlson’s Courage Has Caused a ‘Seismic Shift’

Lawyers for Gretchen Carlson, whose lawsuit swiftly led to the departure of Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes, thanked the women who spoke out about sexual harassment.

"Within just two weeks of her filing a lawsuit against Roger Ailes, Gretchen Carlson's extraordinary courage has caused a seismic shift in the media world,” said Nancy Erika Smith and Martin Hyman in a statement.

“We hope that all businesses now understand that women will no longer tolerate sexual harassment and reputable companies will no longer shield those who abuse women. We thank all the brave women who spoke out about this issue,” the lawyers said. "We will have more to say in coming days as events unfold."

Carlson, a former anchor at Fox News, charged that Ailes did not renew her contract after she refused to sleep with him. Ailes denied the charges, calling them false and defamatory.

Fox News parent company 21st Century launched an investigation into the matter and several other women reportedly came forward to report that Ailes had acted improperly with them.

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.