Fox Sports fires a top executive amid a sexual harassment inquiry at the network.
Fox Sports on Monday abruptly fired Jamie Horowitz, a top executive, as the company investigates reports of sexual harassment, according to someone familiar with the situation who was not authorized to speak publicly.
“Everyone at Fox Sports, no matter what role we play, or what business, function or show we contribute to — should act with respect and adhere to professional conduct at all times,” Eric Shanks, president of Fox Sports, said in an email to employees. “These values are nonnegotiable.”
Horowitz was in charge of sports programming, and his radical restructuring of the network caused widespread consternation among its employees. He has hired lawyer Patricia Glaser to represent him in relation to his firing.
“The way Jamie has been treated by Fox is appalling,” Glaser said in a statement. “At no point in his tenure was there any mention by his superiors or human resources of any misconduct, nor an inability to adhere to professional conduct. Jamie was hired by Fox to do a job, the job that until today he has performed in an exemplary fashion. Any slanderous accusations to the contrary will be vigorously defended.”
A person familiar with the matter said there were no legal claims against Horowitz or settlements made regarding allegations of sexual harassment.
Terri Hines, a spokeswoman, said in an email to The New York Times: “Jamie Horowitz is no longer with Fox Sports effective immediately. There is no further comment at this time.”
Fox News, which is also owned by 21st Century Fox, has been battered by sexual harassment claims. In the last year, chief executive Roger Ailes, co-president Bill Shine and host Bill O’Reilly were pushed out amid allegations of an atmosphere of sexual harassment.
Horowitz was hired in May 2015 and was put in charge of programming at the flagship channel FS1, which was then 3 years old and struggling to compete with ESPN. He revamped the channel’s daytime lineup, hiring Skip Bayless, Colin Cowherd and Jason Whitlock away from ESPN, making them and their opinion-driven shows the face of the network.
He presided over a move away from news at Fox Sports, ending “Fox Sports Live” — FS1’s competitor to ESPN’s “SportsCenter” — and letting on-air reporters depart. He was later put in charge of digital operations at Fox Sports, and just last week laid off about 20 online writers and editors in a shift to video content featuring Fox Sports personalities.
Horowitz began his career at NBC Sports, before moving to ESPN in 2006. There he created and produced the shows “SportsNation,” “Numbers Never Lie” and “Olbermann.” But he is best-known for pairing Bayless and Stephen A. Smith together on “First Take,” resulting in one of the most popular, and controversial, shows in sports.