Glenn Beck Predicts the End of Fox News

Glenn Beck, while weighing in on the Bill O’Reilly controversy, predicted the end of the Fox News Channel, suggesting that company patriarch Rupert Murdoch won’t stop sons James and Lachlan from killing off the cable channel.

Since Roger Ailes stepped down as CEO of Fox News nine months ago amid accusations of sexual harassment, there is no “big bad wolf” to protect the channel that is so popular among conservative audiences.

Megyn Kelly had already jumped ship to NBC News, and O’Reilly parted ways with Fox News on Wednesday amid allegations that he, too, harassed women. Lachlan and James Murdoch, the co-executive chairman and CEO, respectively, of parent company 21st Century Fox, are not big fans of Fox News, Beck insinuated.

“We talked about this when we were there,” Beck said, alluding to his Fox News TV show that ran from 2008-2011. “Roger is gone, and Rupert had to deal with the family — that the family and the wives and the children would kill it, and you’re seeing the end of the Fox News Channel.”

Beck told his radio audience Wednesday that he believes Gabriel Sherman, writing for New York magazine, has it right: James Murdoch wanted O’Reilly gone but Lachlan Murdoch had been on the fence, until his wife convinced him to side with his brother over their father, who appeared to be backing O’Reilly until Wednesday.

“It’s not going to go away right away,” Beck said of Fox News, “but you’re seeing a significant weakening. Who’s the big bad wolf that will stand in the door?”

Beck left his job at Fox News while under fire over politically controversial remarks he made — remarks that made it difficult for the network to sell ads on his show even while ratings remained high. It was a similar situation for The O’Reilly Factor, as advertisers pulled out while the audience remained faithful.

For a while after his own show folded, Beck was making appearances on O’Reilly’s show and the two remain close. If Beck had any inside knowledge about the negotiations between Fox News and O’Reilly’s team — and between Fox News and Tucker Carlson, who will inherit the plum 8 p.m. Eastern slot — he wasn’t sharing on Wednesday.

“I just got an email from Bill a little while ago that said he’s on his way home — he’s been on vacation; he’s been in Italy — and so he’s on his way home,” Beck told his audience Wednesday.