Which news organizations and advertisers cut ties with O'Reilly and when did those decisions occur?
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Executive summary
Within days of a New York Times investigation published April 1, 2017, dozens of advertisers began pulling spots from Bill O’Reilly’s The O’Reilly Factor, with outlets reporting between about 31 and more than 60 companies suspending or reassigning ads in early April 2017 [1][2][3]. Over the following months additional commercial partners and talent representatives severed ties—including literary agents in October 2017—while Fox ultimately dismissed O’Reilly later that spring amid mounting advertiser pressure and public protest [4][5].
1. Advertiser exodus: scale and timing
Advertiser departures came almost immediately after The New York Times reported that O’Reilly and Fox had paid settlements to women alleging harassment; initial tallies within the first week of April 2017 showed counts ranging from roughly 31 companies (Business Insider) to more than 60 firms (Forbes, Time) withdrawing ads from his timeslot [1][2][3]. Major media outlets tracked the withdrawals across April 3–6, 2017, reporting a rapid cascade of suspensions and reallocations of ad buys during that first week [3][6].
2. Which major advertisers pulled ads (examples and dates)
Several high-profile brands publicly announced suspensions or reassignments of advertising on The O’Reilly Factor in early April 2017: Mercedes‑Benz and Hyundai said they were pulling or reallocating spots amid the controversy (reported April 3–4, 2017) [6]; automakers BMW and Lexus, insurers Allstate, pharmaceutical and health companies like GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi Consumer Healthcare, financial firms such as T. Rowe Price, and consumer brands including Constant Contact and Untuckit were also reported among those suspending buys in that same early‑April window [7][8][6]. Other companies cited in contemporaneous lists included Coldwell Banker, Eli Lilly and smaller advertisers who removed placements or paused buys as news organizations updated running tallies across April 4–8, 2017 [9][2].
3. Variations in reporting and counts
Different outlets produced different totals—Business Insider’s early count was lower (around 31) while Time and Forbes reported figures in the 60s—because companies announced moves at different moments, some pauses were temporary, and advertising can be placed through networks that reassign spots rather than cancel outright [1][3][2]. Tracking groups and journalists reached out to dozens of advertisers and networks, compiling rolling lists as companies issued statements or confirmed reassignment of ads to other Fox programming [6][10].
4. Media partners and talent representatives that cut ties
Beyond commercial advertisers, talent and publishing partners shifted away in later months: major literary and talent agencies moved to drop O’Reilly after additional reporting in October 2017, with William Morris Endeavor and others reportedly ending representation around late October 2017 [4]. Media reports also note that some advertisers who had suspended buys for The O’Reilly Factor continued to sponsor other Fox programs, creating tension and follow‑on campaigns targeting those placements [11].
5. How decisions unfolded and competing narratives
News coverage attributes the advertiser exodus to the NYT story and subsequent public pressure; advocacy groups such as Media Matters reached out to advertisers and were cited by O’Reilly’s lawyers as orchestrating pressure on sponsors, a claim reported in contemporaneous coverage of the fallout [5]. Fox’s initial response included redirecting advertisers to other programs, and some companies framed their moves as temporary holds pending review of the situation rather than permanent terminations [6][9].
6. Aftermath and final outcomes
The commercial withdrawals were a decisive factor in the crisis: while O’Reilly initially remained on air, mounting advertiser departures and public protests preceded his removal from Fox News later in April 2017, an outcome widely reported as linked to the loss of sponsor support and the broader scandal [5][12]. Subsequent months saw discussions about advertisers’ associations with other Fox hosts and occasional attempts to reframe the narrative, but the immediate cascade of suspensions in early April 2017 remains the clearest demarcation of when corporate partners began severing ties [3][11].