NEW YORK — Fox News has agreed to pay former Fox & Friends co-host Gretchen Carlson $20 million dollars and make a public apology two months after Carlson accused then-Chairman Roger Ailes of sexual harassment. <br /> <br />Vanity Fair first reported the news on Tuesday morning, according to three people familiar with the settlement. <br /> <br />“We sincerely regret and apologize for the fact that Gretchen was not treated with the respect and dignity that she and all of our colleagues deserve,” 21st Century Fox said in a statement. <br /> <br />It appears that the news company also reached settlements with two other women, according to Vanity Fair. <br /> <br />As part of the deal, Carlson has agreed to take any further action against other higher ups at Fox News, or the company itself. <br /> <br />Carlson initially filed the suit claiming that her refusal of sexual advances led to a pay cut, a move to a lower-profile afternoon show and fewer chances to conduct high-profile interviews, according to NPR. <br /> <br />Ailes denied the allegations, but two weeks after the suit was filed, he resigned from his post as chairman and CEO of Fox News, NPR reported. <br /> <br />“I am gratified that 21st Century Fox took decisive action after I filed my Complaint. I’m ready to move on to the next chapter of my life in which I will redouble my efforts to empower women in the workplace,” Carlson said in part of a statement she released following the settlement.
