As Fox News flirts with removing Bill O'Reilly, his viewers hold on tight

Bill O'Reilly.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Fox News is reportedly not pleased with host Bill O'Reilly, but his viewers don't think he should be taken off the air. According to a new poll by Politico/Morning Consult, just 23 percent of people who watch O'Reilly's show think it should be canceled following reports that Fox News and O'Reilly paid around $13 million to settle sexual harassment and verbal abuse accusations made by five women since 2002. Another 56 percent of O'Reilly Factor viewers think Fox should keep the show.

The general public is not as keen on keeping O'Reilly around. Forty-six percent of those surveyed agreed that Fox News should cancel O'Reilly's show, a percentage increase of 11 percent since last week as the story has become more high profile. Twenty-two percent of respondents said Fox should keep the show, and 32 percent still had no opinion about the scandal.

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.