What Is Bill O'Reilly's Net Worth and Salary?
Bill O'Reilly is an American author, radio host, syndicated columnist, political commentator, and former television host who has a net worth of $85 million. Bill O'Reilly is best known for his work on Fox News, where he hosted "The O'Reilly Factor" in various forms from 1996 to 2017. At the peak of his career with Fox News, Bill earned an annual salary of $25 million.
Bill O'Reilly carved out a notable career that spans decades in the competitive landscape of media and broadcasting. He is widely recognized for his political commentary, providing a blend of news analysis and entertainment which garnered a substantial following. With a style often described as bold and confrontational, O'Reilly became a polarizing figure in the media world, engaging audiences with his forthright demeanor and unreserved opinions.
O'Reilly's media career took a significant upward trajectory with his involvement with the Fox News Channel. He became the host of "The O'Reilly Factor," which premiered in 1996, and went on to become one of the network's most popular shows. The program, which involved Bill presenting commentary on current events and conducting interviews, was celebrated for its vibrant and often spirited discussions. It appealed to a substantial viewer base, making it a powerhouse in cable news programming for a remarkable number of years.
Apart from his work in broadcasting, O'Reilly has established himself as a prolific writer. He has authored numerous books, many of which have secured a spot on the bestseller list. His works often delve into historical, political, and social themes, providing readers with insight into his perspectives on various significant events and figures. His "Killing" series, co-authored with Martin Dugard, explores the deaths of notable historical personalities and has been particularly well-received, enjoying commercial success.
While O'Reilly's career has undoubtedly been prosperous, it has not been without controversy. His forthright and, at times, divisive commentary has sparked debates and criticisms, while allegations of sexual harassment and subsequent settlements have cast shadows on his professional trajectory. O'Reilly has vehemently denied the allegations, yet they have inevitably influenced public perception.
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Early Life
William James O'Reilly Jr. was born on September 10, 1949, in Manhattan, New York. He was raised in Fort Lee, New Jersey, and Levittown on Long Island. He has a sister, Janet. Bill attended Chaminade High School in Mineola, a private Catholic boys high school, graduating in 1967. He then proceeded to attend Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York, also spending a year studying abroad in England at Queen Mary College at the University of London. Following his college graduation in 1971, O'Reilly landed a job teaching English and history at Monsignor Pace High School in Miami. Returning to school in 1973, he earned a master of arts degree from Boston University in broadcast journalism. Later on, he also attended the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, where he received a master of public administration degree in 1996.
Media Career
O'Reilly began his television news career with reporting and anchoring positions at WNEP-TV in Scranton, Pennsylvania. While there, he also occasionally reported the weather. Other stations he worked at during the early years of his career include WFAA-TV in Dallas, KMGH-TV in Denver, KATU in Portland, WFSB in Hartford, WNEV-TV (now WHDH-TV) in Boston, and WCBS-TV in New York. During this period, he won two local Emmy Awards for his news coverage: one in Denver for his coverage of a skyjacking and one in New York for his investigation of corrupt city marshals. Additionally, he worked as a correspondent for CBS News in 1982.
After O'Reilly delivered a eulogy in 1986 for his friend Joe Spencer, an ABC News correspondent who died in a helicopter crash while covering a story, ABC News president Roone Arledge was impressed by his speaking at the funeral and decided to hire him. While at ABC, O'Reilly hosted daytime news briefs previewing stories that were to be reported on the program "World News Tonight" and was also a general assignment reporter for programs such as "Good Morning America" and "Nightline."
Bill moved on to join the nationally syndicated show "Inside Edition" in 1989, which was produced by King World back then and produced by CBS Television Distribution now. He quickly became the program's anchor a mere three weeks later, after original anchor David Frost left the show. O'Reilly was replaced by Deborah Norville in 1995.
"The O'Reilly Factor"
Bill was hired in October 1996 to anchor his own show on Fox, "The O'Reilly Report," later renamed "The O'Reilly Factor." The show enjoyed great popularity and is credited with beginning the trend of more opinion-oriented prime-time cable news programming. However, O'Reilly and his show were often accused of distorting facts and using misleading statistics in his reporting. Additionally, he hosted the radio show "The Radio Factor" from 2002 to 2009 and returned to radio in 2019 with a daily 15-minute series, "The O'Reilly Update."
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Firing from Fox
In April 2017, the New York Times released a report that detailed how Bill O'Reilly and Fox paid $50 million to settle various sexual harassment lawsuits brought against the anchor. One settlement alone was for $9 million. The controversy caused a firestorm of criticism, which eventually led to his firing from the network. A few months after his dismissal, an additional report revealed yet another settlement in the amount of $32 million, allegedly paid to one woman. That's a total of $82 million in alleged payoffs. This final allegation also caused Bill to be dropped by his agents at the United Talent Agency.
He was subsequently replaced by Tucker Carlson, who, over the next year, slowly grew to a point where his average viewership consistently met or beat O'Reilly's former best numbers. Tucker was paid a fraction of Bill's former salary, which was reported to be $25 million a year; Carlson was fired from the network in 2023. O'Reilly also reportedly received a $25 million settlement from Fox when he was fired, the equivalent of one year's salary.
Other Ventures
Outside of television and radio, Bill is a prolific author. Since 1998, he has written more than 15 books, many of which have risen to the top of "The New York Times" bestseller list. His 2006 book "Culture Warrior" sold one million print copies in its first three months alone. After his firing from Fox News in 2017, O'Reilly also moved into the world of podcasting with his podcast "No Spin News" premiering in April 2017.
Personal Life
Bill was married to PR executive Maureen McPhilmy from 1996 until their separation in 2010. Their divorce was finalized in 2011. They have a daughter and a son together, and each still resides in the upscale neighborhood of Manhasset, New York, on Long Island.
In May 2016, O'Reilly sued McPhilmy for $10 million, claiming she "made false representations and material omissions of existing fact … for the sole purpose of inducing Plaintiff to agree to a consensual divorce and to obtain money and real property to finance an existing extra-marital relationship." McPhilmy is now married to a police officer named Jeffrey Gross. She reportedly bragged about cheating on Bill with Jeffrey throughout their marriage.
