Fox News Axes Corp Comm. Exec VP; 'Financial Irregulariies' Alleged

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Brian Lewis, who has been at Roger Ailes' side since cable powerhouse Fox News Channel's inception 17 years ago, was terminated for cause July 25 and escorted from the premises where he most recently served as Executive Vice President, Corporate Communications, according to an account by The Hollywood Reporter.

The network issued a statement that Lewis was terminated for alleged breach of his employment contract and over purported issues involving "financial irregularities."  Lewis kept a watchful eye over public relations matters involving Fox News, Fox Business Network, 20th Television and Fox Television Stations, according to the THR article.

Lewis fostered a close relationship with Ailes and was considered his (far?) right-hand man. He joined Fox in 1996 as vice president of public relations and most recently, acted as a liason to author Zev Chafets, who recently completed a flattering biography of Ailes, Roger Ailes: Off Camera.

From 'Spin Cycle' to Washed Up: Howard Kurtz Joins Fox News Watch

Howard Kurtz, former long-time Washington Post media critic and current host of CNN's Reliable Sources, will anchor Fox News Watch beginning July 1 and will also serve as an on-air analyst and online columnist for Fox News, Mediaite.com reports.

The 59-year-old Brooklyn native has not had the best of years. Reportedly, CNN had no plans to renew Kurtz's contract. Last month, Kurtz was dumped by The Daily Beast ("TDB") for whom he was Washington bureau chief, because of his error-laden reporting about NBA player Jason Collins coming out as gay and because of what TDB perceived was his excessive time commitment to an outside venture, The Daily Download.

Kurtz, a one-time fave of "TUOL," is the author of The Fortune Tellers, Spin Cycle, Media Circus and Hot Air, the latter of which focuses on right-leaning talk radio. Now Fox News chief Roger Ailes, whom Kurtz has interviewed on numerous occasions, is his boss.

It remains to be seen whether Kurtz will be able to ply what he considers his stock and trade--independent media criticism--for Fox.