Bill O'Reilly Inks Multi-year Contract with Fox

O'Reilly has resigned with the Fox News Channel with a multi-year deal that will keep him with the network for a while. Fox News Chairman and CEO Roger Ailes hailed O'Reilly in a statement released by Fox News.

"Bill's immense talent, intellect and raw convictions are an extremely rare combination in television and exemplify why 'The O'Reilly Factor' has been the number one program in cable news for more than a decade," Ailes said. "He is a tremendous force in the business and has helped to make Fox News the success story it is today."

Added O'Reilly, "It's been great fun in challenging the establishment and exposing the corruption across the nation. 'The Factor' takes pride in holding people accountable and I especially look forward to the exciting news cycle ahead. Fox News has become the primary force in television news under Roger's leadership and I'm delighted to continue there for years to come."

O'Reilly first signed on with Fox in 1996, with "The O'Reilly Report" (which was later re-dubbed "The O'Reilly Factor"). "The O'Reilly Factor," which has been the most-watched program in cable news for 125 consecutive months, currently averages 4.5 million viewers daily.