It is the end of an era here at the Fox News Channel. As we mentioned earlier, Bill O'Reilly is leaving this chair and this network after more than 20 years. Bill has been the undisputed King of Cable News — and for good reason. He is an incredibly talented broadcaster who raised the bar for interviewers everywhere. He has also held his staff to exacting standards in his quest to put the best possible program on the air, and they are great.

And you, his audience, responded in record numbers, making “The Factor” the No. 1 cable news show for more than 16 years. You have also been loyal, and we can't tell you how much that means to everyone on “The Factor.”

In a memo to the staff today, Rupert, James and Lachlan Murdoch, who run Fox News, described Bill this way: “By ratings standards, Bill is one of the most accomplished TV personalities in the history of cable news. In fact, his success, by any measure, is indisputable. We wish him the very best.”