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Major advertisers continue to flee cable television’s most popular news program amid a sexual harassment scandal involving Fox News host Bill O’Reilly.

Related Articles Here are the 21 advertisers quitting ‘The O’Reilly Factor’ on Fox News

Bill O’Reilly hit with more sexual allegations after Times report CNN reported that by Tuesday afternoon, 18 companies said they were pulling commercials from “The O’Reilly Factor.” Among those on the defection list were Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, BMW of North America, Mitsubishi Motors, Lexus, Bayer, Allstate, Esurance (which is owned by Allstate) and T. Rowe Price.

Also on Tuesday, the National Organization for Women called for O’Reilly to be fired and said there should be “an immediate independent investigation into the culture of sexual harassment at Fox News.”

The uproar comes in the wake of an investigative news report revealing that Fox News and O’Reilly have paid millions to settle five sexual harassment lawsuits filed against him. According to the New York Times, the news channel’s parent company, Twenty-first Century Fox, was aware of the settlements when it recently extended the contract for O’Reilly, who earns about $18 million a year. The Times also reported that his employer “had structured the deal to include more leverage over his behavior, according to people familiar with the matter.”

If wary advertisers continue to flee, it could deliver a major financial blow to the bottom line of Fox News. O’Reilly, 67, is the network’s biggest star and his show draws almost four million viewers a night. “The O’Reilly Factor” generated more than $446 million in advertising revenue from 2014 through 2016, according to the research firm Kantar Media.

In a statement released by Fox News, Paul Rittenberg, Executive Vice President of Advertising Sales, said: “We value our partners and are working with them to address their current concerns about ‘The O’Reilly Factor.’ At this time, the ad buys of those clients have been re-expressed into other FNC programs.”

On Sunday The New York Times reported that since 2002, settlements totaling around $13 million had been reached with five women who accused O’Reilly of inappropriate behavior. Two settlements came after the network’s former chairman, Roger Ailes, was dismissed last summer in the wake of a sexual harassment scandal, when the company said it did not tolerate behavior that “disrespects women or contributes to an uncomfortable work environment.”

O’Reilly has denied the allegations.

The conservative host did not address the report on his show Monday night. And despite the advertiser exodus, that evening’s broadcast of “The O’Reilly Factor” did contain commercials from several dozen major companies, including Microsoft, Hulu, Pfizer, Trivago, Claritin, National Car Rental, John Deere, and Progressive.

In a statement over the weekend, 21st Century Fox said it “takes matters of workplace behavior very seriously” but stood by O’Reilly.

One of the women, Wendy Walsh, told CNN Monday night that she was not out for money. “I just want a nontoxic work environment for my daughters and their generation,” she told Don Lemon.

A statement from O’Reilly given to the New York Times and posted on his website said: “Just like other prominent and controversial people, I’m vulnerable to lawsuits from individuals who want me to pay them to avoid negative publicity. In my more than 20 years at Fox News Channel, no one has ever filed a complaint about me with the Human Resources Department, even on the anonymous hotline.

“But most importantly, I’m a father who cares deeply for my children and who would do anything to avoid hurting them in any way. And so I have put to rest any controversies to spare my children…”

According to documents and interviews cited by The New York Times, the women who made allegations against O’Reilly either worked for him or appeared on his show. They have complained about a wide range of behavior, including verbal abuse, lewd comments, unwanted advances and phone calls in which it sounded as if O’Reilly was masturbating.