Bill O'Reilly is an American journalist, author, and former television host, best known for his work on the [[Fox News]] Channel as a pillar of [[conservative media]]. His show, "The O'Reilly Factor," was one of the highest-rated news programs on cable television for many years. Born on September 10, 1949, in New York City, O'Reilly was raised in a middle-class family on Long Island. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in history from Marist College, and after teaching high school for two years, he returned to school to complete a Master's in broadcast journalism from Boston University. He also holds a Master of Public Administration from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. O'Reilly's journalism career began in local news in cities such as Dallas, Denver, and Portland. He then moved to national news, working as a correspondent for CBS News and later for ABC News. In 1989, he joined the nationally syndicated news program "Inside Edition," where he served as anchor until 1995. ## The O'Reilly Factor In 1996, O'Reilly was hired by the newly formed Fox News Channel to host "The O'Reilly Report," which was soon renamed "The O'Reilly Factor." His confrontational interviewing style, marked by his self-proclaimed "no-spin" approach, quickly gained attention and made the program one of the most-watched cable news shows. In addition to his television work, O'Reilly is a prolific author. He has written numerous best-selling books, including "Killing Lincoln," "Killing Kennedy," and "Killing Jesus," all part of his popular "Killing" series co-authored with Martin Dugard. These historical books offer dramatic narratives of the deaths of major historical figures. O'Reilly's career has not been without controversy. In 2017, The New York Times reported that O'Reilly and Fox News had settled five sexual harassment lawsuits totaling about $13 million. The ensuing controversy led to his departure from Fox News in April of the same year. After leaving [[Fox News]], O'Reilly launched a podcast, "No Spin News," which he later expanded into a full-length news commentary program. He continues to write and comment on current events. See also: [[Rupert Murdoch]], [[Roger Ailes]], [[John F. Kennedy (JFK)]], [[Abraham Lincoln]]