Roger Ailes, founding CEO of USA conservative media outlet, Fox News, and who ran it for nearly two decades
Roger Ailes was a controversial man but from Oct. 1996 when he became the founding CEO of Fox News till he resigned from Fox News in July 2016, he was the main man behind Fox News. He passed away on May 18th 2017.
Roger Ailes ensured the growth of Fox News from a fledgling news network till it became comparable in ratings to the other two USA top news networks, CNN and MSNBC. Indeed, at times it even beat these other two networks in total viewers!!!
http://thehill.com/homenews/media/321629-fox-news-beats-cnn-msnbc-combined-in-feb-ratings, dated Feb. 28th 2017 states that, according to Nielsen Research, Fox News beat all other cable TV networks in total viewers for eight consecutive months! In February 2017, Fox News averaged 1.75 million viewers on the average for the day (broadcast time), and averaged 2.9 million viewers in Prime Time.
http://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/scoreboard-thursday-may-18/329789, dated May 18th 2017, has CNN beating Fox News Network (FNN) for the top spot in total day (viewers), and MSNBC having the top spot for Prime Time, with CNN after it and FNN being third. So, as of May 2017, Fox may not be the top news network but is surely comparable to the top news networks, in ratings.
Therefore, whether one likes it or not, Roger Ailes has to be acknowledged as an important figure in USA media, and USA politics through the influence that USA media has over USA politics. So, in my role as a (publicly) POLITICALLY NEUTRAL student-observer of USA politics, I felt it appropriate to put up this post.
A small extract from New York Times obituary article, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/18/business/media/roger-ailes-dead.html, is given below:
"Across more than two decades, he [Roger Ailes] devised media strategies for several dozen political campaigns, including the winning presidential candidacies of Richard M. Nixon in 1968, Ronald Reagan in 1984 and Mr. Bush in 1988. In 2016, he informally advised the triumphant Trump campaign."
Another small extract from Roger Ailes obituary in The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/may/18/roger-ailes-obituary, is given below.
"Roger Ailes, who has died aged 77, was arguably the most important shaper of American politics of the past half-century. As a political kingmaker he was crucial to the election of four conservative presidents;"
Some extracts are given below from his wiki page, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Ailes. I have also interjected some comments of mine within [Ravi: ...].
Roger Eugene Ailes (May 15, 1940 – May 18, 2017) was an American television executive and media consultant.
Ailes was the founder and former Chairman and CEO of Fox News and the Fox Television Stations Group, from which he resigned in July 2016 following allegations that he sexually harassed female colleagues. Ailes was a media consultant for Republican presidents Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush, and for Rudy Giuliani's first mayoral campaign. In 2016, he was an adviser to the Donald Trump campaign, where he assisted with debate preparation.
...
In 1967, Ailes had a spirited discussion about television in politics with one of the show's [Ravi: The Mike Douglas show for WKYC a TV station in Cleveland, Ohio, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WKYC] guests, Richard Nixon, who took the view that television was a gimmick. Later, Nixon called on Ailes to serve as his Executive Producer for television. Nixon's successful presidential campaign was Ailes's first venture into the political spotlight. His pioneering work in framing national campaign issues and making the stiff Nixon more likable and accessible to voters was later chronicled in The Selling of the President 1968 by Joe McGinniss.
...
In 1984, Ailes worked on the campaign to reelect Ronald Reagan. In 1987 and 1988, Ailes was credited (along with Lee Atwater) with guiding George H. W. Bush to victory in the Republican primaries and the later come-from-behind victory over Michael Dukakis.
[Ravi: BTW I was in the USA in 1988 on assignment from my Bombay based software consultancy company, and living in Nashua, New Hampshire just across the Massachusetts border but doing software stuff at Wang Labs., Lowell, Massachusetts, if I recall correctly. I have a clear recollection of Michael Dukakis, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Dukakis, then Governor of Massachusetts running for president as a Democrat. Perhaps I saw it on TV and/or on advertisement billboards. But I don't have a recollection of noting then that he was running against then USA vice-president George H.W. Bush! Strange! I guess Massachusetts may have been awash in Dukakis Ads and billboards and so made a strong enough impact on my mind such that I recall it now even after nearly three decades! end-Ravi]
...
Ailes was tapped by Rupert Murdoch in 1996 to become the founding CEO of Fox News, effective on October 7.
...
In October 2012, his contract with the network was renewed for four years, through 2016. If completed, he would have served as head of Fox News Channel for 20 years.
...
On July 21, Ailes resigned from Fox News, receiving $40 million from Fox in an exit agreement. Rupert Murdoch succeeded him as chairman, and as interim CEO until the naming of a permanent replacement. In a letter to Murdoch Ailes said, "I will not allow my presence to become a distraction from the work that must be done every day to ensure that Fox News and Fox Business continue to lead our industry." Ailes was thanked for his work, without mention of the allegations. He was to continue to advise Murdoch and 21st Century Fox through 2018.
...
Ailes died May 18, 2017, in Palm Beach, Florida, after falling and hitting his head at his home the previous week. The Palm Beach County Medical Examiner attributed this to a subdural hematoma, aggravated by hemophilia. His wife, Elizabeth, announced his death in a statement on the Drudge Report: "I am profoundly sad and heartbroken to report that my husband, Roger Ailes, passed away this morning".
In a 2013 book excerpt from Roger Ailes: Off Camera, Ailes spoke about facing death, saying, "Because of my hemophilia, I've been prepared to face death all of my life. When it comes, I'll be fine, calm. I'll miss life, though. Especially my family."
--- end wiki extracts ---
The media baron Rupert Murdoch whose company 21st Century Fox owns Fox News Network, and provided the funding for Roger Ailes to be fouding CEO of Fox News and run it for nearly two decades, made this statement (Courtesy: http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/roger-ailes-rupert-murdoch-fox-news-1202433622/)
Everybody at Fox News is shocked and grieved by the death of Roger Ailes.
A brilliant broadcaster, Roger played a huge role in shaping America’s media over the last thirty years. He will be remembered by the many people on both sides of the camera that he discovered, nurtured and promoted. Roger and I shared a big idea which he executed in a way no one else could have. In addition, Roger was a great patriot who never ceased fighting for his beliefs.
At 21st Century Fox we will always be enormously grateful for the great business he built. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Elizabeth and son Zachary.
--- end Rupert Murdoch statement ---
Former USA president George H.W. Bush said in this tweet,
https://twitter.com/GeorgeHWBush/status/865229585415274496, "He wasn't perfect, but Roger Ailes was my friend & I loved him. Not sure I would have been President w/o his great talent, loyal help. RIP."
Here's Bill O'Reilly, the famous ex Fox News anchor who was forced to resign from Fox News recently due to some allegations of improper behaviour against him, on Roger Ailes, Bill O'Reilly: Roger Ailes endured hatred 'and it killed him. That is the truth.', https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2017/05/18/bill-oreilly-it-was-a-privilege-to-know-roger-ailes-column/101846434/, 18th May 2017.
Ravi: I guess I have to include at least one critical article about Roger Ailes in this post, even if some readers would find it unpleasant to see criticism of a person who passed away recently. I have to warn readers that it is a very harshly critical article though I saw a video from a noted Internet USA news and opinion outlet that was even more harshly critical and which I felt inappropriate to include in this post. Roger Ailes Was One of the Worst Americans Ever; Fox News founder made this the hate-filled, --snip-- country it is today, by Matt Taibbi, http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/features/taibbi-roger-ailes-was-one-of-the-worst-americans-ever-w483013, dated 18th/19th May 2017.
Ravi: I pray to Almighty God to shower His Grace on the soul of Roger Ailes, and to give strength to his family and friends to bear this loss.
[I thank wikipedia, Rupert Murdoch (and variety.com), nytimes.com, theguardian.com and George H.W. Bush, and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the above extracts from their websites/statements (very small extracts from nytimes.com and theguardian.com) on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever.]
Roger Ailes ensured the growth of Fox News from a fledgling news network till it became comparable in ratings to the other two USA top news networks, CNN and MSNBC. Indeed, at times it even beat these other two networks in total viewers!!!
http://thehill.com/homenews/media/321629-fox-news-beats-cnn-msnbc-combined-in-feb-ratings, dated Feb. 28th 2017 states that, according to Nielsen Research, Fox News beat all other cable TV networks in total viewers for eight consecutive months! In February 2017, Fox News averaged 1.75 million viewers on the average for the day (broadcast time), and averaged 2.9 million viewers in Prime Time.
http://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/scoreboard-thursday-may-18/329789, dated May 18th 2017, has CNN beating Fox News Network (FNN) for the top spot in total day (viewers), and MSNBC having the top spot for Prime Time, with CNN after it and FNN being third. So, as of May 2017, Fox may not be the top news network but is surely comparable to the top news networks, in ratings.
Therefore, whether one likes it or not, Roger Ailes has to be acknowledged as an important figure in USA media, and USA politics through the influence that USA media has over USA politics. So, in my role as a (publicly) POLITICALLY NEUTRAL student-observer of USA politics, I felt it appropriate to put up this post.
A small extract from New York Times obituary article, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/18/business/media/roger-ailes-dead.html, is given below:
"Across more than two decades, he [Roger Ailes] devised media strategies for several dozen political campaigns, including the winning presidential candidacies of Richard M. Nixon in 1968, Ronald Reagan in 1984 and Mr. Bush in 1988. In 2016, he informally advised the triumphant Trump campaign."
Another small extract from Roger Ailes obituary in The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/may/18/roger-ailes-obituary, is given below.
"Roger Ailes, who has died aged 77, was arguably the most important shaper of American politics of the past half-century. As a political kingmaker he was crucial to the election of four conservative presidents;"
Some extracts are given below from his wiki page, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Ailes. I have also interjected some comments of mine within [Ravi: ...].
Roger Eugene Ailes (May 15, 1940 – May 18, 2017) was an American television executive and media consultant.
Ailes was the founder and former Chairman and CEO of Fox News and the Fox Television Stations Group, from which he resigned in July 2016 following allegations that he sexually harassed female colleagues. Ailes was a media consultant for Republican presidents Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush, and for Rudy Giuliani's first mayoral campaign. In 2016, he was an adviser to the Donald Trump campaign, where he assisted with debate preparation.
...
In 1967, Ailes had a spirited discussion about television in politics with one of the show's [Ravi: The Mike Douglas show for WKYC a TV station in Cleveland, Ohio, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WKYC] guests, Richard Nixon, who took the view that television was a gimmick. Later, Nixon called on Ailes to serve as his Executive Producer for television. Nixon's successful presidential campaign was Ailes's first venture into the political spotlight. His pioneering work in framing national campaign issues and making the stiff Nixon more likable and accessible to voters was later chronicled in The Selling of the President 1968 by Joe McGinniss.
...
In 1984, Ailes worked on the campaign to reelect Ronald Reagan. In 1987 and 1988, Ailes was credited (along with Lee Atwater) with guiding George H. W. Bush to victory in the Republican primaries and the later come-from-behind victory over Michael Dukakis.
[Ravi: BTW I was in the USA in 1988 on assignment from my Bombay based software consultancy company, and living in Nashua, New Hampshire just across the Massachusetts border but doing software stuff at Wang Labs., Lowell, Massachusetts, if I recall correctly. I have a clear recollection of Michael Dukakis, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Dukakis, then Governor of Massachusetts running for president as a Democrat. Perhaps I saw it on TV and/or on advertisement billboards. But I don't have a recollection of noting then that he was running against then USA vice-president George H.W. Bush! Strange! I guess Massachusetts may have been awash in Dukakis Ads and billboards and so made a strong enough impact on my mind such that I recall it now even after nearly three decades! end-Ravi]
...
Ailes was tapped by Rupert Murdoch in 1996 to become the founding CEO of Fox News, effective on October 7.
...
In October 2012, his contract with the network was renewed for four years, through 2016. If completed, he would have served as head of Fox News Channel for 20 years.
...
On July 21, Ailes resigned from Fox News, receiving $40 million from Fox in an exit agreement. Rupert Murdoch succeeded him as chairman, and as interim CEO until the naming of a permanent replacement. In a letter to Murdoch Ailes said, "I will not allow my presence to become a distraction from the work that must be done every day to ensure that Fox News and Fox Business continue to lead our industry." Ailes was thanked for his work, without mention of the allegations. He was to continue to advise Murdoch and 21st Century Fox through 2018.
...
Ailes died May 18, 2017, in Palm Beach, Florida, after falling and hitting his head at his home the previous week. The Palm Beach County Medical Examiner attributed this to a subdural hematoma, aggravated by hemophilia. His wife, Elizabeth, announced his death in a statement on the Drudge Report: "I am profoundly sad and heartbroken to report that my husband, Roger Ailes, passed away this morning".
In a 2013 book excerpt from Roger Ailes: Off Camera, Ailes spoke about facing death, saying, "Because of my hemophilia, I've been prepared to face death all of my life. When it comes, I'll be fine, calm. I'll miss life, though. Especially my family."
--- end wiki extracts ---
The media baron Rupert Murdoch whose company 21st Century Fox owns Fox News Network, and provided the funding for Roger Ailes to be fouding CEO of Fox News and run it for nearly two decades, made this statement (Courtesy: http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/roger-ailes-rupert-murdoch-fox-news-1202433622/)
Everybody at Fox News is shocked and grieved by the death of Roger Ailes.
A brilliant broadcaster, Roger played a huge role in shaping America’s media over the last thirty years. He will be remembered by the many people on both sides of the camera that he discovered, nurtured and promoted. Roger and I shared a big idea which he executed in a way no one else could have. In addition, Roger was a great patriot who never ceased fighting for his beliefs.
At 21st Century Fox we will always be enormously grateful for the great business he built. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Elizabeth and son Zachary.
--- end Rupert Murdoch statement ---
Former USA president George H.W. Bush said in this tweet,
https://twitter.com/GeorgeHWBush/status/865229585415274496, "He wasn't perfect, but Roger Ailes was my friend & I loved him. Not sure I would have been President w/o his great talent, loyal help. RIP."
Here's Bill O'Reilly, the famous ex Fox News anchor who was forced to resign from Fox News recently due to some allegations of improper behaviour against him, on Roger Ailes, Bill O'Reilly: Roger Ailes endured hatred 'and it killed him. That is the truth.', https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2017/05/18/bill-oreilly-it-was-a-privilege-to-know-roger-ailes-column/101846434/, 18th May 2017.
Ravi: I guess I have to include at least one critical article about Roger Ailes in this post, even if some readers would find it unpleasant to see criticism of a person who passed away recently. I have to warn readers that it is a very harshly critical article though I saw a video from a noted Internet USA news and opinion outlet that was even more harshly critical and which I felt inappropriate to include in this post. Roger Ailes Was One of the Worst Americans Ever; Fox News founder made this the hate-filled, --snip-- country it is today, by Matt Taibbi, http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/features/taibbi-roger-ailes-was-one-of-the-worst-americans-ever-w483013, dated 18th/19th May 2017.
Ravi: I pray to Almighty God to shower His Grace on the soul of Roger Ailes, and to give strength to his family and friends to bear this loss.
[I thank wikipedia, Rupert Murdoch (and variety.com), nytimes.com, theguardian.com and George H.W. Bush, and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the above extracts from their websites/statements (very small extracts from nytimes.com and theguardian.com) on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever.]
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