Roger Ailes
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Roger Ailes (1940–2017) was a U.S. news executive with extensive experience as a Republican Party (United States) political media consultant, and was President of Fox News. Ailes became prominent when he counseled Richard Nixon how to turn television into an asset rather than a liability, and continued with Ronald Reagan. Matthew Yglesias observed "It’s worth considering the different incentives of a television executive trying to maximize ratings, a political operative trying to win elections, and an ideologue trying to push public policy in a specific direction. These are not the same thing." [1] Writing in Newsweek, Howard Fineman suggests that in 2010, Ailes is the de facto head of the Republican Party (United States). Fineman pointed out that Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele is unpopular with the leadership, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has his hands full in the Senate, John McCain is concerned with reelection, and no politician is getting significant poll ratings. The Tea Party Movement is challenging the Republican establishment.
Reiterating his motive is not political power per se, New York Times reporters described a 2008 confrontation and Rupert Murdoch, head of News Corporation, which owns Fox News. Ailes wanted to know if Murdoch wanted him to resign, but walked away with a more lucrative contract, because he was making Fox increasingly profitable. They cited Ailes' ratings success with anti-establishment anchors Glenn Beck, Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity, epecially "Fox News’s advocacy of an independent candidate in the 23rd Congressional District in upstate New York. The Republican candidate eventually withdrew." Regarding that action. “When you think about that, it’s the equivalent of the endorsement major newspapers used to provide,” said David Gergen.[3] References
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