Despite Ailes’s expected departure, Grossman says he expects Fox News to maintain its position as a major influencer in United States politics.
Advertisement
The Drudge Report today circulated Ailes’ resignation letter to Murdoch, which read, in part, “Having spent 20 years building this historic business, 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”. Two came forward publicly.
Roger Ailes, 76, the visionary who created Fox News Channel and turned it into the leading voice of conservatism in America has resigned.
Ailes will receive in excess of $40 million, which accounts for the remainder he is owed under the terms of his multi-year contract with Fox.
A former high-profile Republican operative who had worked for politicians including Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan, Ailes has had a major impact on the U.S. political and media environment since building Fox News into a national powerhouse after helping to start it 20 years ago.
21st Century Fox and Wall Street Journal- and MarketWatch-owner News Corp NWSA, -0.64% were part of the same company until mid-2013. NY magazine’s Gabriel Sherman on July 19 reported, however, that 21st Century Fox had allegedly given Ailes until August 1 to voluntarily step down or face termination.
Under his leadership, Fox became home to key conservative political commentators, drawing an audience distinct from rivals CNN and MSNBC.
In a statement, Carlson’s attorneys credited Carlson’s “extraordinary courage” with causing “a seismic shift in the media world”.
Rupert Murdoch cut short a vacation he was on with his wife, Jerry Hall, on the French Riviera to return and attend to Ailes’s departure agreement.
But you don’t have to look too far down the road to see big challenges that have nothing to do with Ailes’ untimely departure.
In 2011, Ailes told The Associated Press that he hired Sarah Palin as an analyst – a decision that later gave him headaches – “because she was hot and got ratings”.
Meanwhile, most of Fox News’ top talent is in Cleveland for the Republican National Convention, struggling to charge ahead while their network is embroiled in chaos.
“By fusing television’s power to conjure feelings of anger and resentment to an ideology of cultural populism that demonised liberal elites, Ailes set forth the methods and the message that would help conservative politicians win and maintain power for decades”.
Fox News also must adapt to changing consumption habits, as viewers begin to demand more ways to access content on digital platforms.
But high-ranking sources at the network said they believed that actual day-to-day operations would be run by Bill Shine, the head of primetime and opinion programming, and Jay Wallace, who oversees daytime and news programming, while Murdoch makes some important calls from the top job.
“I certainly think that some of the hatred and anger and racism and fear that we’re seeing in this election has clearly and absolutely been stoked and stroked by Fox News”, he said.
Advertisement
As most TV networks fret about the defection of younger viewers to YouTube, Facebook and Snapchat, Fox News has leaned into its loyal, older audience. When watching audition tapes of anchors and reporters, Ailes would sometimes keep the sound off, people who worked with him say.
