Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Roger Ailes Has Died



Roger Ailes, a former U.S. presidential adviser who started the Fox News Channel to promote a Republican agenda and built it into the most-watched U.S. cable news network before resigning amid sexual harassment allegations, has died. He was 77.

Ailes started Fox News in 1996 at the behest of News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch as an alternative to what they saw as a media landscape dominated by liberals. Although marketed as “fair and balanced,” critics of the conservative content of the channel’s programs accused it of acting as a propaganda arm of the Republican Party.

One reason: An Ailes deputy sent reporters and news show hosts memos stating what the message of the day should be. The notes directed positive coverage for Republican politicians and negative news about Democrats.

In July 2016, Ailes was ousted as head of Fox News after a sexual harassment lawsuit was filed by a former anchor, Gretchen Carlson, who claimed she was fired for refusing his sexual advances. Ailes said Carlson’s allegations were false and her lawsuit was in retaliation for the network’s decision not to renew her contract because her “low ratings were dragging down the afternoon lineup.”

Carlson left the network and received a $20 million settlement from Fox several months later. Her accusations were followed by claims of harassment from other women, including Fox News host Andrea Tantaros. The scandal also engulfed one of the network’s biggest stars, Megyn Kelly, who said that Ailes harassed her. Kelly left the network in early 2017.


15 comments:

  1. Beige Caulk12:15 AM

    A media genius. RIP.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Green Carmen Ghia12:29 AM

    It's a start....

    ...Despite those titles, power, and pelf,
    The wretch, concentred all in self,
    Living, shall forfeit fair renown,
    And, doubly dying, shall go down
    To the vile dust from whence he sprung,
    Unwept, unhonored, and unsung. (Sir Walter Scott)

    ReplyDelete
  3. AndrewBW12:39 AM

    My mother always said that if you can't say something nice about someone, don't say anything at all.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Jennifer1:23 AM

    If only the whole world listened to you mother....

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  5. Disgusting misogynist propaganda dealer is dead1:44 AM

    Prayer for today: Karma come collect pence next. Remove the satanic billionaire club from the earth , amen, Lol.

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  6. Laila2:13 AM

    Yay! Great way to start the day! Can a bunch more of these hateful, greedy, power hungry, money hungry, rich geezers die off soon?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Roger started the "FakeNews" and "AlternativeFacts" news reporting.
    Unfortunately, those elements will not die with him.

    "If I ever run for President, I will run as a Republican, because they believe everything Fox News tells them."
    Donald Trump in 1998.

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  8. sandybrook2:27 AM

    Boo hoo NOT! May Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Michael Savage, Rush Limbaugh and the rest of the tvradio right wing wingnuts join you rotting in hell very soon.

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  9. Well, it can't all be bad news.

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  10. I\'m not a homophobe but....3:26 AM

    Hey Jennifer, kettle calling LBGT peeps black?

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  11. Sadie5:53 AM

    a wag on social media "to show respect for Ailes, all the girls at Fox are wearing their skirts at halfmast today"

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  12. Phyllis Whitweed7:21 AM

    Not sure Ailes started it. As soon as the printing press was invented, whomever had one had the power.

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  13. Sarah7:49 AM

    This guy is a scumbag. The world won't be worse for wear without him in it. That being said, Fox is not the only news channel that acts as propaganda for a political party. Nearly every news channel and publication takes a stance. I'm most definitely not a fan of Fox news, but this is an issue with media publications in general. Fox is just run by a bunch of right wing nutjobs, and it's unfortunate.

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  14. Hot Cola8:11 AM

    Yeah not suspicious at all.
    I hope it has been painfulll.

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  15. Hot Cola8:15 AM

    There was nothing nice about him.
    The rest of his friends are POS.

    ReplyDelete