Roger Ailes

Roger Ailes was the former CEO of Fox News who was the driving force in transforming the upstart news network into a global powerhouse for conservative commentary on cable television. Born and raised in the working class town of Warren, Ohio, Ailes always had an interest in the behind-the-scenes workings of the television industry. When it came time to enter college, the teenage Ailes stayed close to home, enrolling in Ohio University in nearby Athens. He majored in radio and television, and was manager for the school's radio station WOUB. After graduating from Ohio University in 1962, Ailes immediately embarked on a career as a TV producer. He quickly landed a low-level job at "The Mike Douglas Show" (Syndicated, 1961-1982), which was produced locally in Cleveland, and eventually worked his way up to become the show's executive producer. While working for the show in 1967, Ailes had a heated but friendly conversation with former Vice President Richard Nixon, who was appearing as a guest. Nixon thought that television, which was still a relatively new medium, was a passing fad. Ailes begged to differ, and managed to convince Nixon, who had largely been out of politics since his 1960 loss to John F. Kennedy, that mastering television was essential for modern day political candidates. The twentysomething Ailes made such an impression on Nixon that he hired the young producer as a staff member for his 1968 bid for President. When Nixon won the presidency that year, defeating Vice President Hubert Humphrey by a close margin, Ailes was largely credited for softening Nixon's image through numerous eclectic television appearances, hence making Nixon more likable to the voting public. After his success with Nixon, Ailes continued working as a political consultant in the decades that followed. Of his various successes during that period, Ailes was instrumental in helping President Ronald Reagan win in a landslide during his 1984 reelection campaign, and also assisted Vice President George H. W. Bush defeat the heavily-favored Michael Dukakis to become the 41st President of the United States. Then in 1996, with his consulting career reaching its apex, Ailes was asked by Rupert Murdoch to become the CEO of his upstart cable news network Fox News. Ailes jumped at the opportunity, and over the next two decades would almost single-handedly alter the cable news landscape by transforming Fox into a political hotbed of conservative thought and ideology, while also making bonafide stars of pundits like Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly. Ailes continued as CEO of Fox News until July of 2016, when he promptly resigned after former Fox News personality Gretchen Carlson filed sexual harassment charges against him. After his humbling resignation from Fox, it was soon revealed that Ailes would be consulting Manhattan real estate tycoon Donald J. Trump in his eventually successful 2016 bid for President of the United States. Roger ailes died on May 18, 2017 in Palm Beach, Florida, three days after his 77th birthday.