Who is roger ailes

Indeed, Trump's election owes a huge debt to the crusading, aggressive, and often conspiratorial agenda of Ailes' network. Yet last summer he left amid huge controversy, earning tens of millions of dollars in a payout after allegations of sexual harassment were launched against him by former employees.

Ailes always denied the allegations against him. His death denies the rest of us the chance to hear his side of that particularly salacious story. Born in Warren, Ohio, his big break came in when Richard Nixon appeared as a guest on a talk show he was working on, persuading the future US president about the power of television. Mr Ailes became the founding boss of Fox News in , turning it into a profits and ratings powerhouse.

It soon became a favourite of right-wing viewers, outpacing liberal-leaning rivals like CNN. The channel used the slogan "fair and balanced", but its critics saw it as anything but, accusing it of bias and of favouring the Republican Party.

The last year of his life could be his most historically significant: He saw the election of Donald Trump, a candidate his network had promoted and he personally had advised. July 6, Gretchen Carlson files suit against Ailes.

Carlson, a former Fox News host, sends shock waves through the media world when she claims she was terminated for "refusing Ailes' sexual advances. Ailes denies the accusations, saying, "This is a retaliatory suit for the network's decision not to renew her contract. New York Magazine reports that Megyn Kelly, one of the network's biggest stars, told 21st Century Fox investigators that Ailes made unwanted sexual advances toward her a decade earlier.

Shrouded in scandal, Ailes resigns from Fox News , ending his year run at the network. New York magazine reports that Luhn, a former Fox News booker, has told investigators in the internal probe that she was harassed by Ailes for more than 20 years and that Fox News knew about it. Viewership at Fox News has skyrocketed since Mr Ailes launched it more than 20 years ago. In , Fox News was the most popular of any cable news network — despite having one-third the staff of CNN.

Among other things, Ms Carlson accused Mr Ailes of telling her that they would both be better off if they had engaged in a sexual relationship. At least two dozen women came forward with similar accusations in the following months. The company asked Mr Ailes to step down from the network he had created in July of last year. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later?

The couple met at work. Roger Ailes poses with his wife Elizabeth in January Hilary B Gayle Lionsgate. Tim Boxer Getty Images. Drew Angerer Getty Images. This content is imported from YouTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

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