Roger Eugene Ailes began his television career as a property assistant on The Mike Douglas Show, for which he received an Emmy nomination in 1968. He quickly rose to producer and executive producer for the show. During his work on the show, he engaged in a lively discussion about television and the role it plays in politics with then presidential candidate Richard M. Nixon, who subsequently brought him on as media advisor to his campaign. His exposure and success in political consulting for Nixon allowed him to consult for other presidential campaigns—including Reagan and George H.W. Bush—before announcing his withdrawal from political consulting in 1992. While working for Nixon’s campaign, he founded Ailes Communication in New York, a media production and consulting firm that worked for a number of different politicians and businesses and produced two Broadway plays: Mother Earth and Hot-L Baltimore. In 1993, Ailes was named president of CNBC. He was eventually hired by Rupert Murdoch to create the now famous Fox News Channel. He remains chair and CEO of Fox News Channel and chairs Fox Television Stations, Twentieth Television, MyNetwork TV, and Fox Business Network. |
