Roger Ailes Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Roger Ailes
Ailes in 2013
Born	Roger Eugene Ailes (1940-05-15)May 15, 1940 Warren, Ohio, U.S.
Died	May 18, 2017(2017-05-18) (aged 77) Palm Beach, Florida, U.S.
Alma mater	Ohio University (BA)
Occupation	President of Fox News Chair of Fox Television Stations 20th Television
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Marjorie White (m. 1960; div. 1977) Norma Ferrer (m. 1981; div. 1995) Elizabeth Tilson (m. 1998)
Children	1

Roger Eugene Ailes (May 15, 1940 – May 18, 2017) was an American television leader and media expert. He was known for being the chairman and CEO of Fox News, Fox Television Stations and 20th Television. Ailes also worked as a media consultant for US Republican presidents like Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush. He also helped Rudy Giuliani in his 1989 New York City mayoral election campaign.

Ailes had a medical condition called hemophilia. This condition makes it harder for a person's blood to clot, which means they can bleed more easily. He passed away on May 18, 2017, at 77 years old. His death was caused by a head injury, which was made worse by his hemophilia.

Early Life and Education
Career in Television and Politics
Personal Life
Helping Others
- Ohio University Support
Death
Books About Roger Ailes
Documentaries
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Education

Roger Ailes was born and grew up in Warren, Ohio. His father worked as a factory maintenance foreman. Because of his hemophilia, Roger was often in the hospital when he was young. He went to schools in Warren and later was honored by his high school for his achievements.

His parents divorced in 1960. In 1962, Ailes graduated from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. He studied radio and television and managed the student radio station, WOUB, for two years.

Career in Television and Politics

Starting in Television

Ailes began his television career in Cleveland and Philadelphia. He started as a production assistant in 1961 for KYW-TV. He then became a producer and executive producer for The Mike Douglas Show, a local talk show. When the show became popular across the country, he continued as its executive producer. He won Emmy Awards for his work on the show in 1967 and 1968.

In 1967, Ailes met Richard Nixon, who was a guest on the show. They talked about how television could be used in politics. Nixon later asked Ailes to help with his presidential campaign. Ailes's work helped Nixon win the election. He was known for making Nixon seem more friendly and relatable to voters.

Political Advisor

Ailes with President Richard Nixon in 1969

Ailes in 1984 (at right)

Ailes with President Ronald Reagan in 1986

Ailes with President George H. W. Bush in 1990

In 1984, Ailes helped with the campaign to reelect Ronald Reagan as president. He also played a key role in George H. W. Bush's successful presidential campaign in 1988. Ailes stopped working as a political consultant in 1991.

After the September 11 attacks, Ailes gave advice to President George W. Bush. He told Bush that the public would be patient if they felt the president was taking strong actions. This advice was mentioned in a book by Bob Woodward.

Writing a Book

In 1988, Ailes wrote a book with Jon Kraushar called You Are the Message: Secrets of the Master Communicators. Another version was published in 1989 with the title You Are the Message: Getting What You Want by Being Who You Are.

Cable News Channels

Ailes returned to television, focusing on cable news. In 1993, he became president of CNBC. He then created the America's Talking channel, which later became MSNBC. He even hosted his own interview show on America's Talking.

Leading Fox News

In 1996, Rupert Murdoch, the head of News Corp, hired Ailes to be the CEO of Fox News. Ailes started this role on October 7.

In 2005, Ailes also became the Chairman of the Fox Television Stations Group. He made changes to the news programs on these stations, making them look more like Fox News Channel. He also launched a new morning show called The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet.

In October 2012, Ailes's contract with Fox News was renewed for four more years. This meant he would have led Fox News Channel for 20 years if he completed his contract. Besides leading Fox News, he also chaired 20th Television, MyNetworkTV, and Fox Business Network.

Leaving Fox News

On July 21, 2016, Ailes resigned from Fox News. He received $65 million as part of his exit agreement. Rupert Murdoch took over his role temporarily. Ailes stated that he did not want his presence to distract from the work of Fox News. He continued to advise Murdoch and 21st Century Fox until his death.

After leaving Fox News, Ailes became an advisor to Donald Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign. He helped Trump prepare for debates.

Personal Life

Roger Ailes was married three times. His third wife was Elizabeth Tilson, whom he married in 1998. Elizabeth was a television executive and owned local newspapers in New York. Roger and Elizabeth had one son named Zachary.

The family lived in Garrison, New York. Ailes also had homes in Cresskill, New Jersey, and Palm Beach, Florida. He was a longtime friend of journalist Barbara Walters.

Helping Others

Ohio University Support

In October 2007, Ailes gave money to Ohio University to help renovate a student newsroom. He had studied radio and television at Ohio University and managed the school's radio station. Since 1994, he also provided scholarships for students in the university's telecommunications programs.

Death

In a book excerpt from 2013, Ailes shared his thoughts on facing death. He said that because of his hemophilia, he had been prepared for death his whole life. He mentioned he would miss life, especially his family.

On May 10, 2017, Ailes fell and hit his head at his home in Palm Beach, Florida. He passed away on May 18, just three days after his 77th birthday. The medical examiner said his death was due to a subdural hematoma (a type of bleeding in the brain), which was made worse by his hemophilia. His wife, Elizabeth, announced his death.

Many people, including George H. W. Bush, Rupert Murdoch, Sean Hannity, and Al Sharpton, shared their tributes to Roger Ailes after his passing.

Books About Roger Ailes

Dark Genius: The Influential Career of Legendary Political Operative and Fox News Founder Roger Ailes by Kerwin Swint (2008)
The Fox Effect: How Roger Ailes Turned a Network into a Propaganda Machine by David Brock (2012)
Roger Ailes: Off Camera by Ze'ev Chafets (2013)
The Loudest Voice In The Room: How The Brilliant, Bombastic Roger Ailes Built Fox News – And Divided a Country by Gabriel Sherman (2014)