Ailes, Roger (1940–)

Roger Eugene Ailes was born on May 15, 1940, in Warren, Ohio. He graduated with a bachelor's degree from Ohio University and later received an honorary doctorate also from Ohio University. Ailes's career ranged from television property assistant, producer, to executive producer of The Mike Douglas Show from 1962 to 1968; media adviser to Richard M. Nixon's 1968 presidential campaign; media consultant to Ronald Reagan's 1984 presidential campaign; media consultant for George H. W. Bush's 1988 presidential campaign; and television executive.

In 1962 Roger Ailes began his television career as a property assistant on The Mike Douglas Show. Three short years later, he became a producer of the show. Then, in 1967, he became an executive producer. In 1967 and 1968, he won Emmy Awards for The Mike Douglas Show. Ailes caught the attention of Richard M. Nixon and was hired as Nixon's television advisor for his presidential campaign in 1968, thus beginning his career in politics. Ailes also served as a media consultant to Ronald Reagan in the 1984 presidential campaign and is credited with helping Reagan win the second debate after a disastrous first debate against Walter Mondale. During the same year, he co-produced Television and the Presidency, a television program for which he won an Emmy as executive producer and director. Ailes was also a media consultant for George H. W. Bush during the 1988 presidential campaign, and he worked as a political consultant for a number of visible political candidates in elections below the presidency.

Ailes retired from his political consulting career in 1992 but continued his television career. From 1993 to 1996, he was the president of CNBC, the cable channel for NBC. Then in 1996 he became the chief executive officer of Fox News and the Fox News Channel. Since 2005, Ailes has been the chairman of Fox Television Stations.