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Roger Ailes: Off Camera Hardcover – March 19, 2013

by Zev Chafets (Author)

4.5 307 ratings

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“When you’ve got Roger Ailes on your side, you do not lose.”—Rush Limbaugh

Roger Ailes is the quintessential man behind the curtain. He more or less invented modern political consulting and helped Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush win their races for the White House. Then he reinvented himself as a master of cable television, first as the head of CNBC and, since 1996, as the creator and leader of Fox News, the most influential news network in the country.

To liberals, Ailes is an evil genius who helped polarize the country by breaking the mainstream media’s long monopoly on what constitutes news. To conservatives, he’s a champion of free speech and fair reporting whose values and view of America reflect their own. But no one doubts that Ailes has transformed journalism. Barack Obama once called him “the most powerful man in America”— and given that Fox News has changed the way millions understand the world, it may be true.

Yet for all that fame and infamy, very few people know the real person behind the headlines.

Journalist Zev Chafets received unprecedented access to Ailes and his family, friends, and Fox News colleagues. The result is a candid, compelling portrait of a fascinating man. We see Ailes in action at Fox News and hear him reflect on personal matters he has never before discussed publicly. And we discover the heart of his sometimes surprising political beliefs: his profane piety and his unwavering belief in the values of his small-town Ohio boyhood.

Ailes loves to fight, but he is a happy warrior who has somehow managed to charm and befriend many of the people he has defeated in political campaigns and television wars. Barbara Walters, Rachel Maddow, Jesse Jackson, the Kennedy clan— all are unexpected Ailes fans.

Chafets also gives us an unprecedented look at the inner workings of Fox News and explores Ailes’s relationships with Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity, Megyn Kelly, Neil Cavuto, Chris Wallace, and the other stars he has nurtured.

Ultimately, Ailes is neither villain nor hero but a man full of contradictions and surprises. As Chafets writes, “What will he do next? What stokes his competitive fires and occasional rages? How to reconcile his acts of exceptional loyalty and private generosity (even to rivals) with his impulse to present himself to the world as a ruthless leg breaker? What makes Roger run—and where, if anywhere, is the finish line? As Ailes himself might say: I report, you decide.”

Print length

272 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Sentinel
Publication date

March 19, 2013
Dimensions

6.25 x 1 x 9.25 inches
ISBN-10

1595230955
ISBN-13

978-1595230959
See all details

Zev Chafets
428
Paperback
43 offers from $2.08

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A tantalizing look into the life of a man who altered the TV-news landscape.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Conservatives, who have struggled to connect with voters emotionally, and liberals, who instinctively revile and dismiss him, would do well to look closely at the factors that have contributed to Roger Ailes’s enormous success.”
—National Review Online

About the Author

ZEV CHAFETS is the author of twelve books of fiction, media criticism, and social and political commentary. He is a frequent contributor to the New York Times Magazine and a former columnist for the New York Daily News.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sentinel; 1st edition (March 19, 2013)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1595230955
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1595230959
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.04 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 1 x 9.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #2,859,912 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #840 in Media & Communications Industry (Books)
- #4,774 in Political Conservatism & Liberalism
- #7,118 in Business Professional's Biographies

Customer Reviews:
4.5 307 ratings

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Zev Chafets

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Zev Chafets is the author of eleven books of fiction, media criticism, and social and political commentary. He is a frequent contributor to The New York Times Magazine and a former columnist for the New York Daily News.

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4.5 out of 5

307 global ratings

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Patricia J. Emenhiser

Was pleasantly surprised! Have read about him before but this is the best yet.

Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2013

Verified Purchase

Really enjoyed reading about Roger. He is very intelligent and handles, yes handles people the way he wants
them to be. I find him to be wise and caring in his decisions but does not gloat , at least not often. I think he
was the perfect person to head FNC and turn it into a #1 channel. He usually makes wise decisions however
I do question a couple of people he hired. All in all he has done wonders with Fox and hopefully he will
continue to do so. Just watch it, Roger, who you hire. I am a 24 hr. watcher of Fox so don't you go messin'
with my favorites. I wish Roger and Fox nothing but the best and please continue to "Tell it like it is!"
LONG LIVE FOX! With a fair, honest, intelligent leader like Ailes they will continue to be #1.

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KingSonal

An Interesting Look Into the News Business

Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2013

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I never knew much about Roger Ailes but was intrigued by all the attention he gets, especially from his many haters. So I bought this book to find out more about him and the history of Fox News Channel, which has changed the landscape of cable news forever.

The book is very interesting. It goes into a lot of aspects of Roger’s life that I didn’t know about, including his work on the Mike Douglas show and his career in politics. All in all, the author provides a fascinating look inside the industry of cable news. Most news organizations get their stories from the same major sources, like Associated Press, Reuters and the like. What makes a television news outlet stand out is their presentation, and specifically which stories they choose to highlight. I was surprised to learn how ruthless and competitive the players in the field are and to what lengths they will go to squash any competitors. Suffice it to say, as the “new kid” on the block what Roger did was not easy by any stretch.

If there is a negative to this book, it’s in the portrait of Ailes the author tries to paint. Biographers tend to make their subjects more maniacal and calculating than they really are. The tone of the author is a little smug and arrogant at times also, but which is not uncommon of biographers. The presentation is comprehensive and thorough, and so there is plenty of useful information provided. I would recommend this book to any person who is interested in communications, politics, media, or even advertising, as the work of Ailes provides so many valuable lessons.

2 people found this helpful

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Kindle Customer

A history to which i could relate

Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2013

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This was an interesting read because it was a history of my life through radio and early tv. I am not the kind of person to take notes and keep track of dates, and reading this book put me in some of the times and places of special events in miy own life. It was a review of some of the important times and situations that helped shape the advance of communications in the US and in the world. I did not think of the book as a biography of Roger Ailes as much as a biography of the growth of and the change in presenting the news. I think it showed the impact of news being presented faster, not necessarily better, and not really accurate. The first one posted got all the glory, it did not matter if it was correct; a retraction or correction could be printed later.

2 people found this helpful

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Tom B

The Man Behind the Scenes

Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2013

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This is a great read for anyone who wants to know more about the man who writes, produces, and directs one of the hottest & longest running plays on Broadway - Fox News. I have always admired Ailes since the days he produced Rush Limbaugh's TV program and this is the closest I'll ever get to knowing his off-camera personality. I was particularly impressed with his fair & balanced treatment of each of his 1000+ employees. It is obviously why he garners such tremendous loyalty from all of them regardless of their political or religious affiliations. Many of Fox's on-air personalities have expressed their gratitude to Ailes for helping develop their careers and this book tells a lot of those stories. Chafets writes with an easygoing, down home style that makes reading his books very enjoyable.

One person found this helpful

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RJMAN

Well written and holds your interest

Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2013

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This is a biography written in a style that keeps you interested. It is not boring in any way, and it describes how this guy made a success of himself and of Fox News without any attempt to gloss over the political issues that often cause Fox to be looked down upon. Fox is a success because of this guy's ability to understand what the public wants and how to present it. It also talks about what this guy did (or failed to do) for several politicians running for office. It is a very interesting character study and well worth reading no matter what your political leaning.

Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2013

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This read is an excellent companion for the frequent flyer or vacationer. If you are intrigued by interesting people and the phenomenal success of Fox News, you will enjoy. However, it could leave you wanting MUCH more details from this man's clearly interesting life!

The brief tale follows the highlights of Mr. Ailes life - mostly career from his beginnings in OH. I include the "Mr." part because he (and I grew up in) that era where I believe he would accept and appreciate my reference to him as "Mr. Ailes." And yet, his obvious wisdom and knowledge built on years and experience has prepared him to monitor the pulse of the public at large.

Mr. Ailes is an unapologetic political enemy to many and also dear friend to many said political enemies. He also has clearly crushed his competition (and remains friends with, too!) with no secrets regarding his strategy. I must assume there are few folks like him in his industry and throughout his life and travails, he has no apologies, few regrets, and many fond memories.

After reading and maybe due to the author's intent, my only complaint is that I wanted to hear more about Mr. Ailes.

One person found this helpful

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Rodney W. Horner

An insider's view of a brilliant and talented visionary

Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2013

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He knows how to put together a team that never gets stale. He knows how to pick talent and then lets them do their thing. He knows what makes good TV and then gets out of the way. He is a brilliant money maker for his boss. He recruits team players and insists that they do so. He puts a premium on loyalty to the team and gets rid of people who can't or won't play that way. He lets people stumble and make mistakes and does not execute them for having human foibles. You would not guess who some of his really close friends are... A really interesting book about a really interesting fellow...

5 people found this helpful

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