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Roger Ailes Writes ‘As we approach our 17th anniversary at FOX News, we are beginning to dramatically change the way news is presented to the public.’ Here’s Ailes’s Entire Memo

Oct 4, 2013  •  Post A Comment

"Fox News Chairman and CEO Roger Ailes sent a memo Thursday [Oct. 3, 2013] to producers, shows, talent and executives involved in executing a new vision led by Shepard Smith — one that makes him the face of a new, breaking-news division," reports Business Insider.

Business Insider says it obtained a copy of Ailes’ memo. Here it is:

"As we approach our 17th anniversary at FOX News, we are beginning to dramatically change the way news is presented to the public. This has been a vision of mine for several years. I always felt that the most powerful means of communications (video) was restricted to a tape mark, a teleprompter, a talent reading and a control room. That should not be true today.

The NEWS DECK STUDIO which I envisioned has been pretty much completed and Monday [Oct. 7, 2013] starting with Shep’s 3pm program, news will be integrated throughout the evening. Shep and I are both excited about this new approach. Control of the program will be split between the studio and an off-camera control room. The producer’s function and director’s function will change somewhat.

The talent will be more like an NFL quarterback with the ability to call audibles when he sees openings. We will move seamlessly between the teleprompter and storytelling, and the public will have an opportunity to see how the news is being put together and how the programs are built. This will be more organic in terms of the feed sources including video, all digital, and even social media.

I expect there to be a few mistakes along the way because this is a high wire act without a net going live to the public. Any mistakes, however, will not justify changing the need for a special talent presenting the news and using the most updated technology to inform our public.

I know everyone has worked hard to get ready for the October 7th launch. I expect the innovations I’ve envisioned to be a cutting edge news presentation and I have confidence in all of you to deliver it. If something goes wrong, don’t be afraid to let the audience in on what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. Don’t apologize for trying to speed up how, when, and where people get their news. Do your best. Thank you for everything you’ve done so far."

9 Comments

  1. This is typical Ailes. The showman who repackaged Richard Nixon and got him elected.
    News gathering and news presentation has, is and will forever be evolving, especially going forward in our digital age.
    There is nothing new here. Just Roger telling you so does not make it so.
    FOX ?News? is still what it has been. An outlet for a small, wealthy group who are all too influential in American media with concerted, hidden agendas; economically and politically.
    True news reporting is objective. Roger Ailes wouldn’t know the meaning of the word if an unabridged dictionary opened to it fell on him.
    He has always had one thing on his agenda: the perpetuation of Roger Ailes.
    Peter Bright

  2. Amen Peter. I know the man well from his days at the Mike Douglas show to the time in 1980 when I was VP of late night programming at NBC and okayed hiring Ailes -who was on his butt career-wise- as exec producer of the Tomorrow Show with tom Snyder & Rona Barrett. I’ve always regretted my part in that decision because I think it may have helped revive his moribund career. Sorry America.

  3. I would have no problem if they would change the name to “Fox Opinion” Roger has removed the need to have “facts” in their news reports. Walter Cronkite turns over in his grave every time someone on Fox News “reports” the news.

  4. Sorry to be the one to tell you this but “Truly objective” news reporting does not exist in any venue. ALL people have attitudes and opinions they have developed based on their own life experiences and their interactions with other people. These show up in reporting in the choices made by the reporters/writers/editors in deciding which stories should be reported, who should be quoted on the issues in these stories, the wording used in describing events and poeple, etc. When we think someone is being objective, it usually means that the reporting matches our own biases and attitudes.

  5. News reporting ended a long time ago when the three major networks along with CNN became mouthpieces of the DNC, reading their position papers and talking points largely verbatim.
    It’s not that Fox News doesn’t present opinion, but at least they’re honest when doing so rather than pretend they’re unbiased as ABC/CBS/NBC/CNN do.

  6. Unfortunately you are more correct than wrong, Mickey.
    The hidden agendas to either protect, or promote something, or someone, come into play all too often both now and in history.
    I remind myself daily of ANIMAL FARM. It should be mandatory study with experiential re-study by students beginning at age ten to one hundred.
    Peter Bright

  7. In a nutshell, Roger says; “We intend to finally erase any line between news and tabloid info-tainment in the mold of my god, Rupert.”
    Peter, as usual you are right. Although I applaud your effort to educate Mickey, his writing indicates he is well enveloped in “the bubble”.

  8. Mr Bright:
    Absolute nonsense what you say. Go look at the ratings.
    Chas

  9. Charlie, if ratings are your criteria for what’s good and what’s not good, especially in the area of news, then you are part of the problem.
    I know the reality, I’ve been in the business quite a while, but, with my journalistic head on I will say to you that ratings belong in creative, commercial media…but should NEVER rule in news.
    If a free society is to flourish, then energetic, unencumbered, journalism driven news gathering and reporting from various sources must be part of the big picture.
    “Manufactured News” to support an ideology, or selfish interests, perverts absolutely.
    There are many areas to cleanse in America today. Our journalism in mass media is just one.
    The culprit across all the on-going ills in our country is G R E E D…for money and power…(again on the same page I point to ANIMAL FARM.
    Peter Bright

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